Overview
Job Posting Title: Director, State Policy
Reports To: EVP, Policy & Research
Location: Remote with travel required (U.S. Based), preference for candidates based in Washington, D.C. Metro Area
Classification: Full-Time, Exempt
ABOUT BLACK WOMEN’S HEALTH IMPERATIVE (BWHI)
BWHI is the only national organization dedicated solely to solving the most urgent health issues facing Black women and girls. For over 40 years, we have advanced evidence-based programs, informed policy, and translated research to action, working alongside communities and decision-makers to deliver systemic change.
Mission: To solve the most critical health issues that Black women and girls face through innovative programs, transformative research, and life-saving policies.
Approach: BWHI brings the challenges and disparities affecting Black women and girls to the forefront of national conversation, integrating science, advocacy, and action to eliminate barriers to wellness.
■ We Advocate – Advocate for policies that improve health outcomes for Black women and families.
■ We Educate and Train – Educate and train the next generation of leaders who will build the Black women’s health movement.
■ We Amplify – Amplify the voices of Black women to shift public perception and policies for social change.
■ We Mobilize and Engage – Mobilize and engage women and organizations to pursue greater opportunities for gender and racial justice.
■ We Promote – Promote evidence and practice-based lifestyle change models that provide strategies for individuals and families to address health inequities.
■ We Synthesize, Translate, and Disseminate – Synthesize, translate, and disseminate information and research findings to strengthen the knowledge base on Black women’s health.
We’re proud to be Great Place to Work® Certified
Position Summary
The Black Women’s Health Imperative (BWHI) is hiring for a newly created role: Director, State Policy. This integral role leads the implementation of BWHI’s grant-funded policy initiatives focused on Medicaid and 340B Drug Pricing, with an emphasis on addressing state-level disparities that impact Black women and girls.
As a member of the Policy & Research team, the Director of State Policy is responsible for leading and advancing key medicaid and 340B related policy activities across target states. This role will lead an intersectional state policy strategy that aligns with BWHI’s strategic priorities in issue areas including maternal health, reproductive justice, HIV, chronic disease, cancer, menopause, and emerging issues such as artificial intelligence in health care.
The Director, State Policy serves as BWHI’s subject-matter lead for Medicaid and 340B initiatives, tracking legislation, analyzing trends, translating 340B policy developments into actionable advocacy tools and for state partner coalition building and relationship building with state officials. The role helps translate medicaid and 340B policy and research into actionable, equity-driven recommendations and collaborates closely with internal teams and external partners, including coalitions and advocacy organizations, to ensure BWHI’s policy positions are consistently reflected in legislative, regulatory, and community-based forums. This position serves as a key liaison across BWHI departments, partnering with Programs, Research, and initiatives such as the Rare Disease Diversity Coalition (RDDC) to align policy priorities with programmatic efforts and advocacy activities.
Key Responsibilities
Policy Strategy, Monitoring & Analysis
Serve as BWHI’s strategic subject-matter policy lead on state-level Medicaid and 340B policy, with responsibility for advancing portfolio priorities and positioning across key states.
Lead the ongoing identification, analysis, and synthesis of proposed legislation, regulatory actions, and emerging policy trends affecting Black women’s health, and translate findings into actionable advocacy strategies and recommendations for internal and external stakeholders.
Provide analysis and guidance by translating complex policy developments into clear, equity-centered insights and actionable recommendations that inform advocacy, leadership decision-making, and external positioning.
Advocacy Leadership & External Representation
Act as a senior representative and spokesperson for BWHI in state policy environments, including State Houses, legislative offices, regulatory agencies, and high-level advocacy coalition and community forums.
Build, steward, and leverage strategic relationships with policymakers, agency officials, community leaders, and partner organizations to advance BWHI’s policy priorities and health equity initiatives.
Provide direction for BWHI’s participation in advocacy campaigns and coalitions aligned to 340B priority states, including coordinating messaging and ensuring alignment of research-informed policy positions and materials to ensure consistency, credibility, and impact.
Cross-Functional Leadership & Organizational Alignment
Contribute leadership within the Policy & Research team by facilitating internal briefings, guiding presentation development, and contributing to agency-wide planning and strategic discussions.
Partner with senior leaders and cross-functional teams to translate Medicaid and 340B policy priorities into action, ensuring alignment BWHI’s organizational strategy, programmatic work, and advocacy efforts.
Collaborate closely with Marketing & Communications leadership to shape and approve policy briefs, op-eds, public statements, and other materials that disseminate policy insights and strengthen advocacy efforts.
Strategic Project Management & Grant Oversight
Oversee key deliverables, timelines, reporting, and documentation related to grant activities; reporting to the EVP and in working in close collaboration with Senior Director of Policy to ensure milestones are achieved and risks are proactively managed.
Provide oversight of Medicaid and 340B grant-funded initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities, funder expectations, and long-term policy goals.
Lead the planning and execution of state-based outreach, convenings, and stakeholder engagements related to Medicaid and 340B reform.
Participate in strategic discussions with current and potential funders, in support of addressing experiences and knowledge of state priorities and “voices from the field”, which can lead towards opportunities of deepening engagement, partnerships, and funding
Field Leadership, Learning & Thought Partnership
Continuously assess and communicate emerging state-level policy trends, including translating insights into policy positioning, advocacy materials, and stakeholder communications.
