Director of Policy

Overview “Every day, we work to support and build inclusive, powerful, and healthy communities characterized by racial equity and economically just systems.” With this as our purpose, Health Forward Foundation is building the future of our region by grasping the issues that cause health injustice at their roots. Health Forward’s mission is to achieve health equity and secure a fair and just region through leadership, advocacy, and resources. We support direct services and systems change for healthy people, community power, and equitable and just places through our grant and gift funding, advocacy, and leadership. We support and partner with community-based and cross-sector organizations to improve health on all fronts through our purpose plan. Our work includes supporting equitable health care access and outcomes; working to advance safe and affordable housing, pathways to home ownership and broadband access; amplifying the power that exists in our communities through civic engagement and supporting grassroots nonprofits; shifting narratives that impact our prioritized communities of focus. Health Forward is a public, health conversion foundation created in 2003 from the sale of Health Midwest, a nonprofit hospital system, to Hospital Corporation of America (HCA), a for‑profit hospital management company. Health Forward’s service area encompasses Kansas City, Missouri, Jackson, Cass, and Lafayette counties in Missouri, and Johnson, Wyandotte, and Allen counties in Kansas. The foundation is governed by a 21-member board of directors and is managed by a professional staff of around 40 employees. Health Forward is driven by the data evidencing health inequities and is committed to the process and the outcome of equity, inclusion, and anti‑racism in our grant and gift funding, policy and advocacy, community engagement, employment practices, talent management, investments, vendor selection, and governance. Health Forward is currently looking for a Director of Policy to advance the Health Forward purpose plan and policy agenda. With a strong commitment to health equity, this position engages with community, policymakers, and funded partners to advance the systems change needed to accomplish Health Forward’s Purpose Plan through our policy and advocacy work and our funding opportunities. This position will work across the Purpose Areas of People, Power, Place and Platform and cross‑departmentally to integrate and align with other functional areas. For more information, visit our website: Policy - Health Forward Foundation. Responsibilities Strategy Development and Execution Work collaboratively to ensure policy strategy is integrated across the organization’s culture, funding opportunities, and other bodies of work. Ensure race, economic, and health equity is centered in all components of policy related functions. Advise and implement the Foundation’s Purpose Plan‑aligned policy agenda, goals, priorities, and strategies with input from community partners and our Purpose team. Advise and manage an annual operating budget for policy. External Affairs and Direct Lobbying Advance strategic policy related relationships with political and state governmental entities, peer foundations, civic organizations, and governmental affairs professionals. Advance Health Forward’s regional and national leadership on health equity policy by recommending and contributing to media interviews, public presentations, representing the Foundation in key collaborations, and work in partnership on the public affairs agenda. Drive relationships and communications with local, state, and federal lawmakers. Ensure the Foundation’s compliance with Kansas and Missouri ethics laws and maintain up‑to‑date disclosures regarding Health Forward’s lobbying activities. Maintain a system and track Health Forward’s lobbying activities in collaboration with the Impact Administration and Finance teams to ensure accurate reporting and compliance with IRS rules for 501(c)(3) organizations. 501(c)(4) and Issue Campaign Management For the Foundation’s 501(c)(4) supported organizations, provide strategic guidance, compliance monitoring, and shape the activity, including day‑to‑day oversight. Drive Health Forward’s relationships with issue campaign infrastructure organizations; make support recommendations for Purpose‑aligned issue campaigns; and ensure continuous awareness of campaigns of interest in Kansas and Missouri. Make recommendations related to ballot campaigns and constitutional amendments in Kansas and Missouri and provide staffing support to foundation aligned ballot campaigns and constitutional amendments. Management and Organizational Leadership Lead the Policy Team to advance Health Forward’s local, state, and federal lobbying efforts in Kansas and Missouri, including advocacy, convenings, trainings, meetings, and events with funded partners, community partners, and government officials. Oversee contractors or staff for policy‑related research, analysis, and evaluation in partnership with the Director of Learning and Evaluation. Ensure stakeholder groups have timely and accurate information about Health Forward’s policy work, 501(c)(4) related supports, issue campaign supports, and related strategic partnerships. Advance the integration of Health Forward’s policy work within the Foundation’s broader Impact work. Collaborate across internal departments to ensure alignment across strategies, teams, and organizational priorities. Relationships Reports to the Chief Policy and Impact Officer. Critical leader within the Management and Impact Team. Two direct reporting Policy Impact Strategists. Collaborative working relationships with Health Forward’s Learning and Evaluation, Impact Administration, Finance, Investments, Communications, and Purpose, (People, Place, Platform Teams). Leads critical relationships with organization associates and constituents, consultants, vendors, suppliers, and other external parties for policy and advocacy related work. Qualifications Undergraduate degree in public science, public policy, public health, public administration, or a related field. Master’s degree in public policy, public health, political science, social work, or a related field preferred. A professional degree in law (J.D.) is preferred. Minimum of 7‑10 years of professional experience in progressively responsible positions including direct management of a team. Ability to manage, lead, and empower a team of professionals through positive influence, inspiration, and the establishment of trust and strong communication. Significant experience leading policy, government affairs, and strategic initiatives with a demonstrated record of developing and managing complex, non‑partisan policy and advocacy strategies. Experience with federal advocacy is preferred. Ability to navigate a complex, non‑partisan policy landscape across multiple states and jurisdictions. Experience directing projects from inception to completion with attentiveness to timeline, planning, process, and delegation of responsibilities across multiple parties. Professional experience with 501(c)(4) organizations is strongly preferred. Direct, hands‑on experience managing or advising 501(c)(4) entities, including navigating compliance requirements, coordinating with legal counsel, and understanding the strategic distinction between 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) activity. Experience with ballot referendum and constitutional amendment campaigns is also preferred. Experience and strong relationships with community mobilizing organizations and policymakers in Kansas and Missouri, or comparable experience in a similar region. Strong interpersonal, listening, verbal, and written communication skills. Public speaking experience preferred. Ability to engage internal and external cross‑sector stakeholders. Flexible, adaptable, and innovative with the ability to envision strategic opportunities in an ambiguous, complex, and dynamic environment. Self‑directed with a high level of initiative, and drive in balance with the collaborative nature of community and advocacy work. Personal Qualities Advocate for the mission of the Health Forward Foundation who embodies our stated values of Trust, Partnership, Learning, Stewardship, Equity, Inclusion and Antiracism. For more details visit our website: Purpose, Mission, and Values - Health Forward Foundation. Compensation The anticipated hiring salary range for this exempt position is $140,800–$176,000. The package will be determined by the experience level, credentials and personal characteristics of the candidate offered. Health Forward Foundation offers its employees a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision insurance, a retirement plan, group life insurance, paid time off, and a hybrid work environment. Non‑Discrimination Health Forward Foundation firmly supports the principle and philosophy of equal opportunity for all individuals, regardless of age, race, gender, sexual orientation, creed, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category pursuant to applicable federal, state, or local law. #J-18808-Ljbffr