The duties and responsibilities of a public policy associate include administrative support and research on topics such as potential federal, state or local legislation; writing an analysis or evaluation of the research; and preparing presentations and policy papers to other policy professionals, lawyers, lawmakers, and government officials. You typically work under the supervision of a senior associate or department head and perform tasks they direct; however, you should be capable of working independently and proactively when it comes to crafting policies that help your organization or constituency.