Policy & Outreach Director

Portland, ME 04101
Posted on  

Job Description

Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)

Public Service Manager III
Opening Date: November 15, 2024

Closing Date: December 2, 2024

Job Class Code: MA36
Grade: 36 (Confidential)
Salary: $92,851.20 - $131,518.40 per year
Position Number: 02000-4121
Location: Portland

This opportunity allows partial telework with management approval.

Core Responsibilities:

OHIM seeks a Policy and Outreach Director who will work collaboratively with the team to develop Marketplace policies, consumer outreach strategies, and manage relationships with external stakeholders, including government entities. The position will serve as OHIM’s in-house expert on Marketplace policy and eligibility and enrollment. The Director of Policy will develop policy recommendations that support OHIM’s goals and objectives in coordination with OHIM’s senior leadership team and the DHHS Commissioner’s Office. The person in this role should be practiced at offering strategic policy recommendations and making decisions of broad scope and complexity in a clear, concise, and timely manner. Strong organizational, research, project management, and writing skills are necessary. Other duties include:

  • Provide high quality research and analysis of policies that impact the Marketplace at the federal and state level and provide written memos, reports and presentations to leadership
  • Advise DHHS and OHIM leadership on policies and emerging opportunities related to key initiatives.
  • Assist in the development of policy and operational initiatives to maximize enrollment among eligible populations
  • In coordination with the COO and/or product manager, lead the implementation of new policies and initiatives with OHIM operational staff and IT platform vendor
  • Develop resources and educational materials to help stakeholders understand and follow eligibility rules and regulations
  • Create and maintain policies and procedures documentation
  • Work directly with the Office of MaineCare Services and the Office for Family Independence to increase collaboration across our Offices and programs and develop new initiatives
  • Provide audit and compliance support to the OHIM COO as needed
  • Work directly with DHHS Director of Government Relations to respond to Legislature inquiries and prepare leadership for hearings or work sessions. Lead drafting of statutorily required reporting.
  • Work with DHHS General Counsel to strategize on rulemaking
  • Analyze data on CoverME.gov enrollment and produce reports for compliance activities and determine areas for improvement and/or innovation.
  • Serve as a liaison to enrollment assisters and advocacy organizations on policy issues
  • Develop and maintain relationships with key external stakeholders to develop, adapt, align, and implement effective marketplace policy.
  • Supervise OHIM policy, communications, and outreach staff
  • End-to-end oversight of special projects including convening and facilitating work groups, implementing new legislative mandates, and leading cross-Office and cross-Department initiatives.
  • Other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

To qualify, your background must include a 10-year combination of education and experience in health care, law, insurance or public policy/administration, including significant experience in a leadership role and/or supervising and managing professional staff.
Preferred experience includes:
  • Professional degree in public policy or administration, health care or health insurance administration, law or other comparable field with a focus on health or social policy.
  • Advanced knowledge and experience working on policies impacting commercial health insurance markets, including the Affordable Care Act.
  • Leadership experience in a governmental agency or complex organization, including areas such as operational oversight, policy implementation, interagency communication, and direct supervision of staff.
The background of well-qualified candidates will demonstrate the following competencies:
  • Experience evaluating, analyzing, researching and developing health care services, policies, and programs
  • Ability to effectively and concisely communicate and make recommendations and decisions regarding complex and technical information, verbally and in writing, for a variety of audiences.
  • Demonstrated ability to quickly and effectively adapt and respond to rapid changes in priorities and/or areas of focus.
  • Experience representing an agency or organization with senior external stakeholders (e.g. legislators, business partners).
  • Experience analyzing federal and/or state laws and regulations and managing compliance with state and federal regulations.
  • Experience in developing, implementing, and evaluating consumer outreach campaigns
  • Experience in federal or state legislative processes.
  • A passion for health care, health equity, and public service.

Thinking about applying?

Research shows that people from historically excluded communities tend to apply to jobs only when they check every box in the posting. If you’re currently reading this and hesitating to apply for that reason, we encourage you to go for it! Let us know how your lived experience and passion set you apart.

Agency information:

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is dedicated to promoting health, safety, resilience, and opportunity for Maine people. The Department provides health and social services to approximately a third of the State's population, including children, families, older Mainers, and individuals with disabilities, mental illness, and substance use disorders. The Department also promotes public health, operates two state psychiatric hospitals, and provides oversight to health care providers.

The Maine DHHS Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace (OHIM) operates CoverME.gov, Maine’s Health Insurance Marketplace.
OHIM is a small, dynamic team driven by the dual missions of optimizing consumer experience and increasing enrollment in health coverage among eligible populations. Successful candidates will be team players who thrive in a fast-paced environment and share a commitment to ensuring that all Maine residents can access quality, affordable health insurance coverage.

Application Information:

Please submit all documents or files in PDF format.

For additional information about this position please contact Hilary Schnieder at 207-592-1433 or by email at Hilary.Schneider@Maine.gov

To request a paper application, please contact Mandy.L.Harman@Maine.gov

Benefits of working for the State of Maine:

No matter where you work across Maine state government, you find employees who embody our state motto—"Dirigo" or "I lead"—as they provide essential services to Mainers every day. We believe in supporting our workforce's health and wellbeing with a valuable total compensation package, including:

  • Work-Life Fit – Rest is essential. Take time for yourself using 13 paid holidays, 12 days of sick leave, and 3+ weeks of vacation leave annually. Vacation leave accrual increases with years of service, and overtime-exempt employees receive personal leave.
  • Health Insurance Coverage – The State of Maine pays 85%-95% of employee-only premiums ($11,196.96 - $12,514.32 annual value), depending on salary. Use this chart to find the premium costs for you and your family, including the percentage of dependent coverage paid by the State.
  • Dental Insurance – The State of Maine pays 100% of employee-only dental premiums ($387.92 annual value).
  • Retirement Plan – The State contributes the equivalent of 13.29% of the employee's pay towards the Maine Public Employees Retirement System (MainePERS).

  • Parental leave is one of the most important benefits for any working parent. All employees who are welcoming a child—including fathers and adoptive parents—receive six weeks of fully paid parental leave. Additional, unpaid leave may also be available, under the Family and Medical Leave Act.

State employees are eligible for an extensive and highly competitive benefits package, covering many aspects of wellness. Learn about additional wellness benefits for State employees from the Office of Employee Health and Wellness.
Note: Benefits may vary somewhat according to specific collective bargaining agreements and are prorated for anything less than full-time.

There's a job and then there's purposeful, transformative work. Our aim is to create a workplace where you can learn, grow, and continuously refine your skills. Applicants demonstrate job requirements in differing ways, and we appreciate that many skills and backgrounds can make people successful in this role.

As an Equal Opportunity employer, Maine State Government embraces a culture of respect and awareness. We are committed to creating a strong sense of belonging for all team members, and our process ensures an inclusive environment to applicants of all backgrounds including diverse race, color, sex, sexual orientation or gender identity, physical or mental disability, religion, age, ancestry, national origin, familial status or genetics.

If you’re looking for a great next step, and want to feel good about what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Please note reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.

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