Senior Director of Government Relations

Virta Health is on a mission to transform type 2 diabetes and weight-loss care. Current treatment approaches aren’t working—over half of US adults have either type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, and obesity rates are at an all-time high. Virta is changing this by helping people reverse their metabolic condition through innovations in technology, personalized nutrition, and virtual care delivery reinvented from the ground up. We have raised over $350 million from top-tier investors, and partner with the largest health plans, employers, and government organizations to help their employees and members restore their health and take back their lives. Join us on our mission to reverse diabetes and obesity in one billion people.

Sr. Director of Government Relations

The Sr. Director of Government Relations will lead Virta’s engagement with policymakers and government stakeholders to ensure our care model can reach millions of Americans covered by Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Affairs, and other federal government-sponsored health programs. This highly visible, external-facing role will be responsible for building trusted relationships with senior policymakers and staff, advocating for policies that enable Virta’s expansion, and shaping Virta’s go-to-market strategy by keeping internal teams updated on regulatory and administrative developments.

This person will also oversee Virta’s lobbying compliance and external agency partners. Given the strong emphasis on federal programs, this role is ideally based in Washington, DC.

Responsibilities

As Sr. Director of Government Relations, you will:

• Advocate for Virta: Promote policies and regulations that support access to Virta through Medicare, Medicaid, Veterans Affairs, and other public programs.
• Build relationships with policymakers: Establish trust and influence with senior policymakers, staff, and leaders within the current executive administration.
• Inform go-to-market strategy: Provide timely updates and insights on federal and state regulatory, legal, and administrative changes that impact Virta’s sales and contracting strategies with both commercial and government health plans.
• Maintain compliance: Ensure all activities adhere to federal and state lobbying regulations.
• Manage external partners: Select, manage, and optimize external lobbying agencies to advance Virta’s policy priorities.
• Collaborate internally: Partner with Sales, Legal, and Customer Success teams to align government affairs activities with Virta’s growth strategy.

90 Day Plan

Within your first 90 days at Virta, we expect you will:

• Gain deep fluency in Virta’s clinical outcomes, business model, and policy priorities.
• Establish initial relationships with key policymakers, regulators, and external agency partners.
• Develop an initial policy engagement plan for Medicare, Medicaid, and VA opportunities.
• Deliver regular internal updates on policy developments and their implications for Virta’s go-to-market strategy.
• Ensure compliance procedures for lobbying disclosures and reporting are in place and operating smoothly.

Must-Haves

• 10+ years of professional experience, with 4 or more in government relations, health policy, or related fields.
• Deep knowledge of federal health programs (Medicare, Medicaid, VA) and the regulatory and legislative processes that govern them.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with policymakers, regulators, and senior staff.
• Proven track record advocating for healthcare-related policy or regulatory change.
• Strong communication and influencing skills, with the ability to represent Virta externally at the highest levels.
• Experience managing compliance with lobbying regulations.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams and align external policy strategy with internal business needs.
• Willingness to be based in Washington, DC, given the centrality of federal policymaking.

Nice-to-Haves

• Existing relationships within CMS, HHS, VA, or relevant congressional committees.
• Experience with both federal and state policy landscapes.
• Prior work in digital health, value-based care, or chronic disease management policy.
• Familiarity with commercial payer dynamics to help bridge government and private sector opportunities.

Values-Driven Culture

Virta’s company values drive our culture, so you’ll do well if:

• You put people first and take care of yourself, your peers, and our patients equally.
• You have a strong sense of ownership and take initiative while empowering others to do the same.
• You prioritize positive impact over busy work.
• You have no ego and understand that everyone has something to bring to the table regardless of experience.
• You appreciate transparency and promote trust and empowerment through open access of information.
• You are evidence-based and prioritize data and science over seniority or dogma.
• You take risks and rapidly iterate.

Apply here