Director of Policy & Innovation

The Harris County Tax Assessor-Collector and Voter Registrar’s Office (HCTO) is seeking an experienced, dynamic, and motivated Director of Policy and Innovation. Reporting to the Chief of Staff, the Director of Policy leads HCTO’s policy research, legislative analysis, and strategic policy initiatives. This position provides policy analysis and strategic recommendations that support the elected official and senior leadership in advancing the Office’s mission, operational priorities, and long-term objectives.

The Director of Policy and Innovation oversees the Tax Office’s policy function related to the statutory duties of the office. This includes strategic research, fiscal impact analysis, data-informed policy analysis, legislative monitoring, Commissioners Court policy coordination and monitoring, and support for continuous process improvement efforts. This position supervises the Policy Team, ensuring the team develops expertise in the Office’s operations and delivers timely, accurate, and actionable analysis to support executive decision-making.

About the Tax Assessor-Collector: HCTO is essential for ensuring the proper administration of tax laws and providing vital services to the community. The office plays a key role in local government, handling various financial, community, and administrative tasks, including:

• Property Tax Collection: Assess and collect property taxes for all eligible commercial and residential property owners and entities. Calculate property taxes based on appraised values and ensure collection and distribution to the appropriate entities.
• Motor Vehicle Services: Manage commercial and residential vehicle registration, issue license plates, and handle vehicle title transfers, including the collection of associated fees.
• Voter Registration: Oversee voter registration within the county, issue voter registration certificates, and maintain an accurate voter registration roll.
• Additional Revenue Collection: Collecting certain fees, fines, and revenues related to permits or state mandates, depending on the county’s needs, * Lead the Tax Office’s policy research and analysis functions and its development of policy recommendations to support strategic priorities.
• Develop and implement processes that ensure emerging policy issues, legislative actions, Commissioners Court matters, and other matters impacting the Tax Office are proactively identified, analyzed and communicated to the elected official and senior leadership.
• Conduct and oversee research, benchmarking, comparative analysis, and review of performance information to identify best practices, emerging trends, operational improvement opportunities and to inform policy recommendations.
• Develop policy memoranda, briefing documents, issue papers, correspondence, presentations, and other decision-support materials that provide the elected official and senior leadership with information, analysis, and recommendations on policy matters and potential next steps.
• Provide briefings to the elected official and senior leadership about legislative developments, policy issues, operational impacts, and strategic considerations.
• Lead the analysis of proposed legislation affecting the Tax Office’s statutory responsibilities, operations, staffing, funding, and service delivery during and between sessions of the Texas Legislature.
• Collaborate with operational divisions to gather subject matter expertise, operational impacts, and fiscal considerations that inform policy analysis, recommendations, and leadership briefings.
• Collaborate with the County’s Intergovernmental & Global Affairs (IGA) Department, through research, analysis, implementation considerations, and strategic recommendations, regarding legislative matters affecting HCTO.
• Oversee the monitoring and analysis of Commissioners Court agendas and actions affecting the Tax Office and ensure leadership receives timely information regarding potential operational, fiscal, staffing, and policy impacts.
• Serve as the staff-level policy representative with the Commissioner Court offices’ policy teams, ensuring appropriate information is shared to support informed decision-making.
• Ensure operational data, performance measures, and service delivery information are incorporated into policy analysis, process improvement efforts, and recommendations.
• Oversee the development of dashboards, reports, data summaries, and analytical tools that support executive decision-making in collaboration with leadership.
• Conduct comparative analyses of operational performance and service delivery to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

• Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Public Affairs, Political Science or related field from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in public policy, legislative affairs, government relations, public administration, strategic planning, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of supervisory or management experience.
• Experience managing, mentoring, and coaching staff and working collaboratively across teams.
• Experience conducting policy analysis and developing recommendations for executive leadership.
• Experience interpreting legislation and assessing organizational impacts.
• Knowledge of public policy analysis, legislative affairs, governmental operations, and strategic planning
• Strong understanding of the Texas legislative process and county government
• Ability to analyze complex legislation and assess operational, fiscal, staffing, and policy impacts.
• Ability to synthesize qualitative research, quantitative data, and operational information into strategic recommendations.
• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare executive-level memoranda, briefing materials, presentations, and reports.
• Ability to effectively present complex policy issues and recommendations to executive leadership
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to establish collaborative working relationships with operational divisions, executive leadership, county departments, and governmental partners.
• Strong leadership, supervisory, organizational, and project management skills.

• Work is performed primarily in an office setting, subject to frequent interruptions with extensive work at a computer workstation.
• Flexibility to work evening and weekend hours, dependent upon business needs.
• Occasional travel to conferences and training sessions may be required.

Physical Demands:

• Sedentary role with medium physical effort required; however, it may at times involve long periods of standing, walking, bending, reaching, stretching, climbing, lifting to 30 lbs. or similar activities (e.g., filing, delivering, sorting).
• Regular application of basic skills (calculator, keyboard, hand tools, eye/hand coordination).