Policy Impact Strategist

"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 services; 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 increasing the effectiveness of small community-based nonprofits. We also support organizations in their practice of race equity, changing narratives and amplifying personal experiences. 

Health Forward was 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, and 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 Policy Impact Strategist to help advance the Health Forward 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.

Strategy and Execution

• Stay abreast of current and emerging policy issues related to Health Forward's policy agenda and purpose plan on the state level in Kansas and Missouri for all our Purpose Areas, and work particularly closely with our Platform and Power Purpose Area teams on the integration of policy and advocacy in the advancement of those strategies.
• Draft and record Health Forward's legislative update vlogs with an emphasis on Missouri and Kansas State policy.
• Provide Health Forward's communications team with timely policy agenda related content and articles to support both internal and external communications, ensuring consistent and informed messaging across networks.

Advocacy

• Support the Chief Policy and Impact Officer in the management of relationships with lawmakers.
• Track legislation and support testimony on the state levels (MO and KS) related to Health Forward's policy agenda.
• Maintain organizational relationship with state policy government affairs and advocacy support services.
• Organize and staff panels, forums, summits, public roundtables, and convenings related to Health Forward's policy agenda.
• Organize and staff our creation of and participation in coalitions to advance our state policy priorities.
• Provide research, drafting support, and preparation for Health Forward policy-related testimony, op-eds, public comment, and public presentations.
• Support issue identification, drafting, and socializing of policy issue briefs.
• Participate in policy related funding and technical assistance opportunities.
• Organize and staff external learning opportunities for our Health Forward team related to policy and advocacy.

Resource Allocations and Partner Support

• Maintain working relationships with advocacy funded and ecosystem partners to foster relationship building and support opportunities, including but not limited to attending and participating in external funded partner, community meetings, and events.
• Work across our purpose areas, primarily Power and Platform, and cross functional teams to provide a policy perspective in our resource allocations.

Relationships

• Reports to the Chief Policy and Impact Officer.
• Critical member of the Policy and Impact Team which include team members supporting Health Forward's Learning and Evaluation, Policy, People, Place, Platform, and Power purposes areas.
• Supports critical relationships with organization associates and constituents, consultants, vendors, suppliers, and other external parties for policy and advocacy related work. 

• Undergraduate degree in public science, public policy, public health, public administration or a related field. Master's degree in public policy, public health, public administration or a related field prefer. Equivalent professional experience also acceptable. 
• Minimum of five years of professional experience in policy, advocacy, or a related field.
• Experience working with Missouri and/or Kansas state government preferred.
• Experience in philanthropy, non-profit organizations, or community-based work preferred.
• Experience managing projects and convenings or events is preferred.
• Experience working in civic engagement or economic equity is a plus.
• Strong interpersonal, listening, verbal, and written communication skills. Public speaking experience preferred. 
• Demonstrated research, writing, and editing skills.
• Detail-oriented with a solution-focused mindset. 
• Demonstrated results achievement, with the ability to work well on cross-functional internal and external teams. 
• Flexibility and adaptability, particularly with evolving policy 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 Anti-racism. For more details visit our website: Purpose, Mission, and Values - Health Forward Foundation.

Compensation

The anticipated hiring salary range for this exempt position is $94,920 – $118,650. 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. 

OMNI is honored to be retained in this search. We appreciate your referrals to professionals who may have an interest in this outstanding opportunity. Formal interest accepted through the OMNI Executive Career Portal. Please direct all inquiries to:

OMNI Human Resource Solutions

Anna Robinson, Senior Consultant –

OMNI and our clients are Equal Opportunity Employers.