Director of Health Affairs

University of Texas at Austin•Austin, TX

2d•Onsite

About The Position

This position will focus on budget and policy and position the academic medical center to maximize opportunities while mitigating regulatory and financial risk. UT Austin offers a competitive benefits package that includes: 100% employer-paid basic medical coverage, retirement contributions, paid vacation and sick time, and paid holidays. May be required to work evening and weekends during critical times. This is a position located on campus.

Requirements

Experience in and understanding of federal healthcare landscape.
Law Degree.
Experience working in Higher Education.
Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically and creatively, work well under pressure, and manage details of several concurrent projects.
Demonstrated ability to be a team player and work productively with others in a dynamic environment.
Capable of working independently.
Ability to use discretion and maintain integrity and professionalism.
Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a Higher Education Medical School.
20+ years of experience in the federal landscape.

Responsibilities

Ability to assess impact of priority federal issues — including 340B, site-neutral payment policy, GME funding, NIH appropriations, impact of payment models, Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement, ARPA-H research priorities, FDA oversight, value-based care models, workforce policy, and cybersecurity requirements — on Dell Medicine’s current and projected financial and operational performance.
Monitor and assist in responding to proposed agency rules at state and federal level.
Develop a forward-looking policy risk and opportunity matrix aligned to Dell Medicine's planned academic medicine build, identifying regulatory dependencies, funding vehicles, and legislative windows.
Identify and develop a prioritized engagement map of federal legislators and agency officials critical to Dell Med's policy and funding interests.
Provide ongoing strategic counsel and tactical support for Central Health and Travis County hospital district relationships, including preparation for key meetings, board engagement, and contract or funding negotiations.
Design an AI policy engagement strategy, including a landscape analysis of key federal and state AI regulatory and legislative activity relevant to academic medicine and health system operations.