Government Affairs Director

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Leads local and state advocacy under the Area Vice President of Government Affairs and works collaboratively with the Community Engagement team, co-leading that work.
• Builds and maintains relationships with elected officials, policy makers, and external organizations to establish Advocate Health as the content expert and partners on matters relating the healthcare of the communities we serve.
• Promotes the views of Advocate Health with County, City, and local municipalities’ staff and agency leaders to promote sound healthcare policy decisions.  Leads advocacy at the local level while coordinating with the Advocate Community Engagement team.  Advances state agenda as directed by State Government Affairs Area Vice President.
• Identifies external funding opportunities when appropriate whether through local, state, federal governments, or other external organizations.
• Facilitates meetings and the development of relationships between Advocate Health local executives and/or service line leaders and elected officials.  Prepares talking points, testimony, background documents, and other collateral material as needed for lobbying, grassroots efforts, and community engagement.
• Monitors and analyzes legislation, resolutions, and budget provisions related to healthcare and workforce, which could impact operations at Advocate Health
• Contributes to the Annual Advocate Health Government Affairs agenda.  Tracks the status of relevant resolutions, budget provisions, and ordinances potentially affection operations of Advocate Health and/or the health of the communities served.
• Conducts in-depth policy research and creates strategies to advance Advocate Health’s legislative agenda.  Identifies areas of potential advocacy and external funding opportunities when appropriate when appropriate whether through local, state, or federal governments or other external organizations.
• Participates and shares leadership with Community Engagement in local business organizations/chambers.
• Coordinates with the Federal Affairs team on multifaceted policy opportunities and engagement.  Collaborates with Advocate Health Communications team when managing issues reasonably likely to draw media attention.

Level of Education:  Bachelor Degree in Business, Health Policy, Government Studies, or similar program.

Years of Experience:  Five years working in local and/or state government. Experience in Illinois strongly preferred.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSA)

• Knowledge of basic legislative process for local governments
• Understanding of various budget processes within county, city, and municipal governments
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and in writing
• Ability to take complicated facts and scenarios and consolidate them into something consumable by elected officials.