Health Care Policy Advocate

OSPIRG seeks a High Value Health Care Advocate to lead our campaigns to address the high cost of health care in Oregon. While the debate around health care usually focuses on improving access and affordability, the root problem is the underlying cost of care. We’re working to lower out of control prescription drugs costs, address runaway hospital prices, and stop unfair medical bills.

OSPIRG has a 50-year history of consumer advocacy in Oregon, advancing policy solutions to solve problems that affect our health, our safety and our well-being. The health care advocate will work closely with our national health care program director, our state director, and our network of coalition partners and volunteers to make sure Oregonians’ spending on health care results in better health outcomes.

• Build powerful coalitions: Reach out to a broad range of organizations and affected constituency groups across the political spectrum to build and demonstrate support for our goals, including unlikely allies who might agree with us on one issue, even if we disagree on other issues.
• Organize events and recruit volunteers: Organize webinars, community events and public meetings. Recruit organizations and members of the public to attend and participate.
• Earn traditional media and social media attention: Organize media events and write opinion pieces. Build a following on social media for your campaign.
• Advocate: Build relationships with key players in the state, the region and at the federal level. Present a compelling case to decision-makers for strong action for conservation through lobbying, testifying at hearings, and producing powerful written materials.
• Help shape program priorities: Participate in policy development, research and messaging to determine our priorities and policy positions for health care policy in Oregon.
• Fundraise: Write grant proposals, build relationships with foundation staff, and raise money from individual donors, to bring more resources to our campaigns.
• Grow our team: Identify and recruit strong candidates to join our staff. Hire and manage interns to maximize the impact of your campaigns. Potential to oversee staff.

This position requires exercising discretion and independent judgment in making decisions in matters of significance.

You are:

• Passionate about our public interest mission and using the power of grassroots organizing to win campaigns.
• A campaign advocate or grassroots organizer with at least 2 years of advocacy or organizing experience. Advanced degrees may count toward experience.
• An effective communicator with excellent writing and public speaking skills. Experience getting traditional and digital media coverage in previous work is a plus.
• Creative and effective at solving complex problems; a strategic thinker who can take advantage of new opportunities.
• A connector and good listener with a track record of successful access-building; willing and interested in working with people who think differently than you.
• Well-organized and able to work on multiple legislative and administrative proposals at once.
• Able to travel regularly and be motivated to work when needed, which may sometimes be in the evenings and on weekends.

Additional helpful experience:

• Experience in the state legislature or other government office, or with a health care or public health advocacy organization is a plus but not required.
• Fundraising experience, particularly in grant-seeking from charitable foundations.

The starting target annual compensation range for someone with 2-5 years of relevant experience is $41,750-$46,000. Candidates on the lower end of directly relevant experience should expect to be on the lower end of this range; candidates on the higher end of relevant experience are likely to be on the higher end of this range. OSPIRG offers an excellent benefits package.

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, and vision insurance for employees and dependents, time off, a commuter benefit program, a 401(k) plan with employer match, parental leave, long-term disability insurance, and may include needs-based student loan assistance. We also offer an excellent training program and opportunities for advancement.

Location:

Portland, OR

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OSPIRG is an advocate for consumers, advancing solutions to problems that affect our health, our safety and our well-being.

Being a consumer advocate means being a…