Vice President, External Affairs

## Position Description

The Vice President for External Affairs provides strategic leadership, vision, and strategy for UNOS’ external affairs activities, designed to deepen relationships with government officials and donation and transplantation associations. This position also leads efforts to promote public policy that advances our mission to save and transform lives through research, innovation, and collaboration. Ultimately, the Vice President will lead and coordinate UNOS’ external advocacy efforts to advocate for organ donation and transplant reforms that benefit patients, donors, and their families.

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## Key Responsibilities

– Enhance relationships with federal, state, and local government officials; deepen their awareness of the work done and the progress made by UNOS and the donation and transplant community; and ensure patients’ interests are represented in relevant legislative and regulatory discussions.
– Proactively build strategies to advance legislative, regulatory, or other appropriate public policies to support UNOS’ mission.
– Track and analyze federal and state legislation/public policy to determine the potential impact on UNOS and the donation and transplant community; develop and recommend solutions to address issues that may arise from those policies to advance and protect the interests of UNOS.
– Represent UNOS before elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels to advance UNOS positions on public policy.
– Oversee and coordinate UNOS leadership interaction with senior-level decision makers in the legislative and executive branches at the federal level.
– Leverage UNOS’ collective voice in partnership with donation and transplant associations to advocate on behalf of the patients our community serves.
– Represent UNOS at government, association, and other key stakeholder meetings.
– Develop and leverage grassroots advocates, including community volunteers, to advance UNOS’ mission.
– Work closely with the Communications Director and team to ensure alignment of messaging and brand.
– Manage an individual contributor, providing coaching to help them achieve individual, departmental, and organizational goals as well as grow in their job and career.

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## Minimum Requirements

– 10+ years of experience developing and leading government relations strategies that include lobbying, association engagement, and third-party advocacy.

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## Critical Skills

– Expertise engaging with policymakers and their staff.
– Ability to develop effective relationships with key stakeholders.
– Proven ability to advance legislation and influence regulations.
– Advanced knowledge of Congressional parliamentary procedures and processes.
– Broad understanding of the U.S. health care system.
– Experience in reputation management and crisis communication, with deep understanding of communications tools that effectively engage key stakeholders.
– Strong leadership and management skills.
– Ability to lead cross-functional teams to accomplish organizational goals.

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## Additional Skills & Qualifications

– Strong analytical, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills; expert oral, written, and presentation skills for engaging with diverse audiences.
– Proven ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment and develop strong relationships.
– Ability to evaluate and establish project requirements, priorities, staffing needs, budgets, and timeframes for both large-scale efforts and quick-turnaround work.
– A positive, can-do attitude and desire for a fun and inclusive workplace.
– Ability and willingness to register under the Federal Lobbying Disclosure Act and any applicable state lobbying transparency registers.

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## Education

– Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS) in Political Science, Healthcare Administration, Communications, or a related field. Equivalent professional experience will be considered.

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## Physical Requirements

– Some overnight travel required.
– General office demands.
– Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
– Frequent reaching, handling, and fine manipulation for using office equipment, filing, and managing paperwork.
– Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, mouse, and other office tools.
– Occasional standing, walking, and bending.
– Ability to lift up to 10–20 pounds occasionally.
– Vision abilities required include close vision for computer work and reading documents.
– Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

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