The National Association of Children's Hospitals (N.A.C.H.) is seeking a Director, Legislative Advocacy Programs (LAP). This key member of the Association's public policy team provides overall direction and strategy for the development and achievement of strategic goals and priorities as they relate to building children's hospitals' legislative advocacy capacity, with a focus on increasing the effectiveness of the children's hospital community in positively influencing public policy decisions.   

The LAP Director manages a team of professionals who are responsible for the Association's grassroots and grasstops mobilization on key federal advocacy issues; providing training and technical assistance to children's hospitals to assist in the development of their hospital based legislative advocacy programs; serving as the lead contact with the Association's political law counsel; and managing cross-functional intradepartmental projects, including the Government Relations Planning Meeting, Government Relations Retreat, Government Relations Infrastructure Survey, and Federal Advocacy Programs Evaluation.  Primary responsibilities include:

• legislative advocacy strategy development
• implementation of the Association's constituency building program which enables children's hospitals' constituency groups to more effectively education local, state and federal policymakers
• design and delivery of government relations related educational programming , including the annual Government Relations Planning Meeting and the Government Relations Retreat
• strategic design and delivery of direct federal legislative advocacy days to promote the Association's federal advocacy agenda
• delivery of direct technical assistance and training and creation of a wide variety of resources to support children's hospitals' work in all aspects of legislative action
• representation of N.A.C.H. to the staff, medical, administrative leaders and trustees of member institutions
• supervision of staff, consultants and contractors

The Director, Legislative Advocacy Programs reports to the N.A.C.H. Vice President, Public Policy.  Reporting directly to this position is the Associate Director, Legislative Advocacy Programs and indirectly the Associate, Legislative Advocacy.  Also manages multiple consultants and contractors.

Masters degree preferred in political science, health policy, or a related field plus a minimum of ten years progressively responsible experience in political organizing, community organizing or grassroots program development.  Must have demonstrated ability to conceptualize, implement and manage a multi-faceted program. The incumbent should possess proven written and verbal communication skills, training skills, interpersonal skills, strong customer/member service orientation, team-based management and leadership skills, demonstrated ability to conceptualize, plan, organize and execute complex analytical programs,  and demonstrated collaborative skills with internal and external constituents.

Knowledge of hospitals, health policy, children's issues, state and federal legislative processes and constituency building within a membership association preferred.  Public speaking experience required.