Director of Public Affairs & Communications
About The Position
The Virginia Medicaid Public Affairs & Communications Director provides strategic leadership for all communications and public affairs activities for the Virginia Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS). The position develops and executes comprehensive communications strategies that advance the agency’s mission, priorities, programs, and initiatives, and explains complex policy and implementation work in clear, accessible terms. The Director serves as a primary agency spokesperson and media representative, communicating with news organizations, legislators, members, providers, advocates, community organizations, and other stakeholders. The role ensures that Medicaid policies, program changes, benefits, requirements, and agency initiatives are communicated clearly, accurately, consistently, and accessibly to diverse audiences. It leads communications for high-profile initiatives, policy changes, emergencies, and other issues that may significantly affect members, providers, or the Commonwealth. The Director also develops executive communications and advises agency leadership on communications risks, opportunities, messaging, and stakeholder engagement. The position coordinates messaging with the HHR Communications team, tracks media coverage and public narratives related to Secretariat priorities, and supports coordination among policy, program, and communications teams so that messaging reflects implementation realities. Business needs may require in-office attendance for internal and external meetings and press appearances. The agency follows Commonwealth teleworking policy; telework arrangements may be modified or ended based on performance or business needs.
Requirements
- Extensive experience developing and executing strategic communications and outreach plans for program initiatives.
- Extensive experience as a senior-level communications professional in government or a complex organization, such as a press secretary, communications director, or senior communications advisor.
- Extensive experience facilitating meetings with external stakeholders and advocacy groups.
- Extensive experience creating and delivering outreach content aligned with program objectives, accessible to varied audiences, and distributed through multiple channels.
- Extensive experience with computer software, including Microsoft Office.
- Extensive experience analyzing, interpreting, and applying public federal and state laws and regulations.
- Extensive experience meeting deadlines.
- Extensive experience managing internal and external stakeholder relationships and coordinating cross-functional collaboration across multiple organizations.
- Extensive experience using data-driven insights to refine communications strategies and generating executive-level reports and briefings.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with member-centered program design and access.
- Considerable experience planning and directing program activities.
- Considerable experience analyzing data.
- Considerable experience resolving problems.
Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for DMAS communications and public affairs activities.
- Develop and execute communications strategies that advance agency missions, priorities, programs, and initiatives.
- Serve as a primary agency spokesperson and media representative to news organizations and stakeholders.
- Communicate complex Medicaid policies, program changes, benefits, requirements, and initiatives clearly and accessibly to diverse audiences.
- Lead communications during high-profile initiatives, policy changes, emergencies, and other significant issues.
- Develop executive communications and provide strategic counsel to agency leadership on communications risks, opportunities, messaging, and stakeholder engagement.
- Draft and oversee talking points, press statements, op-eds, briefing memos, and rapid-response materials.
- Coordinate messaging with the HHR Communications team.
- Translate technical policy and implementation details into messages relevant to legislators, local leaders, providers, and the public.
- Track media coverage and public narratives related to Secretariat priorities and adjust communications strategy as needed.
- Coordinate with policy, program, and communications teams to ensure messaging reflects implementation realities.
- Facilitate meetings with external stakeholders and advocacy groups.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Education Level
No Education Listed
