Chief External Affairs Officer

About Us

The Arizona Alliance of Community Health Centers (the Alliance) is the Primary Care Association (PCA) for Arizona. We’re a nonprofit member organization that represents Community Health Centers (CHCs) — Arizona’s largest primary care network.

CHCs deliver healthcare services that meet the needs of their communities, connecting people to quality care that gives everyone an equal opportunity to thrive. We facilitate that vital work by providing CHCs with training, technical assistance, programmatic support, and advocacy.

Why You Should Join Us

Here at the Alliance, we believe that our greatest asset in achieving our goals is providing our employees with the support, leadership, and resources they need to do their best work.

We believe in work-life balance and the restorative power of rest, so we offer 12 paid holidays, 6 days of sick pay, 3 personal days, and 10 days of vacation pay per year. Vacation accrual increases by 5 days at the first, fifth, and eleventh-year anniversary date.

We believe in cultivating a culture that is diverse and inclusive, so in 2022 we formed the JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion) council which is made up and driven by a group of our employees whose purpose is to support leadership in identifying and correcting systemic biases in our workplace that impede our ability to create a true culture of belonging.

About this Role

The Chief External Affairs Officer (CEAO) serves as a member of AACHC’s Executive Leadership Team, with responsibility for building, maintaining, and growing relationships with government agencies, policymakers, media, and other external partners to increase awareness of and support for health centers and their vital work to serve the needs of our communities. The CEAO will develop, implement, and maintain a strategic and cohesive vision for AACHC’s advocacy and communications efforts (aligned with AACHC’s strategic plan), that focuses on deeper engagement with patients, communities, partner organizations, and elected officials, and will design and execute the operational plan to realize that vision.

• Essential Functions
  • Leads all external affairs activities including advocacy, government affairs, public policy, and regulatory affairs. Incorporates justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion lens in the development of department vision, strategy, and outcomes.
  • Provides leadership and consultation as a member of the executive leadership team, across the organization to identify and implement policies, procedures, actions, interventions, and tactics that advance our work and meet our strategic and operational goals.
• Legislative Advocacy
  • Oversees AACHC’s state and federal advocacy efforts, including providing leadership support to AACHC’s Senior Director of Legislative Affairs to develop the AACHC state and federal legislative agendas and activities.
  • In collaboration with Senior Director of Legislative Affairs, participates in a variety of legislative meetings and hearings; monitors and provides testimony at legislative hearings as necessary.
  • Supports Senior Director of Legislative Affairs in use of hired advocacy consultants who assist with the goal of achieving a favorable legislative agenda for AACHC members.
• State and Federal Agency Partnership/Policy/Regulatory Affairs
  • Represents AACHC at a variety of healthcare meetings, advisory committees, task forces and coalitions to build strong collaborative partnerships with state and national health and human service organizations.
  • Maintains collaborative and cooperative relationships with state and federal agencies to ensure a timely provision of information and support.
  • Works closely with state, federal agencies, and managed care organizations on issues impacting health centers (such as provider enrollment, licensing, credentialing, billing issues) to bring health center needs forward and collaborates to achieve resolution.
  • Works closely and collaboratively with the National Association of Community Health Centers on key issues that ensure the ability of health centers to provide access to quality, affordable primary health care in medically underserved areas.
  • Coordinates and responds to requests for comments on proposed state and federal policies that will have an impact on patients’ health, patients’ ability to access services and the ability of health centers to adequately deliver high quality services and ensure positive health outcomes.
• Media
  • Responds to media requests, identifies, initiates, and oversees media events, and reviews and approves AACHC press releases and other materials to ensure communications are appropriate, timely, and adequately address relevant policy.
  • Oversees and approves media relations content to ensure consistent and effective delivery of information to appropriate audiences.
  • Creates and submits press releases to ensure appropriate dissemination of information.
• Communications and Marketing
  • Evaluates, develops, and oversees the Alliance’s internal and external communications and marketing strategy to highlight, promote, and advance the work of the Alliance and our members, resulting in increased community presence and brand recognition.
  • Advises AACHC senior leadership members on internal communication strategies to ensure alignment with the organization's mission, vision, and core values.
  • Provides guidance and support to the Director of Communications and Training regarding current communications efforts with the intention of this position assuming future oversight for communications staffing and activity once an assessment has been made of organizational need.
• Provides overall management and direction to departmental staff.
  • Oversees the development and maintenance of the departmental budget; monitors ongoing budgetary compliance and addresses problems as needed.
  • Delegates departmental duties and responsibilities to management; participates in high priority special projects and activities.
  • Represents the department at all senior management meetings.
  • Prepares departmental company policies and procedures and conveys all senior management communications and directives.
  • Monitors departmental performance using company performance standards and addresses issues as needed.
  • Directs departmental performance and provides specific instructions to managers and supervisors on completion of tasks/responsibilities.
  • Prepares and conducts performance appraisals for immediate staff.
  • Conducts hiring, disciplinary, and termination procedures.
• Strategic and operational plans
  • Develops recommendations for senior management on strategic and operational goals and objectives within the external affairs function.
  • Participates in strategic and operational planning processes, providing research and input as appropriate.
  • Develops departmental goals and objectives based on overall strategic and operational plans.
• Organizational planning and management
  • Serves as a member of the senior leadership team of the organization, participating in the process and contributing to organization-wide decision making and implementation of initiatives.
  • Along with other senior organizational leaders, develops strategic and operational plans for the organization.
  • Develops and implements strategic and operational plans for the external affairs function, aligning them with organization wide goals and objectives.

