Summary
Description
Since 1953, Mental Health Colorado has been the state’s leading advocate for healthier minds across the lifespan. Mental Health Colorado is an affiliate of Mental Health America, the nation’s oldest mental health advocacy organization. Our organization is looking for a person to lead our policy team and continue reformative change in Colorado’s behavioral health system. The position will work closely with the President and CEO, the Senior Policy Advocate, and communications team to create and implement the organization’s policy agenda and help drive continued lasting impact for the people of Colorado.
The VP of Government Affairs will:
● Spearhead the development, execution, and implementation of the organization’s state-level policy agenda, which includes legislative, regulatory, and budgetary work.
● Represent the organization in stakeholder meetings, task forces, programmatic boards, and other public facing groups in a professional manner.
● Collaborate with partner organizations which include other advocacy organizations, state agencies, provider organizations, local government, and organizations that work within the criminal legal system.
● Deliver presentations to partner organizations on topics that impact behavioral health.
● Interact with members of the media in a professional manner.
● Draft legislation and recommendations for regulatory changes, policy memos, summaries or fact sheets, letters to decision makers, testimony; talking points; questions for legislative hearings and others to support MHC’s agenda.
● Collect, monitor, and analyze state and national behavioral health data.
● Stay up to date on best practices in the delivery of behavioral health services and supports.
● Effectively interact with policy experts, state department staff, and political leaders.
● Work with the development department to draft grant proposals, grant report, and support other donor management needs.
● Track state legislation, state regulatory agenda, and local behavioral health tax initiatives.
● Ensure legislative events (LEAD, MHC’s Day at the Capitol, May is Mental Health Awareness Month etc…) are implemented successfully.
● Be the primary face of the organization at the capitol, in collaboration with MHC’s contract lobbying firm which includes direct lobbying of legislators and caucus staff, testifying on bills, tracking actions taken by the Joint Budget Committee (JBC) et cetera.
● Ensure theorganization maintains a high level of trust and respect with the Legislature, Governor’s Office, State Agencies, and partner organizations through a demeanor of transparency, accountability, ethical behavioral, and data driven policy positions.
● Work closely with the CEO and communications team to ensure that MHC’s policy priorities, goals, and community initiatives are accurately and effectively communicated with the media and wider public.
● Other duties as assigned
Required Qualifications:
● Bachelor’s degree
● 5-7 years of relevant public policy experience
● Ability to work in a politically neutral manner and maintain confidentiality when required
● Skill and competence in basic research skills and tasks requiring attention to detail, including internet searches, accessing and analyzing government, public, and private policy documents, white papers, and other resources, and analyzing and synthesizing research and legislation
● Organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously
● Ability to work under deadline pressure and adapt to changes in workload
● Strong understanding of Colorado’s legislative and political processes
● Excellent communication skills with the ability to craft messages that resonate with multiple audiences
● Ability to be self-directed and take initiative while making sure President & CEO is well-informed and on the same page
● Relationship and consensus-building skills, including experience working with or managing coalitions
● Emotional intelligence
● Ability to work independently and cooperatively as a part of remote team
● Experience reading, analyzing, or tracking legislation
● Above all, the person in this position must have passion and empathy for the people for whom Mental Health Colorado advocates and represents
Preferred Qualifications:
● Master’s degree or additional experience over and above experience outlined in required qualifications
● Lived experience of a mental health and/or substance use condition
● Knowledge of and/or experience with behavioral health policy issues including Medicaid financing, the intersection of behavioral health and the criminal justice system, Colorado’s healthcare regulations and laws, provider licensing, and a strong understanding of barriers to care for people with mental health and/or substance use conditions
● Prior experience in successfully advocating for disadvantaged populations and transforming systems that do not serve the end user
● Confidence working in high conflict environments
BENEFITS
Employees have the choice of working remotely or working in-office; certain meetings and events will require in-person participation, particularly during the legislative session. Ability to be in-person and at the state capitol during legislative session is required.
● Hybrid work schedule
● Health, dental, vision and life insurance
● Paid holidays and wellness days
● Competitive Paid Time Off (PTO)
● Paid winter break office closures
● Professional development opportunities
HOW TO APPLY
Applicants should email a cover letter, resume and writing sample to dmclaughlin@mentalhealthcolorado.org; please use the subject line “VP for Government Affairs”. Only electronic submissions will be accepted.
