Director of Public Affairs & Communications

Responsibilities

• 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 is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive communication strategies that advance the agency's mission, priorities, programs, and initiatives.
• The Public Affairs and Communications Director serves as a primary agency spokesperson and media representative, communicating with news organizations, legislators, members, providers, advocates, community organizations, and other stakeholders.
• The position ensures that complex Medicaid policies, program changes, benefits, requirements, and agency initiatives are communicated clearly, accurately, consistently, and in a manner accessible to diverse audiences.
• The position leads communications during high-profile initiatives, policy changes, emergencies, and other issues that may significantly affect Medicaid members, providers, or the Commonwealth.
• The position also develops executive communications and provides strategic counsel to agency leadership on communications risks, opportunities, messaging, and stakeholder engagement.
• This position develops and executes a proactive communications strategy that explains complex policy and implementation work in clear, accessible terms.
• Draft and oversee key communications products, including talking points, press statements, op eds, briefing memos, rapid response materials.
• Coordinate messaging with HHR Communications team.
• Translate technical policy and implementation details into messages that resonate with legislators, local leaders, providers, and the public.

Requirements

• Extensive experience developing and executing strategic communication and outreach plans for program initiatives.
• Extensive experience serving as a senior-level communications professional in government or complex organizations, such as 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 that is aligned with program objectives to include accessibility for a variety of audiences across multiple outreach channels.
• Extensive experience with computer software including Microsoft Office.
• Extensive experience analyzing, interpreting, and applying public federal and state laws/regulations.
• Extensive experience meeting deadlines.
• Extensive experience managing internal/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.
• Experience with the member-centered program design and access.