Government Affairs Lead

Somethings•New York City, NY

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

Somethings is building the first social wellness platform for teens, aiming to connect them with mentors who can help them thrive. The company is experiencing rapid growth and is seeking a Government Affairs Lead to spearhead national expansion. This is a hands-on, builder role focused on expanding Somethings into new states by establishing relationships, influencing policy and program design, and securing Medicaid and state partnerships. The role requires a deep understanding of state government systems and the ability to navigate policy, people, budgets, and timing to drive opportunities from initial contact through procurement and contracting. The position involves significant travel to build trust and relationships with state leaders, agency officials, partners, and stakeholders across the country. The Government Affairs Lead will report to the Chief Commercial Officer, be part of the Sales squadron, and collaborate closely with Clinical Operations, Product, and Operations. This role offers significant autonomy, executive support, and a chance to shape youth mental health care delivery at a systems level.

Requirements

Deep experience in Medicaid, behavioral health policy, or state government (from inside a state agency, health plan, health-tech company, or policy organization).
Understanding of how decisions are made, including informal dynamics.
Experience owning end-to-end procurement processes, from budgeting through contracting (either within a state agency or from the vendor side).
Relationship builder with high emotional intelligence, able to earn trust quickly and communicate effectively.
Strong internal drive, ability to create momentum, open doors, and take ownership of outcomes.
Comfort with ambiguity and high-ownership environments.
Motivated by mission and a desire to see work impact real people's lives.

Responsibilities

Identify and advance new state and city opportunities aligned with Somethings’ growth strategy.
Build relationships with legislators, agencies, and budget offices to introduce and fund Somethings’ model.
Advance Rural Health Transformation (RHT) initiatives to expand access in rural communities and new states.
Lead states from concept through RFP, procurement, contracting, and go-live.
Collaborate with VP of Client Success to manage existing state partnerships.
Identify opportunities inside the state to expand scope, populations served, or funding.
Support renewals, amendments, and program scaling in collaboration with state stakeholders and legislatures.
Ensure long-term funding sustainability by working with state legislatures.
Track and analyze local, state and federal legislation related to peer support, mental health services, AI, and age-of-consent laws.
Manage and coordinate external lobbying firms.
Draft letters of support and testimony for legislation of interest.
Lead efforts to establish peer support as a Medicaid-reimbursable service across states.
Support SPA (State Plan Amendment) and/or waiver strategies to enable reimbursement.
Monitor Medicaid policy changes and identify opportunities for expansion.
Represent Somethings at national and state conferences, convenings, and industry events.
Attend and participate in statehouse meetings, legislative hearings, and stakeholder briefings.