The Director, Federal Policy & Municipal Affairs leads analysis, planning, and coordination related to federal policy and municipal affairs matters affecting Dana-Farber’s research, patient care, reimbursement, public health, innovation, and operations. The role evaluates legislative, regulatory, administrative, and budget developments; determines organizational impact; and develops recommendations for institutional leaders. The Director coordinates cross-functional development of institutional positions and responses to federal policy proposals and selected municipal matters, with particular focus on the City of Boston. The role also works with internal and external stakeholders to prepare policy materials, manage issue tracking, and align advocacy and public policy activity across jurisdictions.
Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS, and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities:
- Lead federal policy analysis and institutional response development.
Monitor and evaluate federal legislative, regulatory, administrative, and budget actions affecting research, clinical care, reimbursement, innovation, and enterprise operations. Determine institutional implications and develop recommendations, response options, and policy positions for senior leadership. - Direct municipal affairs analysis and coordination for City of Boston matters.
Analyze municipal legislative, regulatory, budgetary, and administrative developments affecting institutional operations, growth, and external engagement in Boston. Develop issue analyses, prepare briefings, and coordinate follow-up with relevant city offices, departments, and stakeholders. - Coordinate cross-functional policy review and position setting.
Convene and align subject matter experts and leaders across Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs, Community Health, Legal, Compliance, Finance, Clinical, and operational areas to evaluate policy developments and define institutional responses. Integrate legal, regulatory, operational, financial, and reputational considerations into recommendations. - Develop written policy and advocacy materials.
Draft comment letters, testimony, policy memoranda, briefing documents, talking points, correspondence, presentations, and meeting materials for internal and external use. Prepare strategic briefings for senior leaders engaging with federal officials, municipal officials, regulators, coalition partners, and community stakeholders. - Manage external policy engagement and selected advisor relationships.
Coordinate policy-related interactions with congressional offices, federal agencies, national associations, coalitions, consultants, and other external partners within established institutional priorities and leadership direction. Oversee deliverables from external consultants or advisors engaged for policy analysis, advocacy strategy, or stakeholder engagement. - Maintain policy tracking processes and identify emerging issues.
Establish and manage processes for tracking policy developments, deadlines, institutional positions, deliverables, and follow-up actions across federal, state, and local matters. Identify trends, risks, and advocacy opportunities and elevate issues requiring institutional attention or cross-jurisdictional alignment.
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
- Knowledge of the federal legislative, regulatory, and administrative policy process, including the role of agencies such as NIH, CMS, FDA, and HHS.
- Ability to analyze complex policy issues and translate them into organizational implications, strategic options, and actionable recommendations.
- Ability to develop institutional policy positions and coordinate responses across multiple operational and functional areas.
- Skill in drafting policy analyses, comment letters, testimony, executive briefings, talking points, and formal correspondence.
- Ability to advise senior leaders on policy developments, risks, and decision options.
- Knowledge of municipal and local government processes relevant to healthcare and nonprofit institutions.
- Ability to build alignment and manage work across a matrixed environment without direct supervisory authority.
- Skill in organizing and tracking multiple policy issues, deadlines, deliverables, and follow-up actions across jurisdictions.
- Ability to communicate effectively with executive leaders, clinicians, researchers, regulators, policymakers, consultants, and community stakeholders.
Minimum Job Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Public policy, public health, political science, government, law, healthcare administration, or a related field 5 years of work experience required. Master’s degree preferred.
- Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in federal policy, government relations, public policy, healthcare policy, legislative affairs, regulatory policy, or public affairs. Required experience must include:
- Analyzing legislative, regulatory, and administrative developments and determining organizational impact;
- Developing policy recommendations, institutional positions, and written policy materials for senior leaders;
- Coordinating work across multiple functional areas in a complex organization; and
- Engaging with federal policymakers, federal agencies, and/or national policy associations.
License/Certification/Registration Required: N/A
Supervisory Responsibilities: N/A
Patient Contact: No
At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are committed to having faculty and staff who offer multifaceted experiences. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and compassionate professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.
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Pay Transparency Statement
The hiring range is based on market pay structures, with individual salaries determined by factors such as business needs, market conditions, internal equity, and based on the candidate’s relevant experience, skills and qualifications.
For union positions, the pay range is determined by the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
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