Director, Government Relations - Hybrid

Awarded a Healthiest Employer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona aims to fulfill its mission to inspire health and make it easy. AZ Blue offers a variety of health insurance products and services to meet the diverse needs of individuals, families, and small and large businesses as well as providing information and tools to help individuals make better health decisions.

At AZ Blue, we have a hybrid workforce strategy, called Workability, that offers flexibility with how and where employees work. Our positions are classified as hybrid, onsite or remote. While the majority of our employees are hybrid, the following classifications drive our current minimum onsite requirements:

• Hybrid People Leaders: must reside in AZ, required to be onsite at least twice per week

• Hybrid Individual Contributors: must reside in AZ, unless otherwise cited within this posting, required to be onsite at least once per week

• Hybrid 2 (Operational Roles such as but not limited to: Customer Service, Claims Processors, and Correspondence positions): must reside in AZ, unless otherwise cited within this posting, required to be onsite at least once per month

• Onsite: daily onsite requirement based on the essential functions of the job

• Remote: not held to onsite requirements, however, leadership can request presence onsite for business reasons including but not limited to staff meetings, one-on-ones, training, and team building

Please note that onsite requirements may change in the future, based on business need, and job responsibilities. Most employees should expect onsite requirements and at a minimum of once per week.

This position requires work and residency within the state of Arizona.

Purpose of the job

• Manages BCBSAZ’s government relations, corporate legislative affairs, and public policy activities on local, state and federal levels, involving local and state elected officials, Congress and key state and federal agencies.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

Required Work Experience

• 3 years of management experience
• 8 years of experience in legislative processes with emphasis in insurance and healthcare policy.

Required Education

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public policy, or related field

Required Licenses

• N/A

Required Certifications

• N/A

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Preferred Work Experience

• 10 years of experience in legislative processes with emphasis in insurance and healthcare policy.

Preferred Education

• Master’s degree in business administration, healthcare administration, public policy, or related field
• Juris Doctor (JD) degree

Preferred Certifications

• N/A

ESSENTIAL job functions AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Identify and present to management legislative issues that impact the corporation and spearhead corporate response. Develop corporate positions on public policy issues.
• Coordinate business strategy analysis of public policy and legislative issues that affect the corporation.  Supervise the development and execution of strategies to address those issues.
• Manage the corporation’s contract lobbyists and outside public policy consultants.
• Develop and implement internal and external communications on legislative and health policy issues.
• Maintain strong relationships with Arizona congressional delegation, governor, legislators, agency directors, and their staffs to effect public policy consistent with company position.
• Oversee communications with policymakers, testify in legislative committees and represent the corporation in all public policy-related meetings and hearings.
• Serve as corporation's representative to the BCBS Association on congressional and state legislative matters. Attend Association meetings on federal and state government relations, communicate company’s position.
• Serve as a liaison between corporation’s political action committee and candidates and political organizations. Generate PAC member interest in elections and politics. Develop a participation strategy for employees of the corporation who wish to become involved in the political process. Work with Finance and Legal Departments and outside consultant to ensure compliance with campaign finance laws.
• Represent corporation on public policy and legislative issues in the community.
• Secure appointment of BCBSAZ executives on executive and legislative committees considering health insurance or important business matters. Place corporate employees as speakers, panel members, consultants or members of business and community groups.
• Work with business segments on communicating public policy information to customers and brokers. Assist key brokers by speaking at their client meetings on public policy matters.
• Work with Clinical Excellence to communicate public policy information to contracted providers.
• Work with BCBSAZ decision makers to assess and mitigate political risk from business decisions.
• Provide updates to the Board as needed.
• Ensure that Government Relations team is engaged in corporate strategy and mission.
• Oversee day-to-day departmental administration by coaching and motivating managerial staff and departmental personnel to make maximum use of experience and skills.
• Monitor quality performance measures, develop and maintain effective workflows, and maximize system efficiencies.
• Manage use of corporate funds including budgeting, financial management, and reporting. Identify opportunities to achieve administrative efficiencies while maintaining service.
• Maintain effective working relationships to ensure teamwork in achieving corporate goals.
• Participate in strategic planning activities and contribute to departmental and cross-functional teams to achieve BCBSAZ goals and ensure future success.
• Coordinate activities between multiple divisions to achieve desired results.
• Support BCBSAZ’s Strategic Imperative of passionate and empowered employees, by volunteering with, serving on, and supporting multiple community organizations.
• This position has an onsite expectation of 2 days per week and requires a full-time work schedule. Full-time is defined as working at least 40 hours per week, plus any additional hours as requested or as needed to meet business requirements.
• Perform all other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Required Job Skills

• Strong written and verbal communications.
• Effective public speaker
• Intermediate PC proficiency including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

Required Professional Competencies

• Management skills in an operationally changing environment, with drive for results and success based on planned objectives.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Interpersonal skills that allow for harmonious relationships with providers, members and coworkers.
• Ability to identify key issues and analyze their impact on the corporation and advise senior management accordingly;
• Knowledge of the legislative process and legislative drafting and its impact on the corporation
• Ability to effect public policy, develop and execute public policy campaigns, participate in legislative and congressional elections, and advise company executives and PAC accordingly.
• Flexibility and willingness to adjust to shifting demands/priorities.
• Ability to handle multiple complex issues simultaneously.

Required Leadership Experience and Competencies

• High standard of performance while pursuing aggressive goals
• Principled leadership and sound business ethics

PREFERRED COMPETENCIES

Preferred Job Skills

• N/A

Preferred Professional Competencies

• N/A    

Preferred Leadership Experience and Competencies

• N/A

Our Commitment

AZ Blue does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected group.

Thank you for your interest in Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.  For more information on our company, see azblue.com.  If interested in this position, please apply.