Policy Officer or Senior Policy Officer

The California Health Care Foundation is looking for an expert health policy professional with a passion for improving the health care system and making care more just to join the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF) as a Policy Officer or a Senior Policy Officer.

About the California Health Care Foundation

The California Health Care Foundation is an independent, nonprofit philanthropy that works to improve the health care system so that all Californians have the care they need.

CHCF is especially focused on driving improvement in four main areas:

• Get everyone covered. Right now, three million Californians lack basic health coverage. We need to make sure everyone, regardless of income or immigration status, has the access to health care that insurance provides. One important part of the solution is ensuring that all Californians eligible for Medi-Cal are enrolled in the program.

• Strengthen and diversify the health workforce. The COVID-19 pandemic provided a stark reminder of the vital importance of California’s health care workforce. It also underscored the imperative of solving ongoing shortages of critical health professionals and ensuring that our workforce has the cultural and language competencies needed to serve California’s diverse population.

• Deliver care better. California can take steps to increase access and improve the way care is delivered to people with complex health needs, like those experiencing homelessness or serious mental illness. Those steps include modernizing how care is paid for and delivered and providing a whole-person care approach.

• Make care just. There is an urgent need to remove the structural barriers that prevent people of color from getting the care they need. CHCF is working to document inequities in the health care system, hold system leaders accountable, and transform care to uphold each Californian’s dignity.

State Health Policy Office Overview

The State Health Policy Office (SHPO) provides Sacramento policymakers and stakeholders with a valuable local resource and serves as a link to experts and resources at the Foundation’s Oakland headquarters. SHPO builds external relationships with policymakers and stakeholders, works collaboratively with the Foundation’s other team members providing policy guidance and expertise, and engages in grantmaking all to achieve CHCF’s goals.

Position Overview

The State Health Policy Office is seeking a Policy Officer (PO) or Senior Policy Officer (SPO) to play a significant role in coordinating the Foundation’s work with California policymakers and stakeholders, including the Legislature, Executive Branch staff, and thought leaders. The role will be either a PO or SPO based on the candidate's experience and expertise.

As a member of the State Health Policy Office team (including the Director, another Senior Policy Officer, and the Sacramento Office Manager/Program Associate), the PO/SPO will connect Sacramento policymakers, their staffs, and stakeholders with CHCF's research and expert staff to inform California's health policy discussion. The PO/SPO will serve as an internal policy thought partner to help CHCF advance its programmatic and policy goals and ensure that CHCF’s grantmaking is informed by relevant events, themes, and opportunities at the state policy level. The role also involves making and supervising SHPO grants.

We envision the PO/SPO working to support multiple health policy topics in collaboration with the SHPO team. These topics may include, but are not limited to, the following: Medi-Cal coverage and oversight, health care workforce, primary care transformation, and health equity.

This is a full-time exempt position reporting to the Director of State Health Policy. This role is based in our Sacramento office and will be required to work in-office two days per week. Additionally, the PO/SPO would be expected to travel to Oakland approximately two times per month for meetings and trainings.

Primary Responsibilities

Develop and manage health policy-related relationships and educational efforts in Sacramento

Build strong, collaborative relationships with Sacramento-based policymakers and stakeholders.

Conceive and convene meetings, briefings, and events to facilitate learning and sharing of knowledge and ideas. Monitor Sacramento policy audience interests and needs and suggest content to address these needs.

Lead efforts to help CHCF advance its programmatic and policy goals

• Take the lead in the identification, development, and execution of prioritized opportunities for CHCF staff to work with policymakers, their staff, stakeholders, and other thought leaders to advance the Foundation’s strategic goals and initiatives. This includes identifying tactics to advance this work and either carrying out the tactics or advising those who are leading them.
• Identify and prioritize the information needs of policymakers and their staff and work with CHCF staff to produce and tailor information and other materials in response to those needs.
• Serve as an internal resource regarding the Foundation’s Internal Revenue Services/Fair Political Practices Commission (IRS/FPPC) compliance work.

Provide internal expertise on key trends and activities in the California health policy environment.

• In coordination with the other SHPO team members and SHPO consultants, track the development of health-related legislation, budget proposals, legislative hearings, and executive branch policy initiatives that link to the strategic goals and objectives of CHCF and help internal staff understand the implications of these developments.
• Provide internal expertise on key trends and activities in the California health policy environment. Advise CHCF staff on the legislative and regulatory process and opportunities to inform the discussion and development of policy.
• Identify obstacles to reform and work with CHCF staff to identify and assess a range of potential activities to address these obstacles.

Grantmaking

• Produce and present written summaries, analyses and recommendations for proposed projects and initiatives.
• Review proposals, both solicited and unsolicited, and make funding recommendations.

Teamwork and Organizational Collaboration

• Play a lead role in cross-cutting program activities including the development of the policy strategy.
• Represent CHCF at meetings, hearings, and other forums.
• Participate in CHCFs peer review sessions and other CHCF activities, including all staff meetings and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) trainings.
• Participate in the work of cross-cutting program activities and teams.
• Work with other California foundations on areas of shared interest.

Minimum Qualifications

• Policy Officer: At least four years of relevant work experience in government relations, health policy, and/or public service.
• Senior Policy Officer: At least seven years of relevant work experience in government relations, health policy, and/or public service.
• Working knowledge of recent legislative history on health care topic(s) relevant to CHCF’s strategic goals.
• Working knowledge of California’s health care delivery and financing systems, including Medi-Cal, commercial insurance, health care providers, and health plans. Additional expertise in Medi-Cal, health care workforce, health care financing, county-based health, primary care, and health equity is desired.
• Undergraduate bachelor’s degree.

Skills and Competencies

• You have a demonstrated commitment to health equity, CHCF’s mission, and to diversity, equity, and inclusion through your previous education, work, and/or volunteer activities and focus.
• You have the ability to manage complex projects in collaboration with multiple partners, including in-house staff, consultants, and other outside vendors.
• You have exceptional writing and public speaking skills and a demonstrated ability to translate technical information and complex concepts and statistics into accessible, audience-specific materials.
• You have the ability to effectively work with and provide counsel to senior management, leadership teams, and advisory groups. You can train and coach colleagues on how to effectively communicate through writing, interviews, and presentations.
• You are comfortable taking on new tasks or projects with little direction and possess the ability to adjust course quickly in response to information and feedback.
• You have a positive, enthusiastic response to innovative ideas and the ability to operationalize those ideas after considering multiple perspectives and weighing opportunities, risks, creative alternatives, and the best paths forward.
• You have strong organizational skills, detail orientation, and ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects.
• You are a collaborative teammate with high integrity and a strong work ethic. You invite different perspectives into your work and are committed to improving yourself and others by seeking and providing specific feedback and guidance.

Salary and Benefits

Policy Officer: The full salary range for this position is $113,600 – 170,400. The starting salary for this role is $140,000 and is not negotiable.

Senior Policy Officer: The full salary range for this position is $161,600 to $242,400. The starting salary for this role is $190,000 and is not negotiable. .

The foundation provides a generous benefits package that include medical, dental, vision, disability, life, and long-term care insurance; commuter assistance or paid parking; EAP and wellness programs; educational assistance; paid time off; and, 401(k) retirement benefits.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

The California Health Care Foundation is committed to attracting and retaining a diverse staff and will honor your experiences, perspectives, and unique identity.