Business Unit Description

As part of the Community, State and National Affairs (CSN) group, Government Affairs advances AARP's goals through legislative and regulatory advocacy with policymakers and elected officials at the federal, state and local levels, as well as judicial advocacy in the courts.
Summary

Provides strategic leadership, direction, and support for advocacy efforts in the states on a wide range of health issues including Medicaid and state waivers, health care payment and delivery reform, price transparency and Medicare-Medicaid dual eligible.
Responsibilities

Coordinates and leverages AARP relationships with state policy leaders, providing issue expertise, and advising and counseling Association leadership on public policy development by identifying emerging issues, recommending policy changes or course corrections. Serves as a spokesperson with state and national press and with legislative and non-legislative audiences to position AARP as a credible source of information on state health issues. In an appropriately coordinated fashion, advises AARP state offices on key policy, advocacy and communications approaches.

1. Provides issue leadership, coordination, and support to AARP state offices and assists with strategy and analysis of individual state proposals, bills, and initiatives.

2. Works with state offices to leverage AARP relationships with state policy leaders in an integrated, coordinated, and effective manner to build deeper and more effective engagement in support of AARP policy goals.

3. Provides strategic support and technical resources, in coordination with Integrated Campaigns, to enable states to win issue campaigns by applying issue expertise, critical judgment, negotiation skills, advice, and relevant issue advocacy experience.

4. Coordinates with AARP federal staff to address overlapping state/federal issues and to communicate federal or multi-state implications of issues.

5. Advises and counsels Association leadership on public policy development. Identifies emerging issues and recommends policy changes in AARP's public policy agenda. Coordinates with the Office of Policy Development & Integration, Legislative Counsel and the Public Policy Institute to provide policy guidance and interpretation to states.

6. Identifies designs, develops, and disseminates advocacy products, such as AARP-branded bills, model testimony, comparative law charts, fact sheets, legislative alerts, brochures, and issue messages for use in states to support AARP's state advocacy efforts. Provides testimony on behalf of AARP state offices as needed.

7. Reviews Association communications, including litigation proposals, for accuracy and consistency with AARP policy.

8. Provides leadership and serves as a spokesperson to legislative and non-legislative audiences at forums around the country. Serves as a spokesperson with state and national press as needed.

9. Liaises, builds and strengthens AARP's reputation and relationships with other organizations, that focus on state health issues, as well as with government officials and opinion-leaders, and promotes AARP's public policy agenda to those audiences.

10. Positions the Association as a credible source of information regarding state health legislative issues.

11. Facilitates the implementation of AARP public policy positions through state staff and volunteer activities.
Requirements

1. Completion of a Bachelor's degree (advanced degree preferred) in Political Science, Public Policy, Health or Law and 8 years relevant and progressively responsible substantive legislative and regulatory experience in state government, federal government, the private sector, or a non-profit organization engaged in complex health advocacy initiatives; or an equivalent combination of training and experience related to the duties of this position.

2. Extensive state-level advocacy expertise in state governmental agency, state legislative or state or intergovernmental advocacy organizations environment.

3. Extensive issue expertise in Medicaid and state waivers, health care payment and delivery reform, price transparency, and Medicare-Medicaid dual eligibles.

4. Extensive experience in the preparation and presentation of policy positions (issues briefs, testimony, etc).

5. Ability to analyze legislation and regulations thoroughly and effectively and to apply research results to justify or support Association policies and positions.

6. Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a team environment, including building strategic and solid partnerships with colleagues in our state offices to advance AARP's state advocacy goals. Must have extensive issue knowledge of relevant advocacy issues and strong written and verbal communication skills.

7. Demonstrated ability to adhere to specific guidelines for developing and implementing integrated issue campaigns to achieve organizational goals, emphasizing teamwork throughout.

8. Must be able to work in a rapidly changing environment, depending on prioritization of AARP issue campaigns, staffing assignments, and/or other resources.
Compensation and Benefits

AARP offers competitive benefits with a 401(k); 100% company-funded pension plan; health, dental, and vision plans; life insurance paid time off to include company and individual holidays, vacation, sick, caregiving, and parental leave; performance-based and peer-based recognition; tuition reimbursement; among others. Visit careers.aarp.org/benefits for more information.

As a result of the COVID pandemic, all interviews will be held virtually and all non-essential employees will continue to work remotely until further notice.
Equal Employment Opportunity

AARP is an equal opportunity employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive culture. AARP does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sex, color, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, mental or physical disability, genetic information, veteran status, or on any other basis prohibited by applicable law.