Legacy Modernization Policy Strategist

Nava PBC

4d•Remote

About The Position

Nava is at the forefront of reimagining how our government serves its people, and we’re looking for a Policy Strategist to help us increase our impact within government. Nava is building new approaches to legacy system modernization that go beyond replacing old technology. We are investing in AI-enabled tools and delivery methods that help agencies understand existing systems faster, simplify unnecessary complexity, and modernize safely without rebuilding outdated policy and procedures into new platforms. As a Policy Strategist on Nava’s Technical Solutions & Services team, you will play a central role in this work. Rather than focusing on a single program area, you’ll apply policy expertise across domains to help interdisciplinary teams modernize legacy systems quickly and responsibly. This role sits at the intersection of policy, product, and technology. You will help translate statutes, regulations, and procedural guidance into clear, testable inputs for modern systems — and help teams distinguish between what is legally required, what reflects historical interpretation, and what can be simplified or reimagined. You will also contribute to early-stage product development, experimentation with AI tools, and external validation of Nava’s modernization approaches through pilots, demos, and stakeholder conversations. This is not a traditional policy advisory role. It is a hands-on, forward-deployed role for someone who sees policy not just as a constraint, but as a lever for better outcomes.

Requirements

5+ years of experience in public policy, program implementation, policy analysis, or a related field — or a combination of relevant graduate-level education and experience
Demonstrated experience interpreting and applying federal and/or state statutes, regulations, or policy guidance in real-world contexts.
Ability to translate complex policy into clear, actionable recommendations for non-policy audiences.
Strong ability to build and nurture relationships with both internal teams and external partners
Self-directed and comfortable working independently with minimal supervision
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including technical and policy contexts
Ability to document research processes, findings, and recommendations clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner
Legal authorization to work in the United States
Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired
Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future
May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract

Nice To Haves

Direct experience implementing government program policy and/or operational changes in the context of building technology solutions
Experience or familiarity working in agile project management environments and applying human-centered design principles
Experience working on government technology modernization, civic tech, or large-scale systems change
Experience or interest in rules-as-code, business rules engines, or policy-to-technology translation
Exposure to AI-assisted research, analysis, or documentation tools
Experience contributing to pilots, demos, proposals, or early-stage product development

Responsibilities

Translate Policy into Executable System Logic
Analyze statutes, regulations, policy manuals, and guidance governing public benefit programs
Use AI-assisted tools to extract policy requirements and convert them into structured business rules, specifications, and decision logic
Evaluate the accuracy and completeness of extracted rules, ensuring fidelity to legal requirements and policy intent
Document traceability between system logic and underlying policy sources
Bridge Policy and Technical Implementation
Partner closely with engineering and product teams to inform system architecture, calculation logic, and workflow design
Help teams distinguish between what is legally required, what reflects historical interpretation, and what is a discretionary or legacy artifact
Identify opportunities to simplify, streamline, or safely modernize policy-driven processes without compromising compliance
Support testing and validation efforts by helping define representative scenarios, edge cases, and comparison criteria
Experiment with AI-Enabled Modernization Approaches
Participate in rapid experimentation using AI tools to accelerate policy analysis, legacy system understanding, and rules extraction
Help design human-in-the-loop workflows that balance speed with accuracy, transparency, and accountability
Contribute to defining where AI can be reliably used in policy and modernization work — and where human judgment remains essential
Build Repeatable Frameworks and Reusable Assets
Develop and refine reusable approaches for policy intake, rule extraction, documentation, and validation
Help create shared taxonomies, templates, and playbooks that enable teams to apply policy insights consistently across projects
Contribute to the evolution of Nava’s legacy modernization offerings by turning project learnings into scalable patterns
Participate in external conversations with government stakeholders to test assumptions, surface risks, and gather feedback
Anchor Work in Outcomes
Help teams define what success looks like for modernization efforts, including speed, accuracy, clarity, and reduction of unnecessary complexity
Evaluate whether new approaches meaningfully improve outcomes for agencies, staff, and the people they serve
Make clear recommendations — not just analyses — to support timely decision-making in ambiguous environments

Benefits

Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs
Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost
Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge
Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO
Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus
Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home
Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools
Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program
Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest
401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan
Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities
Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs
Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses
Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills
Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs
Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team
Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable
Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care