Senior Manager - State Government Relations and Public Affairs

Covista • remote, REMOTE

3d • $80,337 - $145,077 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Manager - State Government Relations and Public Affairs is part of Covista's Corporate Affairs team and reports to the Director, State Government Relations & Public Affairs. This field-based role serves as Covista's government relations presence across a Midwestern region, building state and local relationships and helping ensure the company's institutions can operate and grow within their legislative and regulatory environments. The position is based in one of the listed states: Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, or Missouri, and requires presence in state capitols when needed.

The role monitors state legislative, regulatory, and executive activity; cultivates relationships with public officials and healthcare system partners; manages contract lobbyists; advises institutional leaders; and coordinates legislative and regulatory strategies. It also supports political contribution and compliance activities and integrates government relations with public affairs, including communications, community partnerships, and Covista's healthcare workforce narrative.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in public policy, law, or a related field.
• At least 7 years of experience in state government relations, public affairs, legislative affairs, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated experience working in or closely with state legislative or executive branch environments.
• Track record of managing external consultants or lobbyists with clear direction and measurable accountability.
• Familiarity with state political contribution processes, lobbying disclosure requirements, and campaign finance compliance.
• Experience advising institutional or business leaders on government affairs matters.
• Deep working knowledge of state legislative processes and ability to track and synthesize activity across multiple states and sessions.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with state officials and legislative staff.
• Strong political judgment, including knowing when to engage directly, work through a coalition, or hold.
• Ability to translate complex policy developments into clear, actionable guidance for non-government-relations audiences.
• Strong written communication skills for policy memos, legislative briefs, stakeholder correspondence, and senior leadership briefings.
• Adaptability and urgency in a fast-moving environment while maintaining accuracy and strategic focus.
• Comfort operating in an integrated government relations and public affairs function.
• Familiarity with legislative intelligence platforms such as Quorum or similar, and a data-informed approach to tracking and reporting outcomes.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in public policy, law, or a related field.
• Experience in healthcare, higher education, or another regulated industry.
• Familiarity with state financial aid frameworks, clinical education policy, or state authorization of distance education.
• Experience in the legislative or executive branch environments of the assigned region.

Responsibilities

• Monitor legislative sessions, regulatory proceedings, and executive agency actions across the assigned states, and alert leadership to significant developments.
• Develop proactive relationships with state legislators, legislative staff, governors' offices, and state agencies in priority markets.
• Identify and pursue opportunities for Covista to participate in state policy conversations through testimony, coalitions, or direct stakeholder outreach.
• Translate state policy developments into timely, clear intelligence for the Director, institutional leaders, and segment leadership.
• Coordinate with Legal and Regulatory Affairs on state licensing, authorization, and compliance matters.
• Manage contract lobbyists by setting direction, tracking their work against Covista priorities, assessing performance, and recommending adjustments or coverage changes.
• Build and maintain direct relationships with state officials, legislative staff, agencies, and healthcare system partners.
• Serve as the day-to-day government relations partner for Chamberlain campus leaders in the region, and support state matters affecting Walden University and clinical partners of other Covista institutions.
• Advise institutional leaders on policy issues affecting programs and campuses, including clinical placement access, financial aid eligibility, state authorization, distance education regulation, and community positioning.
• Support campus expansion and new market entry by developing stakeholder relationships and political groundwork.
• Surface field issues and opportunities early enough for leadership to act.
• Provide regional intelligence on state political giving and vet contribution recommendations against government relations priorities and legislative objectives.
• Coordinate state lobbying registrations, contribution activity, and disclosure obligations with the Director and outside compliance counsel, meeting filing deadlines.
• Maintain current knowledge of applicable state campaign finance laws, lobbying regulations, and ethics requirements.
• Partner with the broader government relations and public affairs function on earned media, stakeholder communications, and community positioning.
• Use Covista Foundation programming and community partnerships to demonstrate Covista's commitment to local healthcare workforce needs.
• Use Covista thought leadership materials to present locally relevant, data-driven policy arguments to state officials and healthcare system leaders.
• Represent Covista at state legislative events, political functions, and industry convenings.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Comply with all policies and standards.

Benefits

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Disability insurance
• 401(k) retirement program with a 6% employer match
• Flexible Time Off (FTO) policy
• 12 paid holidays
• Eligibility to participate in an annual incentive program; any award is subject to program rules and individual and organizational performance.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager