Community Relations Manager Jobs in Lawrence, KS

Company: Kansas Hospital Association ("KHA")
Job Title: Manager Government Relations
Accountable to: Vice President of Government Relations and Policy
Job Classification: Exempt, Full-Time
Work Schedule: Generally 8 hours per day per schedule, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p. m. | M-F
Location: Onsite, KHA - Topeka, KS

Position Overview:
The Manager of Government Relations plays a key role in advancing the Kansas Hospital Association’s advocacy, policy, and legislative priorities on behalf of Kansas hospitals and health systems. This position helps monitor and analyze state and federal policy developments, builds relationships with policymakers and stakeholders, coordinates member engagement, and advances KHA’s mission to be the leading advocate and resource to member hospitals while promoting access to high-quality health care for Kansans.

Essential Functions:

• Track, analyze, and summarize state and federal legislative, regulatory, and policy issues affecting Kansas hospitals, health systems, patients, and communities.
• Monitor and maintain legislative tracking tool during the state legislative session
• Analyze policy issues and recommend advocacy strategies, legislative positions, and member engagement approaches to support KHA's strategic objectives.
• Evaluate legislative and regulatory developments and recommend organizational responses.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with legislators, state agencies, congressional offices, partner organizations, hospital leaders, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate grassroots advocacy efforts, including member alerts, advocacy campaigns, legislative visits, and engagement opportunities for hospital executives, trustees, and staff.
• Assist KHA-PAC leadership with coordination of operations and related advocacy activities, including fundraising strategies, political engagement, and PAC events in accordance with applicable laws, policies, and ethical standards.
• Ensure advocacy, lobbying, PAC and political engagement activities are conducted in compliance with applicable federal and state laws, lobby disclosure requirements, KHA policies, and ethical standards.
• Attend legislative hearings, interim committee meetings, stakeholder workgroups, and other policy forums; prepare timely updates and summaries for KHA leadership and members.
• Assist with planning and execution of KHA advocacy events, meetings, policy briefings, and political engagement activities.
• Collaborate with internal teams on issues related to access to care, workforce, Medicaid/KanCare, rural health, behavioral health, hospital finance, quality and safety, and emergency preparedness.
• Develop clear written materials for newsletters, Capitol updates, web content, presentations, and member education resources.
• Represent KHA professionally and effectively in meetings with members, policymakers, coalition partners, and the public.

Qualifications: Knowledge, Skill and Ability:

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, political science, health care administration, communications, business, or a related field required; master’s degree or relevant advanced training preferred.
• Three or more years of experience in government relations, public policy, legislative affairs, health care advocacy, association management, or a related role preferred.
• Familiarity with the Kansas legislative process, state government, federal policy processes, and health care policy issues strongly preferred.
• Intellectually curious with a desire to continuously learn, ask thoughtful questions, and stay informed on emerging policy issues.
• Experience working with elected officials, agency staff, coalitions, boards, committees, or member organizations preferred.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate complex policy issues into clear, actionable information.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and respond quickly during the legislative session.
• Sound judgment, discretion, professionalism, and commitment to nonpartisan, member-focused advocacy.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn advocacy, communications, and member-management tools.

Core Competencies:

• Policy Acumen: Understands legislative and regulatory issues and can assess their impact on hospitals and communities.
• Relationship Building: Develops trust with policymakers, members, partners, and colleagues.
• Strategic Communication: Communicates complex issues clearly, persuasively, and appropriately for different audiences.
• Member Service: Demonstrates responsiveness to member needs and a strong commitment to supporting Kansas hospitals.
• Collaboration: Works effectively across teams and with external partners to advance shared goals.
• Integrity: Maintains confidentiality, ethical standards, and credibility in all advocacy activities.

Physical Demands:

• Lift and move items up to fifty (50) pounds
• Sit, stand and walk for extended periods of time
• Ability to work on the computer for hours at a time and concentrate on detailed information
• Bend, kneel and reach items with use of hands to finger, handle or feel objects, tools or controls
• Must be able to speak and listen effectively
• Vision abilities for close vision, color vision, peripheral vision and depth perception

Travel Requirements:

• Regular in-state travel and occasional out-of-state travel are required, including attendance at legislative, advocacy, and member-related events.

Work Environment:
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.

• Professional office setting with little discomfort due to such factors as noise, heat, dust, or other adverse factors
• This position is based in Topeka, Kansas, with regular interaction at the Kansas Statehouse during the legislative session
• This is a non-smoking work environment, including all premises and other such areas
• Travel is required, along with that entails standard travel risks
• Some early morning, evening, or special-event work may be necessary based on legislative schedules and member needs

This job description does not state or imply that these are the only activities to be performed by the team member holding this position. Staff is required to follow other job-related instructions and to perform other job-related responsibilities as requested by management.