Represent BWHI in national working groups, field-wide coalitions, and multi-state policy conversations related to Medicaid and 340B, positioning the organization as a trusted thought leader.
Participate in and contribute to conferences, webinars, stakeholder convenings, including drafting testimony, contributing to policy briefs, and supporting advocacy communications.
Education & Experience
Required
Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Public Health, Political Science, Government, Racial Justice, Civil Rights, or another related field. (Relevant lived, grassroots, or professional experience may substitute for a degree in some cases.)
8 + years of demonstrated professional experience in health policy, with direct Medicaid-related work at the state or federal level.
Deep understanding of Medicaid structures (financing, eligibility, waivers, managed care) and the 340B Drug Pricing Program, with ability to translate insights into advocacy and programmatic action
Demonstrated experience developing action-oriented policy content such as policy analysis, issue briefs, legislative tracking and summaries, stakeholder briefings or advocacy materials and deliverables.
Proven ability to distill complex policy topics into equity-centered, accessible messaging across diverse formats and audiences.
Excellent communication and facilitation skills, with the ability to deliver motivational presentations and translate complex topics into clear, equity-centered messages.
Skilled in delivering motivational or inspirational presentations—particularly in public health, social justice, or equity-centered settings.
Successful collaboration with policymakers, coalitions, or community-based organizations to advance Medicaid and/or health equity priorities.
Proficient in policy-oriented writing and cloud-based platforms and project management tools, including Salesforce, Asana, Monday.com, Airtable, or Smartsheet.
Preferred
A Master’s degree in Public Health, Public Policy Health Administration orHealth Administration, Social sciences a Masters of Laws (LLM), Juris Doctor or or related disciplines
Experience supporting Medicaid or 340B initiatives within nonprofit, legislative, or public agency settings.
Familiarity with state-level legislative processes and advocacy ecosystems, particularly in: Georgia, Virginia, or California, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania
A deep understanding and analysis of the 340B state-to-federal landscape, including contextual understanding of the contract pharmacy, privacy benefit manager practices, payment models for medicaid parts A-D, etc.
Demonstrated commitment to advancing social and racial justice, with emphasis on equity for Black women and girls
Prior experience working in or managing grant-funded roles, including familiarity with grant reporting and deliverable tracking.
Personal Attributes
Mission-Driven & Equity-Centered Anchored in a deep commitment to health justice and advancing outcomes for Black women and girls; integrates equity and cultural relevance into all aspects of strategy and storytelling.
Inclusive Communicator Skilled at engaging diverse audiences across generations, regions, and sectors; ensures that messaging reflects lived experience and resonates with both community and institutional stakeholders.
Strategic Executor Translates big-picture vision into clear, measurable actions; balances bold creativity with operational excellence to deliver high-impact campaigns and initiatives.
Collaborative & Trustworthy Leader Builds strong, cross-functional relationships rooted in transparency, accountability, and shared purpose; fosters a culture of mutual respect, feedback, and execution.
Team-Oriented & Community-Minded Thrives in collaborative environments where success is shared; contributes with humility, celebrates others, and supports a positive, affirming team dynamic.
Results-Oriented & Resourceful Balances creativity with accountability; finds innovative solutions, maximizes available tools, and thrives even when navigating constraints or competing priorities.
Culturally Fluent & Audience-Aware Brings a deep understanding of language, tone, and context; ensures brand voice is both mission-aligned and responsive to the needs, values, and experiences of Black women and girls.
Composed & Discerning Under Pressure Operates with professionalism, discretion, and clarity in high-stakes or fast-paced environments; anticipates challenges and navigates public-facing issues with confidence and care.
Physical Requirements and Work Environment
Physical Requirements:
● Primarily computer-based work with extended periods of sitting.
● Occasional light lifting (up to 15 lbs.) for materials or event setup.
● Ability to travel domestically up to 30–40% of the time, including overnight trips and occasional weekend travel.
● Must be able to travel regularly from a major metropolitan area; preference for candidates based in the Washington, D.C./DMV area.
Work Environment & Availability:
● Location: Fully remote; must maintain a quiet, professional home office environment
● Standard work hours are 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM EST, Monday through Friday, with availability for core hours between 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM EST.
● Flexibility to work outside standard hours on occasion for urgent matters, travel, events, or time-sensitive activities.
Position Funding and Evolution:
This position is currently supported through grant funding, with the potential for long-term continuation depending on funding availability and organizational priorities. The responsibilities and scope of this role may evolve over time in response to shifting strategic needs.
The estimated base compensation range for this role is $88,000 – $100,000. Actual base pay for a successful candidate will consider skills, experience and location. As a remote-first employer, BWHI offers a competitive total rewards package, including medical, dental, vision and other wellness plans. Alongside, extensive paid time off, observance of 14 national holidays, retirement benefits, life
insurance, monthly remote stipend, and an employee assistance program. Paid leave and comprehensive health insurance offered after completion of a probationary period of 60 days.
BWHI is an Equal Employment Employer, committed to equity in the workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local laws. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind and make hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs.
If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please contact us at hr_admin@bwhi.org.
