Government Affairs Manager

For a full job description and instructions on how to apply using another platform, go to the Careers page on MFHC.org. Resume and cover letter, that addresses specific points, are required. Deadline to apply is Monday, June 30, 2025, 5PM.

Missouri Family Health Council champions the freedom to access sexual and reproductive healthcare—no matter who you are or where you live. Through programs like Title X, Free EC, and The Right Time, we partner with providers, support communities, and advocate for policies that protect care and expand rights. We ensure that everyone can get the care they need, without shame, judgment, or obstacles. Simply put, we do hard work and we do it well.

POSITION SUMMARY

As a member of the Programs team, the Government Affairs Manager is responsible for ensuring a functional connection between MFHC’s policy priorities and relevant local, state, and, occasionally, national policy and regulatory work, legislative advocacy, and lobbying, serving as a trustworthy resource to elected officials and their staff on issues related to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. They work in close collaboration with other members of the MFHC team and other health- and equity-focused coalition members and community partners in order to defend against legislative attacks to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice, and pave the way toward implementation of proactive policies that move us closer to the vision that everyone has access to healthcare without shame, judgement, or obstacles.

WHAT YOU DO

The core of this role is developing and implementing legislative strategies to achieve MFHC’s policy priorities on the local, state, and federal levels. This includes a focus on:

Policy and Legislative Strategies

• Establish MFHC’s priorities in conjunction with MFHC’s Policy and Advocacy workgroup.
• In conjunction with the Advocacy Manager, design power-building strategies that activate MFHC’s base to effectively influence policymakers, including incorporating story-telling and person-level impact into the policy process.
• Effectively lobby policymakers to build support for MFHC’s policy priorities, provide written and verbal testimony, and prepare other advocates to testify on behalf of MFHC.
• Maintain an effective in-Capitol presence in order to support MFHC’s policy priorities.
• Inform strategies for institutional and local municipal changes to policy and practice to support MFHC’s mission in collaboration with the broader Programs department.

Relationship Building

• Build bipartisan champions to support MFHC’s proactive policy agenda.
• Serve as a trusted resource for accurate, clear, relevant information related to sexual and reproductive healthcare and provision to policymakers, state department leaders, and their staff.
• Create and maintain effective, supportive relationships with coalition partners and other stakeholders, focusing on finding common ground on which to advance policy priorities.

Analyze and Communicate Policy Details

• Supported by the Policy Analyst, read, understand, and monitor key policies moving through the legislative process and effectively communicate the impact (or potential impact) to relevant stakeholders, including MFHC staff and board, clinics, volunteers, and community partners.
• Draft suggested policy language and priorities for proactive bills and effectively share with relevant stakeholders.
• Provide clear, concise, and actionable summaries of legislative happenings with the goal of strategically mobilizing appropriate stakeholders toward power-building and legislative efficacy.

Power Building

• In conjunction with the Advocacy Manager and other key stakeholders, support in-Capitol activities like lobby days, legislative visits, and other actions to build and demonstrate community power.
• Facilitate an effective and compelling connection between policymakers and their constituents within the MFHC network, including through in-district visits and clinic tours.
• Occasionally conduct outreach and/or presentations to build MFHC’s stakeholder network to better achieve our shared policy priorities.

Learning as Growth

At MFHC, we believe learning is a lifelong journey—and a vital part of advancing reproductive freedom and justice. We embrace growth not just for individual development, but because deepening our knowledge strengthens our collective impact. We learn so we can do better—for ourselves, for each other, and for the communities we serve. That means:

• Welcoming feedback as an opportunity to reflect, evolve, and show up more fully in our work.
• Completing all required training tied to our grant commitments, knowing that compliance helps sustain the mission.
• Staying grounded in the latest, best practices of the role.

Additional Duties/Responsibilities

• Attend events, conferences, trainings, and meetings on behalf of MFHC, including tabling/outreach, as needed.
• Promote MFHC’s programs with passion and appropriate knowledge with partners/stakeholders.
• Other duties as assigned that support MFHC in meeting its mission.

WHO YOU ARE AND KEYS TO SUCCESS (the must-haves)

To be successful in this job the following are crucial skills and abilities:

Demonstrated effectiveness with legislative influence: At least three years of experience with implementing strategies to move stakeholders, external partners, policymakers, and their staff toward a goal. Ability to manage a high volume of quickly-moving work with efficiency and has systems to remember, manage, and complete tasks, especially during the legislative session. Understands power-mapping and how to influence coalition and legislative dynamics from various positions of power.

Critical thinking and problem-solving ability: Quickly grasp subtleties of complex issues and identifies patterns in challenges. Proposes solutions to issues without much guidance. Effectively identifies connections between and rifts in aligned or competing policy priorities and advocacy issues. Ability to quickly change course as new information becomes available. Must be able to thrive in an ever-changing environment, shifting priorities due to external factors, and make sound judgement in the face of ambiguity.

Clear, precise, and detail-oriented communication: Accurately reads, writes, and interprets policies. Speaks and writes clearly on behalf of the organization and ability to tailor messaging based on audience. Organizes and shares information effectively.

Relationship building and resilience: Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships with a variety of partners and policymakers. Understands and has the ability to navigate the challenges of coalition work. Listens closely to understand needs, nuances, or concerns and takes steps based on that input. Responds to people in a timely manner and provides clear, helpful, accurate information. Operates resiliently in challenging, hostile, and/or quickly-changing environments with many underlying legislative and other interpersonal dynamics at play.

The following are plusses, but are not requirements:

• Experience in healthcare and/or family planning policy and/or administration.
• Legislative experience in a hostile policy environment.
• Experience applying health equity principles and values throughout work.
• Strong technical, policy, legislative, and/or legal writer.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, and related software.