Physician Director, Government Relations & Policy Initiatives

Job Posting Description

We are seeking an experienced physician leader for the newly created role of Physician Director, Government Relations & Policy Initiatives. This individual will collaborate closely with the Vice President for Government Relations and serve as a key clinical voice in evaluating and influencing local, state, and federal policy impacting pediatric care delivery. This role will be instrumental in shaping and advancing the advocacy strategy and clinical policy priorities across the Boston Children's Hospital enterprise.

This Physician Director, Government Relations & Policy Initiatives will:

Provide Physician Leadership in Government Engagement:

• Champion strategic priorities, including the Maternal Fetal Program, community pediatrics partnerships (e.g., Tufts), mental health parity, and health equity.
• Collaborate with departmental subject matter experts and respond to evolving state and federal agendas.

Enhance Physician Policy Input:

• Translate complex clinical concepts into accessible policy language.
• Support academic leadership on policy-related presentations.
• Partner with government agencies such as the Department of Public Health (DPH) and the Health Policy Commission (HPC) on initiatives that impact pediatric services.
• Provide policy support for enterprise population health efforts (e.g., Medicaid ACO).

Develop a Physician Advocacy Policy Agenda:

• Identify and prioritize policy issues impacting BCH clinicians.
• Convene multispecialty workgroups, communicate hospital policy priorities, and ensure two-way communication between leadership and clinicians.
• Represent BCH physicians in collaborative efforts with organizations such as the MMS, MHA, CHA, and AAP.

Advance Policy and Advocacy Education:

• Co-develop advocacy and policy programming for medical students, residents, fellows, and faculty.
• Create curriculum and explore CME/CNE opportunities.
• Advise trainees on electives and career pathways in health policy.
• Promote skill-building in advocacy, including legislative testimony and government engagement.

Build a Health Policy Research Framework:

• Map and support policy researchers across BCH.
• Align with groups such as the Fenwick Institute.
• Lead research initiatives that inform regulators and advance pediatric health delivery, cost analysis, and quality benchmarks.

To qualify, you must have:

• MD or equivalent with board certification in Pediatrics or a related specialty.
• At least 7 years of experience in a senior medical leadership role, including network services, clinical operations, or health system management.
• Expertise in pediatric care, with a proven track record of leading clinical operations across multiple institutions or large healthcare networks.
• Strong understanding of healthcare policy, regulatory requirements, and experience working with government agencies such as DPH and HPC.
• Excellent communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships across a variety of stakeholders, including physicians, hospital leadership, external partners, and government bodies.
• Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to drive both clinical and operational excellence.

Key competencies include:

• Leadership & Team Development: Inspire and guide multidisciplinary teams.
• Strategic Thinking: Design and implement forward-thinking clinical strategies.
• Operational Expertise: Enhance clinical quality, efficiency, and outcomes.
• Advocacy & Policy Acumen: Navigate and influence the policy landscape.
• Clinical Excellence: Commitment to top-tier pediatric care and patient safety.

Boston Children's Hospital offers competitive compensation and unmatched benefits.