Program Manager - Policy & Advocacy (hybrid)

Meet Trenton Health Team

Trenton Health Team (THT) is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the greater Trenton and Mercer County communities by partnering with residents and stakeholders to expand access to high-quality, healthcare services and address housing quality, food security, neighborhood conditions, education, and social inequities inextricably linked to poor health outcomes. Having achieved national recognition since its founding in 2006, THT is now one of four State-designated Regional Health Hubs focused on addressing the social determinants of health and achieving equitable health outcomes.

The Program Manager - Policy & Advocacy will support the development, administration, and implementation of policy and advocacy initiatives to advance THTs mission, especially Medicaid policies, the State’s Medicaid 1115 Waiver, and THT’s work as a Regional Health Hub (RHH). These initiatives seek to accelerate the development and use of actionable knowledge to shape and form the policy responses to address the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, with a particular focus on the Medicaid beneficiaries. The Program Manager’s work will provide important guidance to colleagues throughout the organization on policy implications and will inform Senior Leadership decisions at both programmatic and strategic levels. The Program Manager’s work will also involve relationship building and collaboration with external stakeholders at local, regional, and state levels.

What we offer

Working with THT means joining a diverse team of 50 professionals with backgrounds in public health, medicine, social work, community development, data analytics, information technology, marketing and communications, and business management, who are here to serve the Trenton region.

THT fosters a culture of flexibility and creativity and supports staff in achieving their personal and professional goals.

Our employees enjoy the following benefits:

• A hybrid work schedule (1-2 days per week non-remote)
• Medical, dental & vision insurance funded by THT at 85-100%
• Employer-supported HSA contribution
• 401k Retirement plan with 4% employer match
• Life Insurance (Employer-funded basic at 1.5x salary, plus voluntary & AD&D)
• Generous paid time off (PTO plus 16 holidays annually)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Discretionary benefit programs

After several years of sustainable growth, THT is at an exciting time in its history. Now in its 16th year, THT faces the future with renewed energy, financial stability and a deep commitment to improving health and wellbeing in the Trenton region.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Work closely with the Chief Strategy Officer, Chief Program Officer, and CEO to coordinate, implement, and report on the work of the Regional Health Hub, including managing key relationships with NJ Medicaid and other State agencies, and tracking the funding and deliverables.
• Maintain close familiarity with the NJ Medicaid 1115 Waiver, NJ Medicaid Health IT Plan, and other relevant Medicaid policies applicable to THT’s work. Provide guidance to THT leadership on developing and refining programs to support the priorities of NJ Medicaid as articulated in those documents.
• Perform research and policy analysis, including literature searches and reviews, and data extraction and assembly.
• Synthesize complex policy issues and write Op-Eds, briefs, policy concept papers, memos, and white papers for funders; local, state, and national stakeholders; and the general public.
• Lead and support specific policy projects and goals, including managing and contributing to project planning and strategy and ensuring execution of deliverables. This could include projects housed on other teams with significant policy and advocacy implications.
• Work with staff from the community engagement, population health, and community care teams to identify programmatic practices that could inform future policy priorities and to support Regional Health Hub activities (e.g., COVID emergency response, behavioral health/substance use disorder work).
• Coordinate internal and external efforts to represent THT during the state budget process to secure funding for the RHH and other state-supported work, including advising the CEO and Senior Leadership on strategies and opportunities.
• Engage and collaborate with state and regional partners, including community organizations, academic institutions, direct service organizations, think tanks, professional associations, government officials, and media.
• Monitor major developments in state and federal policy that impact the Trentonn region’s healthcare and social service ecosystem.
• Represent THT at various local, state, and national meetings.
• Participate in public speaking opportunities as required.
• Support the Compliance Officer in ensuring that THT complies with any relevant rules, laws, and regulations related to lobbying or interacting with government entities.

ADDITIONAL FUNCTIONS:

• Attend relevant training as necessary to develop substantive knowledge of policy issues.
• Complete special projects as assigned.
• Assume all other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief Strategy Officer.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Program Manager will not immediately have staff supervisory responsibilities. However, the Program Manager may have staff to supervise in the future.

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• At least three years of experience working on public policy at the state and/or local level.
• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• Relevant experience in public interest advocacy and/or a deep appreciation of the value of advocacy, education, and organizing to influence and change public policy.
• Demonstrated prior knowledge of and experience in health and human services policy.
• Demonstrated ability to carefully set priorities, meet deadlines, and schedule time efficiently.
• Excellent written and oral communications skills, and comfort communicating with a variety of audiences, including media, policymakers, funders, staff, board, and the general public.
• Strong research and analytical skills in public policy and keen problem-solving and decision making skills.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Familiarity with the Trenton community and/or other similar cities, including demographics, challenges, and key organizations that play a role in impacting policy decisions and fostering health and well-being.
• Experience working on state health policy issues, especially in NJ.
• Knowledge of Medicaid is a plus.

COMPUTER SKILLS

• Strong computer skills with proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office.

COMPETENCIES

• Adaptability - Adapts to changes in the work environment; Manages competing demands; Changes approach or method to best fit the situation; Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Analytical - Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs work flows and procedures.
• Innovation - Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.
• Strategic Thinking - Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; Understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; Analyzes market and competition; Identifies external threats and opportunities; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Planning/Organizing - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Organizes or schedules other people and their tasks; Develops realistic action plans.
• Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations; Uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The physical demands described herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The specific demands for this position include, but are not limited to the following:

The incumbent performs job duties in a normal business office environment in an urban community. Office tasks are generally carried out with no specific or unusual physical or environmental demands. While performing the office duties of this job, the incumbent is regularly required to sit at a desk and work with a computer for extended periods of time. Specific physical abilities required by this job include operating basic office equipment such as personal computers; copy machines, fax machines and standard office telephones.

Approximately 15 percent of the time will be spent in the community and the incumbent must be able to travel to and from various sites as needed. While performing community tasks, the role may require: occasional exposure to outside weather conditions and the ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds.

The incumbent will be required to attend meetings or conduct other work that may occur in the evenings or/and on weekends, both on-site and off-site, via phone or videoconference.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Benefits

Full-time exempt annual salary for this position is in the range of $55,000 - $70,000, commensurate with experience and skills.

Our employees enjoy the following benefits:

• A hybrid work schedule (1-2 days per week non-remote)
• Medical, dental & vision insurance funded by THT at 85-100%
• Employer-supported HSA contribution
• 401k Retirement plan with 4% employer match
• Life Insurance (Employer-funded basic at 1.5x salary plus voluntary & AD&D)
• Generous paid time off (PTO plus 16 holidays annually)
• Short Term & Long-Term Disability
• Employee Assistance Program
• Employee Referral program
• Discretionary benefit programs