PROGRAM DIRECTOR - Coverage, Access and Health Reform (Washington, D.C.)

The National Academy for State Health Policy seeks an experienced individual to join and lead teams working to help states improve health coverage and access policies and programs, particularly as related to health reform implementation and to meeting the needs of children and youth, including support for state Children’s Health Insurance Programs. NASHP is a non-profit, independent academy of state health policymakers working together to identify emerging issues, develop policy solutions, and achieve excellence in state health policy and practice. NASHP provides a forum for constructive, nonpartisan work across branches and agencies of state government on critical health issues facing states. NASHP has offices in Portland, Maine and Washington DC. This position is located in the Washington DC office.

General Description:

This Program Director develops and implements initiatives primarily related to supporting, advancing, analyzing and reporting on state policies and practices designed to provide coverage, especially for children, with a strong focus on helping states to utilize new opportunities and address new challenges presented by national health reform. Reporting to the Managing Director for Coverage and Access, the Program Director develops, plans, oversees and implements projects consistent with NASHP and funder interests and requirements. In addition to maintaining a continuing focus on children’s coverage, the Program Director also may develop and manage projects in other areas of state health policy, depending on organizational needs and priorities and funding opportunities. The Program Director directly supervises staff and supervises project work of staff assigned to relevant project teams. In conjunction with the Managing Director for Coverage and Access, the Program Director is expected to provide substantial internal leadership and external representation for NASHP’s work, particularly in children’s coverage, and to develop ideas and proposals for and relationships with both private and public funders.

Specific Responsibilities Include:

• Develops proposals and project plans, in collaboration with the Managing Director and other key NASHP staff.
• Oversees and coaches project team activities to assure timely completion of quality products and effective activities.
• Designs and conducts or oversees studies and analyses through methods such as literature reviews and syntheses, surveys, key informant interviews, case studies and focus groups.
• Writes, collaborates with others, or supports staff in writing policy briefs, reports, blogs, and articles.
• Works with teams to plan agendas and facilitate webinars, annual conference sessions, and meetings ranging from small expert panels or advisory groups to larger symposia.
• Develops and works with teams to implement technical assistance, especially through peer-to-peer exchange and learning collaborative models.
• Builds and maintains strong working relationships with state program administrators, federal policy makers, national policy organizations, researchers, advocates, funders, and other key stakeholders.
• Represents NASHP and relevant project work and speaks at meetings and conferences.
• Assures timely delivery of quality products and compliance with funder requirements.
• Stays abreast of relevant literature, national policy and state activity in relevant areas, identifying emerging trends and leaders and innovators in state government.
• Participates in NASHP teamwork to plan and implement NASHP’s annual conference, including planning content and securing speakers for pre-conference and conference sessions.
• Actively participates in efforts to improve individual, team and organizational performance, including performance evaluations, staff/team meetings, training, and achievement of strategic priorities.

Qualifications:

• Graduate degree in health policy related area. Additional years of relevant experience over the minimum may be considered as substituting for a graduate degree.
• Minimum of 10 years work relevant experience, including project management and staff supervision.
• Substantial knowledge of state health policy required, with strong preference for substantial knowledge of Medicaid and children’s health insurance programs.
• Experience with state government preferred.
• Strong analytic, qualitative research, organizational, computer, writing, public speaking and verbal communication skills required.
• Ability to develop programs and funding required.
• Ability to manage complex workload to achieve quality results in a timely manner required.
• Ability to create and sustain positive working relationships with staff and diverse constituencies and work independently as well as collaboratively required.
• Availability for occasional out-of-state travel necessary.

To Apply

Those interested in applying for this position should e-mail a cover letter and resume to: search@nashp.org, with “Program Director” in the subject line. NO CALLS ACCEPTED.