DAP Health – Director of Public Policy & Community Relations – Palm Springs, CA

Overview

Salary Range

$ – $ Salary

Position Type

Full Time

Category

Health Care

Description

At DAP Health, we are committed to transforming lives and advancing health equity for all. As a leading nonprofit health care provider, we deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the diverse communities of the Coachella Valley and San Diego County. Our comprehensive services range from primary care to mental health, wellness programs, and beyond, with a focus on those who are most vulnerable.

Joining our team means becoming part of a passionate, innovative organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve. If you’re looking for a dynamic and purpose-driven environment, we invite you to explore the opportunity to contribute to our mission.

Job Summary
The Director of Public Policy & Community Relations serves as a senior strategic leader advancing the mission and long-term sustainability of the health center through policy engagement, advocacy, and community partnerships. This role represents the organization with
elected officials, government agencies, and community stakeholders, ensuring the healthcenter’s priorities and the voices of the communities it serves are reflected in public policy and discourse. This is position partners with leaders to assess key policy developments and
community impact information, synthesizing complex information into clear, actionable insights to support executive decision making, and effective communication with leadership, assisting in organizational wide communication.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Essential Duties/Responsibilities:
Government Relations (Local, State, and Federal)

• Serve as a primary liaison between the health center and local, state, and federal elected officials and some regulatory agencies.
• Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory developments impacting FQHCs,Medicaid, public health policy, and healthcare access.
• Identifies the specific priorities of DAP Health, developing and executing strategic advocacy plans to advance policy priorities.
• Organize and lead legislative site visits, briefings, and participation in health center advocacy days.
• Proactively draft policy briefs, testimony, talking points, and position statements for leadership and board members, ensuring executive leadership is prepared for meeting sand community events
• Collaborate with national and state associations (e.g., NACHC, CPCA) on policy issuesand campaigns

Community Relations & Engagement

• Lead a strategic community engagement framework that aligns grassroot insights with organizational policy priorities, ensuring community voices meaningfully inform advocacy positions and public policy strategy
• Cultivates and manage high-level relationships with community-based organizations,advocacy coalitions, civic leaders, and faith-based networks to advance coordinated policy goals and systems-level change
• Ensure community engagement efforts are intentional, inclusive and policy relevant,moving beyond transactional outreach to sustained relationship-building and shared impact
• Identify and leverage strategic partnerships to influence policy outcomes, strengthen collective advocacy efforts, and address social and structural drivers in health
• Direct public-facing engagement initiatives including town halls, community forums, and listening sessions, that inform policy development, support narrative change, and build public will around healthcare access and equity

Strategic Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Align policy, advocacy, and community engagement messaging, ensuring a cohesive narrative that advances organizational priorities and reinforces credibility with external and internal stakeholders
• Shape and develop high-impact policy and advocacy related content for…