Senior Manager, State Advocacy

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The Senior Manager, State Advocacy advances the organization’s state legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts by executing and operationalizing state level government affairs strategies in support of the organization’s mission to improve oral health for all, with a focus on underserved and marginalized populations. This role leads defined advocacy initiatives, manages complex projects, and serves as a subject‑matter resource for colleagues and partners within an established strategic framework.

The Senior Manager serves as a lead strategist for assigned states, adapting advocacy tactics based on evolving political dynamics, managing in‑state resources, and driving execution of advocacy efforts to achieve measurable policy outcomes.

Working closely with the Director and other senior Policy and Government Affairs leaders, the Senior Manager translates strategic priorities and policy direction into actionable government affairs efforts, advocacy plans, tactics, and materials. The role balances hands‑on execution with informed judgment, ensuring high‑quality implementation of advocacy campaigns while escalating strategic decisions, risks, and opportunities to team leaders. While primarily focused on state advocacy, the Senior Manager may also contribute to federal or local policy and advocacy efforts as directed.

• Lead and execute advocacy strategies in assigned states, adapting tactics based on legislative developments, stakeholder dynamics, and political context.
• In assigned areas, serve as the primary liaison with elected officials, regulatory bodies, and in‑state stakeholders.
• Direct and evaluate contract lobbyists and in‑state consultants, setting priorities, managing performance, and ensuring alignment with advocacy goals.
• Manage relationships across diverse partner groups, including coordination with state‑based coalitions, associations and stakeholders to align around shared advocacy goals, policy positions, and tactics. Includes collaborating with Philanthropy team internally and grantees in states.
• Monitor, analyze, and synthesize state legislative and regulatory activity, providing clear updates, policy analysis, and implementation‑focused recommendations to internal stakeholders.
• Translate strategic advocacy goals into concrete workplans, tactics, and success metrics, and track progress to assess effectiveness and impact.
• Support grassroots engagement efforts, including building and disseminating grassroots mobilization efforts, tracking participation, and supporting outreach activities.
• Prepare and maintain bill tracking and other internal reports, dashboards, and briefing materials using tools such as Quorum to keep colleagues informed of advocacy activities, trends, and outcomes.
• Draft and contribute to legislative and regulatory briefs, summaries, and position papers, ensuring alignment with approved policy positions and advocacy strategy.
• Represent the organization in strategic engagements with national and state‑level policy and political organizations, including attending convenings, building relationships with policymakers and senior staff, and identifying opportunities to advance advocacy priorities.
• Manage multiple projects independently, proactively communicating implementation progress, risks, and emerging opportunities to the Director and senior leaders.
• Serve as a department representative and contribute to cross‑functional projects, including with Philanthropy, Marketing, and Analytics and Data Insights teams to ensure advocacy considerations are integrated into organizational work.

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, political science, public health, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• At least 4 years of experience in advocacy, government relations, public policy, or a related field, preferably in health care, public health, or the nonprofit sector.
• Strong understanding of U.S. state legislative and regulatory processes.
• Demonstrated experience working with state‑level legislative and…