State Policy Director

The Policy Director conceives and oversees implementation of all legislative, regulatory, administrative, and advocacy policy activities for the organization. As a senior member of the CACHI team, the Policy Director will work closely with other team members on the overall strategic direction of CACHI. The Policy Director will be a full-time exempt employee of CACHI’s fiscal agent, Community Partners, based in Los Angeles, and report to the Executive Director. Consultants, including a legislative advocate, are available to assist the Policy Director. Given the nature of the position, it is based in or within reasonable driving distance (60-90 minutes) of Sacramento.

RESPONSIBILITIES

The policy director will be responsible for developing and executing CACHI’s state policy agenda that includes:

In partnership with consultants and the legislative advocate, lead development of and strategies for policy proposals.

Track relevant policies, especially those that are priorities for ACHs. The array of relevant state initiatives involving multiple sectors is sweeping, cutting across many of the California Health and Human Services Agency’s largest departments, including the Agency itself (the children and youth behavioral health initiative), the Department of Health Care Services (CalAIM, new community based worker benefits, health disparities), the Department of Health Care Access and Information (health workforce pipelines and professions), the Department of Public Health (community resilience, violence prevention), as well as other non-health agencies, such as the Department of Education (child health and well-being) and the Strategic Growth Council.

• Identify relevant policies, craft policy proposals, and draft regulatory comments that advance CACHI’s aims.
• Develop policy options for providing or incentivizing ongoing funding to ACHs.
• Develop strategies to secure sustainable state funding for ACHs beyond FY 2025-26.
• Educate policymakers on CACHI and the communities’ progress on advancing health and health equity, including legislative and executive branch briefings.
• Regularly meet with and partner with advocacy organization on common policy issues.
• Assist with providing technical assistance to ACHs on relevant policies through webinars, affinity groups, matching with subject matter experts, etc. In addition to state policy, technical assistance may include bringing in experts to work with ACHs on local policy processes and issues.
• Engage ACHs in formal and informal processes to support their involvement in advocacy efforts.
• Coordinate with the George Washington University Funders Forum and others as appropriate on relevant federal policy issues.

QUALIFICATIONS

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• A minimum of 5 years of relevant work experience in policy/advocacy, public policy, ideally in health policy.
• A passion for CACHI’s mission and demonstrated commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
• Familiarity with California’s legislative and regulatory calendars, structures, processes; ideally brings existing relationships with key policymakers particularly those with health expertise.
• Experience with health equity policies and literature and anti-racist best practices.
• Experience setting and implementing a policy agenda, requiring interaction with legislative and executive branch staff, as well as with key stakeholders.
• Experience and/or comfort with operating in a thought partnership role; a creative and a reflective thinker.
• Experience working with diverse groups and in a team environment, with a collaborative and consultive style.
• Ability to manage complex projects in collaboration with other team members, consultants, and external partners.
• Ability to navigate and negotiate with ACHs, partners and legislators to advance policy proposals.
• Ability to enthusiastically embrace innovation and ability to operationalize such innovations after considering multiple perspectives and weighing opportunities, risks, creative alternatives to identify the best path forward.
• Excellent organizational, analytical, and written/oral communication skills, and attention to detail.
• The ability to work from home as well as occasional travel to meetings or convenings outside of Sacramento.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.

EXPERIENCE

A master’s degree in health policy, public policy or administration, public health, or another relevant field.

Compensation

The salary $85,000-$105,000, D.O.E

Benefits include paid holidays, sick days, and vacation, a 403(b) plan with employer match after two years, medical, dental, vision, flex spending, life and disability insurance. Community Partners has a 9/80 work week option under which employees may elect to work 80 hours in 9 days and take off every other Friday (after completion of an introductory period).