Director of Public Affairs

AHIP is looking for an experienced Director of Public Affairs to join their team! If you are looking to make a real difference through your career journey, why not do it with the foremost health insurance advocacy organization in the nation? AHIP is the industry-leading trade association of health insurance providers striving to make health care better and coverage more affordable for every American. Our team works among the nation's most influential policymakers and stakeholders with front-row seats to make an unparalleled impact and change with policy advocates, leading conveners and conferences, foremost innovators, and champions of the healthcare industry.

Position Summary: At the direction of Public Affairs leadership, this position draws on relevant public affairs, communications, campaign, government service and political campaign expertise to engage in and contribute to a full range of public affairs initiatives and disciplines, including earned media, advertising, coalition operations, campaign management, stakeholder engagement, research/polling and broader communications deliverables in support of association advocacy and reputational priorities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Support all functions of a fast-paced public affairs and strategic communications team focused on high-profile health care issues, including project management and execution, triaging press inquiries, contributing to the development of core communications products and supporting member companies.

Ability to work across and contribute to the full range of communications initiatives, channels and activities.

Prepare materials to support meeting and project flow, including agendas, presentation materials and relevant follow-up communications to ensure efficiency and progress.

Contribute to regular reporting on project progress against declared goals and objectives.

Play a contributing role in rapid response and engagement in relevant public-facing activity.

Regularly update and manage issue-specific content on public-facing websites and platforms.

Provide tactical support for campaigns, including interacting with vendors, external partners, members and other stakeholders to ensure alignment and efficiency.

Use AI and other tools to efficiently advance communications deliverables.

Perform other duties as assigned.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. For example, while performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk and hear. In addition, the employee frequently is required to stand, walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms, communicate verbally, use computer and other technology (including keyboarding).

Mental Demands

The mental demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Employee must have a high capacity for logical thinking, be able to cope effectively with stressful demands involving high levels of responsibility and urgent deadlines, remain calm in conflict situations, focus on mission-critical matter but also have the ability to switch quickly from one project or demand to another (and back again).

Minimum Education and Experience Required

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Affairs, Political Science, or related field preferred.
• Experience in a communications/public affairs role in health care-focused government agency, Congress and/or political campaign(s) strongly preferred.
• Direct experience working on issues impacting Medicare, Medicaid, the Marketplace and/or the commercial health insurance market strongly preferred.

Other Qualifications

• Four-plus years working in communications and/or public affairs with experience in media relations, social/digital media advocacy and/or public affairs/issue campaigns, including direct experience on key issues impacting the affordability, accessibility and quality of coverage and care.
• Collaborative team player who brings a positive attitude, entrepreneurial spirit and fresh ideas to the table.
• Strong understanding of the external political and issue environment.

• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including ability to execute in a fast-paced environment with compressed timelines.
• Highly organized and adept at project management.
• Ability to use AI tools to efficiently advance communications initiatives.
• Innate curiosity, detail-orientation and disciplined/thoughtful approach to learning new issue sets and problem solving.
• Professional maturity, sound judgement and an ability to engage productively with colleagues, members, partners, vendors and the media.
• A continuous learner who seeks opportunities to build new skill sets and develop professionally.
• A proactive, self-starter with strong sense of personal accountability.
• Relationships in D.C. - including Capitol Hill, executive branch, political campaigns/party organizations, news media and lobbying sphere preferred.

Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Disability Specifications

AHIP will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

AHIP is an Equal Opportunity Employer.