Government Relations Policy Intern Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Job Summary: The Advocacy, Campaigns & Government Relations Communications leader serves as the enterprise lead responsible for advocacy campaigns, government relations communications, coalition activation, stakeholder engagement strategies, and public affairs initiatives that advance Kaiser Permanentes legislative, regulatory, business, and reputation priorities. Reporting to the SVP, Government Relations, this leader works in close partnership with State Affairs, Federal Government Relations, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Community Affairs, External Communications, Market Public Affairs Leaders, and business leaders to influence key stakeholders, mobilize support, shape external environments, and advance enterprise objectives. The role serves as Kaiser Permanentes center of excellence for advocacy and campaign strategy, bringing together communications, coalition activation, stakeholder engagement, grassroots and grasstops outreach, digital engagement, thought leadership, events, and third-party partnerships into coordinated campaigns that drive measurable outcomes. This leader is responsible for helping identify where advocacy, coalition‑building, and stakeholder engagement can accelerate enterprise priorities, developing the strategies and campaigns required to influence outcomes, and providing the tools, frameworks, and support necessary for successful execution across markets and functions. Success in this role requires strong political acumen, campaign experience, stakeholder management expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to translate complex legislative, regulatory, policy, and business priorities into compelling campaigns that mobilize action and drive impact.

• Advocacy & Campaign Strategy
• Develop and lead integrated advocacy campaigns that advance Kaiser Permanentes legislative, regulatory, business, reputation, and stakeholder engagement priorities.
• Design campaign strategies that combine coalition activation, communications, digital engagement, events, grassroots and grasstops outreach, thought leadership, and earned media strategies.
• Partner with Government Relations leadership to identify strategic opportunities where advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and public affairs campaigns can help shape outcomes.
• Develop campaign frameworks, activation plans, messaging architectures, stakeholder strategies, and implementation roadmaps.
• Ensure campaigns align with enterprise priorities and are coordinated across national and market teams.
• Government Relations Communications
• Lead communications strategies that support Kaiser Permanentes government relations priorities at the federal, state, and local levels.
• Partner closely with Federal Government Relations, State Affairs, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Community Affairs, and Market Public Affairs leaders to develop messaging, communications materials, stakeholder engagement strategies, and advocacy resources.
• Develop communications plans and supporting materials for legislative priorities, regulatory initiatives, policy campaigns, coalition activities, and stakeholder engagement efforts.
• Create messaging frameworks, briefing materials, talking points, presentations, fact sheets, advocacy toolkits, campaign assets, and executive materials that support government relations objectives.
• Ensure communications strategies are coordinated across enterprise and market government relations teams.
• Support engagement with elected officials, policymakers, trade associations, coalition partners, advocacy organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Coalition Building & Stakeholder Engagement
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholder organizations, trade associations, advocacy groups, employer organizations, community-based organizations, industry partners, and other influential constituencies.
• Build and activate coalitions that advance Kaiser Permanentes strategic, legislative, regulatory, and business priorities.
• Identify opportunities to leverage third‑party validators and trusted voices to strengthen advocacy efforts and stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Partner with State Affairs, Federal Government Relations, Community Affairs, and Market Public Affairs leaders to coordinate stakeholder outreach and engagement.
• Strengthen Kaiser Permanentes visibility, influence, and credibility among key stakeholder audiences.
• Stakeholder & Political Intelligence
• Monitor and assess stakeholder, political, legislative, regulatory, advocacy, and industry trends that may impact Kaiser Permanentes priorities and operating environment.
• Develop stakeholder maps, influence strategies, and engagement plans that help leaders understand the broader ecosystem shaping outcomes.
• Provide strategic insights and recommendations to Government Relations leadership regarding emerging opportunities, risks, coalition dynamics, stakeholder sentiment, and external trends.
• Identify opportunities to proactively engage stakeholders before issues become legislative, regulatory, or reputational challenges.
• Digital Advocacy & Stakeholder Activation
• Partner with communications, advocacy, and digital teams to develop modern engagement strategies that leveraged digital platforms, social media, stakeholder mobilization, grassroots activation, and emerging engagement channels.
• Build scalable approaches to stakeholder outreach, engagement, education, and activation.
• Develop digital tools, resources, and campaign assets that support advocacy and engagement objectives.
• Identify innovative approaches that increase participation, engagement, and influence among target audiences.
• Market Integration & Execution
• Partner with Market Public Affairs, State Affairs, Community Affairs, and Government Relations leaders to coordinate campaign execution and stakeholder engagement strategies across markets.
• Develop enterprise campaign frameworks and activation tools that can be adapted locally while maintaining strategic consistency.
• Ensure campaigns leverage both enterprise resources and local market relationships to maximize impact.
• Share best practices, lessons learned, and successful approaches across markets and functions.
• Campaign Measurement & Effectiveness
• Develop measurement frameworks that assess campaign performance, stakeholder engagement, coalition activation, narrative penetration, digital engagement, and influence outcomes.
• Establish reporting and dashboards that provide visibility into campaign effectiveness, stakeholder activity, engagement trends, and overall impact.
• Evaluate campaign results and recommend improvements to strengthen future efforts.
• Use data, insights, and stakeholder feedback to continuously improve campaign effectiveness and organizational influence.
• Strategic Counsel & Enterprise Partnership
• Serve as a strategic advisor to Government Relations leadership on advocacy, coalition strategy, campaign opportunities, stakeholder engagement, and external activation.
• Partner closely with State Affairs, Federal Government Relations, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, Community Affairs, External Communications, and business leaders to ensure coordinated engagement strategies.
• Support enterprise leaders in understanding stakeholder landscapes, coalition opportunities, and engagement approaches.
• Help ensure advocacy and stakeholder engagement efforts advance both policy objectives and broader organizational priorities.
• Team Leadership & Capability Building
• Lead and develop a high‑performing advocacy and campaign team.
• Build enterprise capabilities, playbooks, tools, governance models, and best practices that strengthen Kaiser Permanentes advocacy and campaign effectiveness.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, innovation, accountability, and results.
• Develop scalable approaches that enable effective campaign execution across markets and enterprise functions.

Experience

• Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in advocacy, public affairs, government relations, political campaigns, issue campaigns, coalition management, stakeholder engagement, communications, or related disciplines.

Education

• Bachelors degree required in communications, public affairs, political science, public policy, journalism, government, business, or a related field.

License, Certification, Registration

N/A

• Experience developing and executing advocacy, issue, electoral, public affairs, grassroots, grasstops, or stakeholder engagement campaigns.
• Demonstrated success influencing legislative, regulatory, stakeholder, reputational, policy, or business outcomes.
• Experience building coalitions and engaging elected officials, policymakers, community leaders, trade associations, advocacy organizations, employers, and industry partners.
• Demonstrated ability to translate complex policy or business objectives into compelling campaigns and stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Experience leading teams, agencies, consultants, and cross‑functional initiatives.

• Experience working in a trade association, corporate public affairs organization, political campaign, government office, advocacy organization, healthcare organization, or other regulated industry preferred.
• Healthcare experience preferred but not required.
• Advanced degree preferred.