General Development

• Possesses the equivalent of formal training in government affairs, usually in the form of a major in political science, business/public administration, or public health as part of a Bachelor’s Degree program.
• Possesses an in-depth understanding of government affairs in the health care industry, typically not acquired in less than 5 years of similar work experience.

Professional/Technical Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Has demonstrated knowledge of the Community Health Center program and Primary Care Associations.
• Has experience with federal and/or state legislative or executive branch functions and activities.
• Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge of executive, legislative, judicial, and/or administrative government functions, and processes at the state and federal levels.
• Demonstrated ability to apply to develop effective working relationships with a variety of individuals to gain support and interest in program’s objectives.
• Demonstrated ability to apply knowledge of a variety of federal, state and local resources, programs and services involved with initiatives related to under-served communities.
• Demonstrated ability to use intermediate functions and features of the MSOffice suite including word processing, spreadsheet, presentation and database applications.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently with little direct supervision in the efficient and thorough completion of tasks.
• Demonstrated ability to apply principles, practices and methods of public relations.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize multiple tasks, assignments and projects to meet established quality and time requirements.
• Demonstrated ability leading the development, implementation, and evaluation of new programs and strategic initiatives.
• Ability to analyze data and make informed decisions.
• Uses Microsoft Excel to analyze data, including the use of formulas, functions, lookup tables and other standard spreadsheet elements.
• Develops sophisticated presentations in Microsoft PowerPoint, including the use of embedded objects, transitions, and other elements.
• Possesses advanced leadership skills, demonstrated by the ability to coach and develop other leaders through both direct supervision and engagement in active mentorship.

Licenses & Certifications

• Must have a valid Arizona Driver’s license and have access to reliable transportation.

Telecommuting and Travel

This position is required to be on-site at least two days per work week.

Some travel may be required to community health centers via vehicle or conferences via air travel.

Physical Demands: Work is performed in a typical office environment. The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Performs essential functions in a climate-controlled office setting requiring extended periods of sitting and frequent use of office technology requiring ability to perform keyboard related tasks using hands and close vision. The employee is frequently required to talk and hear. The employee is occasionally required to walk. Functions performed require the ability to regularly stoop, weight objects (bend and reach; additionally, functions include lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying light to medium objects up to approximately 35 pounds) on a regular basis. Regularly required to operate a motor vehicle to attend program functions.