Director- External Affairs

Description

Community health is about more than just vaccines and checkups. It’s about giving people the resources they need to live their best lives. At Neighborhood, this is our vision—a community where everyone is healthy and happy. We’re with you every step of the way, providing the care you need for each of life’s chapters. At Neighborhood, we are Better Together.

As a private, non-profit 501(c)(3) community health organization, we serve over 500,000 medical, dental, and behavioral health visits from more than 100,000 people annually. We do this in pursuit of our mission to improve the health and happiness of the communities we serve by providing quality care to all, regardless of situation or circumstance.

We have been doing this since 1969, and it is our employees who make this mission a reality. Regardless of the role, our team focuses on being compassionate, having integrity, being professional, always collaborating, and consistently going above and beyond. If that sounds like an organization you want to be a part of, we would love to have you.

Role Overview and Purpose

The Director of External Affairs is responsible for shaping and executing a comprehensive external affairs strategy that aligns with Neighborhood Healthcare’s mission and growth objectives. This role encompasses oversight of government affairs and advocacy, outreach and enrollment, member services, and external communications.

As a strategic advisor, the Director of External Affairs will provide insights and recommendations on community engagement and advocacy efforts. This role requires establishing and nurturing strong partnerships with local, state, and national government entities, health plans, community-based organizations, business chambers, and elected officials. The Director will act as a key liaison to foster collaboration, resolve issues, and identify opportunities to enhance member services and access to care. Additionally, this role involves serving as the organization’s spokesperson, effectively communicating its mission, vision, and impact to external audiences.

Responsibilities

Leadership and Strategy

• Develops and implements a comprehensive external affairs strategy that aligns with Neighborhood’s mission and growth objectives.

• Provides vision and direction to the Outreach and Enrollment, Member Services, and Government Affairs and Advocacy departments by ensuring alignment with organizational initiatives.

• Serves as a strategic advisor on external affairs, providing insights and recommendations on community engagement and advocacy efforts.

Relationship Building and Representation

• Represents Neighborhood in meetings, events, and initiatives with health plans, community-based organizations, business chambers, and elected officials.

• Establishes and nurtures strong partnerships with local, state, and national government entities to advocate for policies that align with the organization’s priorities.

• Acts as a key liaison with health plans to foster collaboration, resolve issues, and identify opportunities to improve member services and access to care.

Member Services, Outreach, and Enrollment

• Oversees Member Services to enhance member engagement and satisfaction through proactive communication and support.

• Guides the Outreach and Enrollment team to implement strategies that increase enrollment in programs like Medi-Cal and drive broader community access to services.

• Develops relationships with contracted Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) and Independent Physician Associations (IPAs) to facilitate the coordination of member assignment, communication, and data exchanges.

• Develops and maintains working relationships with community partners to ensure referrals are made to health centers and programs operating throughout Neighborhood’s service areas.

• Works on the development, implementation, and evaluation of partnership activities in the community to increase the visibility of Neighborhood’s programs.

• Attends community advisory committees and task force meetings formed as part of special initiatives or community-building purposes.

Government Affairs and Advocacy

• Leads the development and execution of advocacy initiatives that promote Neighborhood’s goals and priorities.

• Monitors and analyzes legislative and regulatory changes that may impact Neighborhood, ensuring leadership is informed and prepared to respond.

• Develops and communicates key policy positions to stakeholders, creating opportunities for collaboration and alignment.

Communication and Reporting

• Serves as a spokesperson for Neighborhood, communicating its mission, vision, and impact to external audiences.

• Ensures timely and effective reporting on external engagement, advocacy outcomes, and relationship-building efforts to the Vice President of Growth and other stakeholders.

• Develops and presents comprehensive reports on the progress and impact of external affairs initiatives.

Education/Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in public health, health and human services, business, communications, or a related field required; master’s degree preferred.

• Eight years of progressive experience in community relations, government affairs, advocacy, or a related field required.

• Five years of supervisory experience required.

Additional Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) or (English/Arabic) preferred.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Strong organizational skills and careful attention to detail.

• Strong understanding of local, state, and federal government relations, public policy, and advocacy processes.

• Familiarity with healthcare systems, Medi-Cal, and other social services programs.

• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with a proven ability to establish and maintain partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders.

• Proficiency in Windows software applications such as Word, Excel, and Outlook.

• Ability to attend community meetings and present Neighborhood services to small and large groups.

• Ability to analyze project data to identify trends related to project goals and act accordingly within the organization.

• Experience collecting, organizing, and analyzing data; summarizing data in reports.

• Ability to establish and lead cross-functional teams to meet corporate objectives.

• Ability to build effective relationships with frontline, client-facing professionals, and fellow support staff colleagues.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift/carry 10 lbs.

• Ability to stand for long periods.

Compliance (Safety & HIPAA)

• Follows all safety procedures as outlined in Neighborhood Healthcare’s Illness and Injury Prevention Plan (IIPP) and reports any injuries and/or unsafe conditions immediately.

• Maintains current knowledge of policies and procedures related to safe work practices.

• Uses appropriate body mechanics to ensure an injury-free environment.

• Familiarity with the location of the nearest fire extinguisher and emergency exits.

• Follows all infection control procedures, including bloodborne pathogen protocols.

• Maintains the privacy of all patient, employee, and volunteer information, accessing such information only on a need-to-know basis for business purposes.

• Complies with all regulations regarding corporate integrity and security obligations.

• Reports all behavior and/or activity that is unethical, fraudulent, or unlawful.

Compensation

Pay range: $135,400–$211,200 annually, depending on experience.

Compensation Disclosure: The posted salary range reflects the designated pay grade for this position. While this range represents the broader classification of the role, actual compensation will be based on several factors, including but not limited to: the candidate’s overall knowledge, skills, and experience, market data and industry benchmarks, internal equity within the organization, budgetary considerations, and organizational needs. As a result, placement within the range is not guaranteed, and the full pay grade range may not be utilized.

Learn more here