Director of Federal Policy & Advocacy

Director Of Federal Policy & Advocacy

The Director of Federal Policy & Advocacy leads the development and execution of Methodist Healthcare Ministries' (MHM) federal and state policy agenda to advance health equity and improve outcomes for underserved communities. This role oversees public policy strategy, advocacy partnerships, contract management, research, and operational excellence to maximize community impact.

Annual salary rate begins at $. Mid range at $. Actual starting rate will be commensurate with experience and education.

The Director of Federal Policy & Advocacy leads MHM's federal and state advocacy strategy in alignment with the organization's mission and health equity framework. This role has significant impact on advancing systemic policy change that benefits underserved communities across the Rio Texas Conference area. The position oversees a diverse portfolio of funded advocacy partners and related contracts, including budget management, deliverable review, and performance monitoring.

The Director is responsible for allocating and overseeing program-related budgets for contracts, events, research, and travel. The role directly supervises departmental staff and represents MHM in high-level engagements with lawmakers, agency representatives, and executive leaders across sectors. The position requires approximately 50% travel, depending on legislative cycles.

The Director exercises substantial independent judgment in analyzing proposed federal and state legislation, determining its impact on MHM and the populations served, and recommending policy positions and strategic responses. This role has authority to develop and execute advocacy strategies, shape the federal legislative agenda, and guide coalition-building efforts. The Director oversees contract negotiation, monitoring, and budget variance management within established organizational guidelines and recommends new strategic partnerships aligned with MHM's mission.

Additionally, the role establishes departmental processes, evaluation measures, and operational improvements to ensure effective execution of policy and advocacy priorities.

The Director reports to the Vice President of Policy & Advocacy and directly supervises departmental staff. The role requires regular collaboration with executive leadership, Board members, and cross-functional internal teams to align advocacy strategies with organizational priorities. Externally, the Director maintains frequent interaction with federal and state lawmakers, legislative staff, government agencies, advocacy coalitions, community partners, and other cross-sector stakeholders. The position represents MHM in executive-level convenings and strategic partnerships and must be able to engage confidently and professionally with senior leaders across sectors to advance shared policy goals.

Public Policy & Advocacy (30%)

• Lead analysis of proposed policy priorities and initiatives; assess impact on MHM and populations served.
• Develop and oversee federal legislative agenda and advocacy materials (policy briefs, white papers, fact sheets, testimony, presentations, stakeholder communications).
• Research and analyze legislative proposals addressing systemic inequities.
• Develop and implement coalition-building strategies (grasstops and grassroots).
• Oversee reporting and tracking of advocacy and lobbying activities to ensure legal compliance.

Contract Management (20%)

• Oversee and manage a portfolio of funded advocacy partners.
• Negotiate, monitor, and review contracts, budgets, and deliverables.
• Support contract management processes and serve as backup when needed.
• Monitor contract budgets and timelines; ensure adherence to change control guidelines.
• Identify and recommend new strategic advocacy partners.

Program Management, Research & Education (25%)

• Lead federal program development, initiation, and execution.
• Convene senior-level stakeholders and executive partners.
• Oversee budget allocation for program-related activities.
• Develop strategic research and educational plans aligned with policy priorities.
• Interpret and translate research findings into actionable insights and educational materials.
• Disseminate…