The Health Initiative Senior Director, Health Plans

Positively Partners•Attleboro, MA

27d•$180,000 - $210,000•Remote

About The Position

The Senior Director, Health Plans, is a key member of the THI Leadership Team and responsible for efforts to unlock existing dollars within health plans to invest in the drivers of health. This role will be creative in re-imagining how plans can move towards that goal and persuasive in communicating this approach to others. The Senior Director will lead a cross-functional team (aka a ‘swim lane’) to achieve THL’s goal within various plans and has three primary responsibilities: Lead THI’s effort to activate health plans including generating creative yet practical ideas on how to invest in the drivers of health, establishing the business case and securing contractual agreements with plans to conduct the work. Set swim lane goals and strategies to achieve those goals, adapting as necessary. Mentor team members and ensure activities are flawlessly executed. A successful candidate will thrive in the fast-paced context of issue-based campaigns and/or start-up environments. They must demonstrate excellence in relational instincts, attention to detail, and communication skills. The position reports to the Chief Operating Officer on an interim basis, and works closely with the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs, Rebecca Onie and Rocco Perla. As part of a small organization, the Senior Director, Health Plans may or may not have direct reports at any given time but will be responsible for leading a cross-functional team to ensure the strategy is executed well. This includes program staff such as Research Associates and a to-be-hired Director of Research & Analytics to support technical content development, Project Managers to achieve timelines, and operations staff on systems. The role is responsible for the performance and retention of team members, regardless of reporting relationships. They will also partner with other swim lane leaders (e.g. Fed, States) and specialists (e.g. Communications, Development /Partnerships) to achieve cross-cutting organizational goals as a member of the THI Leadership Team. In the latter capacity, this role will contribute actively to both culture and organizational evolution as needed.

Requirements

Deep understanding of health plans’ business model, culture, operating model, customers, & context.
Knowledge of the means through which plans engage policymakers, members, investors, & other stakeholders.
Knowledge of health plan leadership priorities, mental models, & pain points.
At least 7 years of prior employment with direct engagement of senior leadership at a health plan and/or at CMS working closely with plans.
Experience in a core business function and/or government affairs leading a division or team required; experience leading cross-functional team members preferred.
Sufficient fluency in Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payment policy required; Actuarial experience or direct involvement with bid development for the MA market and/or rate development for the Medicaid market preferred.
Ability to understand current constraints, think creatively about how to achieve THI’s objectives within these or by altering them, & to persuade others to take action consistent with this approach
Experience supporting senior executives/leaders (e.g., preparing oral and written briefings).
Ability to manage up, down, and across peers.
Skill in activating stakeholders and facilitating complex, multi-party discussions.
Strategic goal-setting and execution in dynamic environments.
Baseline knowledge of the impact of drivers of health on outcomes, cost & utilization.
Commitment to THI’s mission, vision, and values.
Continuous improvement mindset; eagerness for learning and feedback.
Confident in leading with a point of view and recommendations while being open to changing position when necessary.
Takes full accountability for swim lane goals, deliverables, and team performance.
Ability to navigate ambiguity and work both independently and collaboratively.
Drives forward progress amidst change.
Ability and willingness to learn and adapt to THI’s approach to building transformative relationships based on humility, reliability, openness, humor, and confidence.
Good judgment: knows when to act independently and when to seek input.
Clear, concise, and compelling communication.
Strong program management and prioritization skills including ability to manage multiple projects with short, medium, and long-term deadlines.
Ability to manage up, down, and with peers.
Efficiently leverages cross-functional team members and technology.

Nice To Haves

Experience leading change management efforts preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead THI’s effort to activate health plans to invest in the drivers of health, generating practical ideas and establishing the business case for doing so, & getting leaders to go on the record with the sector and policymakers about the importance of this approach.
Support identification & recruitment of potential health plan partners for THI & engage other health plans if/as needed to achieve THI’s goals.
Develop, secure, and successfully execute THI’s contractual agreements with health plans.
Define quarterly, annual, & multi-year swim lane goals with corresponding milestones.
Create and execute plans to meet those goals, identify key stakeholders & define analysis and artifacts that will compel action.
Oversee the creation and finalization of all swim lane deliverables, e.g. briefings, articles, public comments, presentations, reports for a diverse set of stakeholders including policymakers, health plan executives, researchers, and funders. Ensure quality of content and process.
Direct, mentor, & coach the cross-functional team members supporting the swim lane.
Manage a subset of external relationships and support other THI executives in managing additional stakeholders.
Monitor the healthcare landscape/ecosystem for developments relevant to THI goals, efficiently communicate internally or externally as appropriate, & integrate into prioritization.
Collaborate with other THI swim lane leaders to achieve organizational goals, including partnership / development initiatives.
Actively participate in the THI Leadership Team to strengthen organization-wide operations and culture.