Associate Director of Policy and Programs

Position Information/Duration: Full-Time, 12-Months

Travel: 25% with majority in local DC area

Salary Range: $100,000 - $120,000

Most qualified candidates could expect to start in the low to middle section of the range to allow for learning and growth in the role.

Location: Washington, D.C. (Telework)

The position is based in Washington, D.C. The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI) operates in a telework arrangement with staff working in the eastern time zone. It is required that staff come into the IMI office for six (6) two-day in-person team days per year (every other month) plus applicable department and grant funded project travel. Staff may choose to work from home or the office during non-required days, creating an optional hybrid arrangement.

Reports To: Director of Operations and Strategic Business Development

About the Institute for Medicaid Innovation

Join an organization that is passionate about improving the lives of Medicaid enrollees, their families, and communities through the development, implementation, and diffusion of innovative solutions. The Institute for Medicaid Innovation (IMI) is a national 501(c)3 nonprofit, nonpartisan research, policy, and community power-building organization that provides independent information and analysis to inform Medicaid policy and improve the health of the nation. The work of IMI is informed, guided, and supported by an exceptional group of national experts representing academic and non-academic research institutions, advocacy and community organizations, clinician groups, Medicaid managed care organizations, state, and federal policymakers, and, most importantly, individuals, families, and communities. The Institute for Medicaid Innovation’s strategic priorities provide both guardrails and guidance for strategically aligning its work with its mission.

About the Role

The director of policy and programs is a member of the senior leadership team, working closely with the executive director and director of operations on strategy and development of IMI’s research, policy, programmatic, education, development, and communications portfolios. The policy and program director is an experienced analyst and manager who plays a key role in developing IMI’s analytic and programmatic agenda, developing project-specific teams, and supervising their work to meet deadlines and deliverables. Candidates who are entrepreneurial, creative, and flexible are desired to shape this position.

The director of policy and programs can expect their work to include:

Strategic and Tactical Leadership:

·       Contribute positively to organizational culture and reflect IMI’s values.

·       Work in partnership with the rest of the IMI senior leadership team to develop and execute a policy and programmatic agenda and goals that are aligned with IMI’s mission and strategic priorities.

·       Actively engage with IMI’s staff, board of directors, national advisory board, committees, and community to truly understand IMI’s mission and to gather best practices and innovative initiatives for inclusion in deliverables.

·       Collaborate with team members to develop creative and mission-centric messaging that articulates IMI’s case for support and unique voice and position within the Medicaid community.

·       Serve as the senior staff member on IMI national advisory board committees, supporting the chair(s) to align annual efforts with the strategic priorities of the organization and portfolio of current and future work.

·       Engage in business development activities, including cultivating relationships with existing and potential new stakeholders and organizations, managing or contributing to the writing of proposals, developing budgets, and expanding areas of expertise.

Design, Direct, and Conduct Policy and Programmatic Initiatives:

·       Conceptualize, review, and direct the development of Medicaid policy and programmatic initiatives, analysis, and products (e.g., reports, issue briefs, memos, presentations, tools, blog posts, social media, analyses of proposed regulations and reports issued by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

·       Supervise and develop staff by setting goals for performance and growth. Monitor workflow and provide constructive feedback and coaching. Plan, monitor, and appraise job results.

·       Convene and lead policy summits on emerging topics to highlight current evidence, best practices, and opportunities that are aligned with the IMI’s strategic priorities and focus areas.

·       Carry out project management and coordination activities, including serving as project director and monitoring grant and contract timelines, reporting, and communication with funders and stakeholders as appropriate to produce high quality deliverables on time.

·       Provide technical assistance on projects, including contributing to the development of project design and methods, supporting stakeholder engagement and fostering ongoing relationships, and identifying innovative concepts for potential projects that address key issues in Medicaid.

·       Provide support on projects, including literature reviews, data collection (from focus groups, interviews, surveys, secondary sources, and primary data sources), analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, and technical report and manuscript preparation.

·       Identify and review current and emerging Medicaid policy topics that IMI should consider focusing its research and project efforts and develop strategies to build on current/existing Institute initiatives.

·       Support collaboration among team members, both internal and external to IMI.

·       Serve as a representative of the organization through presentations and attendance at meetings/conferences.

·       Participate in activities that support ongoing learning to enhance skills and experiences.

About You  

To be maximally successful in this role, you need to have:

-       deep policy and programmatic expertise in Medicaid;

-       experience translating research into policy and programmatic initiatives;

-       experience working in or with communities and state agencies to implement policy changes;

-       strong writing skills including proven success in publishing reports, fact sheets, issue briefs, and blog posts, and grant and contract proposals;

-       commitment to understanding the needs of IMI’s priority populations within the context of health care;

-       demonstrated experience collaborating with multiple partners, driving projects to completion, and an ability to articulate complex issues to multiple audiences;

-       a “teamwork” mindset and ability to work cooperatively and effectively with others to set goals, resolve problems, and make decisions that enhance organizational effectiveness;

-       demonstrated management skills, including the ability to lead projects and proposals, support, guide, and lead project staff, provide day-to-day management of complex projects and tasks, and direct and mentor volunteers, interns, and fellows;

-       ability to work independently and as part of a team in a fast paced and evolving work environment to meet deadlines and provide rapid response;

-       ability to work simultaneously on multiple projects/tasks and maintain a well-organized work environment;

-       experience working in a grant or contract-funded environment with experience writing grant/contract proposals is desired;

-       enthusiasm to propose fresh ideas without prompting from leadership, openness to feedback on those ideas, and a persistence to bring those ideas to life; and

-       experience working with and mentoring learners, including interns, graduate students, and fellows from different disciplines and professions.

Required Experience and Education

Graduate degree in health policy, health services research, public policy, public health, public administration, statistics, economics, or other related fields. At least ten (10) years of policy and programmatic experience with at least five (5) years directly related to Medicaid.

The Perks of Working at IMI

Please see full post at: https://medicaidinnovation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-IMI_AssociatePolicyPrograms-FINAL.pdf.

Conditions of Employment

To be employed by IMI, qualified candidates must:

·       Be a U.S. citizen.

·       Live in the eastern time zone in a state where IMI is currently registered to employ staff, D.C. metro area preferred.

·       Be fully vaccinated against COVID including applicable boosters.

·       Have ability to travel to D.C. for scheduled organizational meetings, at least once a quarter, and as needed for job or project related meetings.

·       Have ability to travel to locations throughout the U.S. for job or project related meetings.

·       Provide official transcripts for positions with degree requirements.

·       Successfully complete all onboarding requirements and documentation (e.g., verification of citizenship).

·       Successfully complete 90-day probationary period.

How to Apply       

To apply, e-mail a cover letter, resume, and writing samples representative of your original policy and programmatic work to Anna Bonelli at ABonelli@MedicaidInnovation.org with IMI Director of Policy & Programs – [Your last name] in the subject line.

Deadline

Apply by May 31

IMI is an equal opportunity employer. As an anti-racist and gender inclusive organization,

all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, ethnicity, sex, gender, religion, political affiliation, marital status, or disability. IMI encourages those from historically excluded groups who believe they do not meet all the qualifications to apply.