Policy & Advocacy Fellow

Children's Health Fund is committed to ensuring access to high-quality healthcare for children and youth living in this country’s most under-resourced communities. We do this through the development and support of innovative, comprehensive primary care programs; reducing the impact of public health crises - like the coronavirus; and the promotion of health and wellbeing. Our two major initiatives are the National Network and Healthy and Ready to Learn. The National Network comprises 25 pediatric clinical programs we support that bring comprehensive primary care directly to children and youth where they live, learn, and gather. Healthy and Ready to Learn partners with NYC public elementary schools to improve their school climate, through technical assistance, professional development workshops, the Resource and Training Center website, and school-based interventions.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Children’s Health Fund (CHF) Policy & Advocacy department advocates for policies and laws that strengthen health equity and combat the impact of racism and all systems of oppression on the health of children and families. With a focus on social determinants of health, the Policy & Advocacy team covers a range of policy topics from healthcare access to immigration. CHF has a history of fighting to strengthen the federal health safety net that is critical for children to thrive, including working to pass the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and ongoing efforts to bolster the Medicaid program nationwide.

The Policy & Advocacy Fellow provides policy research assistance, helps contribute to advocacy communications efforts, and provides administrative support. The fellow will also have a role in shaping CHF’s annual conference, monthly forums, and other convenings. The fellowship is a one-year commitment for up to 20 hours per week and paid on an hourly basis. CHF is currently operating under a work from home policy in accordance with state and local guidelines. This fellowship will commence remotely until further notice.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES: 

Policy research and advocacy communications:

• Contribute to CHF policy analysis by conducting research and presenting relevant policy content to the Policy & Advocacy team to assist with major projects
• Assist with content creation for social media platforms, the CHF website, and other forms of advocacy communications
• Assist with written pieces for CHF and cross-departmental projects as needed
• Other responsibilities as needed

Support for annual conference, monthly forums, and other convenings:

• Assist with strategic planning process by providing administrative and research support
• Research, draft and organize materials such as speaker bios, agendas
• Assemble background materials for distribution to attendees
• Provide tech support throughout the process and on the days of the convenings
• Other administrative responsibilities as needed 
• Proactively participate in ongoing, organization-wide anti-racism work

Qualifications:

• Current student or recent graduate of a college or graduate program preferred
• 1-3 years of work experience preferred
• Strong research and analytical skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated interest in public policy and/or health policy/public health strongly preferred
• Basic knowledge or experience with the policy and political landscape at any/all levels of government preferred 
• Comfortable working daily with a computer to complete work; experience with Google Suite a plus
• Collaborative and a team player
• Mission driven