Director - Health Team

Director - Health Team

Waxman Strategies, a mission-driven policy and communications consulting firm founded by former Congressman Henry Waxman, is accepting applications for a director on our Health Team. For this critical role on our team, we’re looking for candidates with experience in leading government relations, policy, and advocacy work, and experience with and a commitment to health issues and health equity. As a director in our Health Practice, you will be a key part of our work to develop, influence, and advocate for health policies that: address the rising costs of health care and prescription drugs, particularly as they affect Medicare and the commercial insurance market, support efforts to protect and expand access to health care, and advance work on other public health, healthy equity, and reproductive health care issues.

Who We Are: 

Waxman Strategies is a mission-driven consulting firm focused on advancing policies that drive systematic change and equitable outcomes. We use policy solutions, advocacy, and communications to support values-aligned clients in their work to achieve a healthy world in which people, nature, and the common good can flourish.

Our Health Team leverages policy knowledge and experience to provide our diverse portfolio of clients with strategic counsel, issue analysis and policy development, and engagement support with federal officials, state decision-makers, and a wide array of stakeholders . Building on a powerful legacy, we are driven by an uncompromising commitment to create and sustain change in the public interest. A sample of our current health clients includes: Arnold Ventures, the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, the Georgia Health Initiative, West Health, and United States of Care.  

The Position:

As a director in our Health Practice, you will work closely with our team of experts (practice leadership, directors, and associates) and our clients to help shape and influence policy around health — one of the most pressing and high-profile issues in our country. You will be a key leader on our practice’s government relations portfolio and contribute to policy work on behalf of our clients on a variety of the issues we address. You will be a part of a practice and firm that works to ensure diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) are a central part of our work in a meaningful way. Our team recognizes the systemic racism and inherent inequities in our health care system and works every day to advance health equity through dedicated project work. 

The director will not immediately oversee staff but may in the future.

Responsibilities Include:

• playing a lead role in developing and communicating our clients’ policy positions and lobbying members of Congress, congressional staff, other federal policymakers and stakeholders; 
• maintaining and strengthening the firm’s relationships with congressional and staff leadership, members of key congressional committees, and legislative champions, as well as relevant Administration offices;
• maintaining and implementing systems and processes to coordinate and track policymaker interactions across our practice; 
• serving as key contact for day-to-day interactions with clients and funders; leading client meetings, including discussions of policy issues and client deliverables;
• supporting government relations strategy planning to advance client policy goals at all applicable levels of government, incorporating  policy development, communications, and stakeholder relations strategies;
• drafting talking points and policy memos targeted to policymakers and clients; 
• tracking federal and state regulatory and legislative activity on relevant health policy issues;
• project managing and mentoring other health practice staff; and
• conducting background research and identifying opportunities for business development.

What We’re Ideally Looking For:

Required Qualifications:

• You have at least five years of work experience, with a background working in a government setting and/or with advocacy organizations or lobbying firms. You have experience lobbying decision-makers.
• You have a proven track record in legislative or regulatory work, including experience figuring out how to move decision-makers and supporting advancement of legislation and/or regulatory policy.
• You have experience working on one or more health policy issues, such as health care costs, prescription drugs, health equity, public health, or coverage.
• You have strong written and verbal communication skills. You can communicate effectively with people with varying levels of expertise on health issues — from members of Congress to nonprofit leaders to colleagues.
• You have experience building relationships with health policy stakeholders and policymakers. 
• You understand relevant congressional and administrative processes and procedures, and approaches to influencing congressional and administration issues and processes.
• You have a commitment to and experience working with people from a variety of backgrounds, including marginalized communities such as communities of color, low-income communities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, various religious backgrounds, and more.
• You are passionate about health equity and working on behalf of underserved communities.
• You value collaboration in all parts of the work process and approach your work with flexibility, initiative, and a willingness to pivot as issues arise.
• You have a bachelor’s degree, ideally in public policy, public health, government, political science, or another related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• experience with Medicare and/or commercial insurance market payment policy issues;
• experience in client and/or funder relations;
• experience with Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice initiatives;
• a master’s degree in a related discipline;
• experience mentoring and training staff and managing project teams; and
• fluency in Spanish is a plus.

Please note: If you have more than eight years of relevant experience, we still encourage you to apply; for the right candidate, we would adjust the title and salary as appropriate.

More About Our Team:

The firm is made up of people from various backgrounds — including federal agencies, nonprofit advocacy groups, health agencies, and legislative offices — at a range of experience levels. We pride ourselves on being a welcoming place for people of color, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, parents, empty-nesters, and more. Our working model is a very collaborative, project team-based approach.

Details:

This is a full-time position based in the Washington, D.C. area. We primarily work remotely, but staff have access to the Washington, D.C. office and the role will involve video and in-person meetings on Capitol Hill and with allies.

You will report to the Managing Director or Senior Vice President of our Health Practice and work with the rest of the health team.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $106,000-$139,000, depending on experience. We have a generous benefits package, including group health insurance, dental benefits, unlimited vacation time, paid holidays, and a 401(k) plan.

To Apply:

Please visit www.waxmanstrategies.com/join-our-team/ to submit a resume and complete our short application. Please ignore the field asking for a cover letter and submit your answers to the application questions instead.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, and the job will remain posted on our website until it is filled. Waxman Strategies is partnering with Rooted Edge Consulting to support our firm with this search.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing this application, interviewing, completing any pre-employment testing, or otherwise participating in the employee selection process, please contact Aliya at aliya@waxmanstrategies.com.

Interview Process:

Our process involves a phone screen, two interviews, one of which may take place in person, a candidate exercise, and reference calls for candidates advancing in our process.

Our DEIJ Commitment:

Waxman Strategies conducts our work with the understanding that diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ) values are central to our mission, our culture, our success and our impact. With the knowledge of this country's historically unjust economic and social systems in mind, our organization tries to maintain a workplace environment that embraces the diverse backgrounds and identities of our team, partners, and clients.

We strive to make decisions transparently and inclusively, working to eliminate barriers so that all present and future Waxman Strategies staff – particularly those with traditionally excluded identities – have equitable, comprehensive access to resources, opportunities for leadership, and oversight of day-to-day activities.

Waxman Strategies is an equal opportunity employer; we strictly prohibit discrimination against any employee or applicant on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, sexual orientation, disability, gender identity or expression and any other characteristic protected by law. 

Women, people of color, and members of the LGBTQIA+ community and other historically marginalized communities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $106,000-$139,000, depending on experience. We have a generous benefits package, including group health insurance, dental benefits, unlimited vacation time, paid holidays, and a 401(k) plan.

Fluency in Spanish is a plus.