Senior Policy Manager

Organization: The Ohio Children's Alliance

Position Type: Full-Time, Hybrid--Staff residing within the state of Ohio will be expected to attend meetings and events as required by their position or requested by their supervisor. These meetings may be held anywhere in Ohio, typically in Columbus.

Compensation: $75,000-$85,000, negotiable commensurate with experience. Generous paid time off, health/dental/vision/life insurance coverage, 401(k) retirement benefit, professional development opportunities, public service student loan forgiveness options.

% of Travel: 25%

Location: Columbus, Ohio

About Us:

Through its mission, the Ohio Children's Alliance fosters a brighter future for Ohio's children and families through advocacy, innovation, and collaboration with health and human services organizations.

Collaborate and advocate with great people! We are a team of talented and diverse people, who are passionate about building innovative solutions to challenges facing kids and families. With community agencies as our partners, we are empowering families to raise Ohio's next generation of leaders. Join us!

Role Overview:

The Senior Policy Manager serves as the Alliance's primary policy expert and trusted resource on issues impacting Ohio's children, families, and community-based providers. This position is responsible for understanding complex policy, regulatory, and systems-level issues affecting child welfare, behavioral health, Medicaid, and related child-serving systems.

Working closely with the Chief Advocacy Officer, the Senior Policy Manager provides the policy analysis, technical assistance, committee management, and drafting support needed to inform the Alliance's advocacy priorities and member engagement efforts. This person is expected to understand the details deeply enough to help prepare testimony, rule comments, policy summaries, member communications, and other materials that reflect the needs and priorities of Alliance members.

This role also supervises a Policy Analyst who supports research and analysis. The ideal candidate enjoys digging into complex issues, understands the realities facing community-based providers, and is comfortable representing the Alliance in workgroups, stakeholder meetings, and other collaborative settings. This is not primarily a lobbying role. It is a policy-focused role for someone who is highly analytical, detail-oriented, relationship-oriented, and able to operate independently in complex systems.

Key Responsibilities:

Policy Analysis & Subject Matter Expertise

• Monitor and analyze legislative, regulatory, and systems-level developments impacting child welfare, children's behavioral health, Medicaid, and related policy areas.
• Serve as a trusted resource on complex policy issues affecting Ohio's child-serving systems and community-based providers.
• Translate technical policy, regulatory, and operational information into practical guidance for members and organizational leadership.
• Identify emerging issues, trends, and opportunities affecting member organizations.
• Maintain a strong working knowledge of state agency priorities, policy changes, budget and legislative developments, and system-level initiatives that impact members.

Policy Materials, Testimony & Rule Comments

• Draft and support development of testimony, rule comments, policy summaries, issue analyses, talking points, member communications, and educational resources.
• Use research, member feedback, and policy expertise to help shape materials that are accurate, clear, and grounded in the realities facing providers and families.
• Provide direction and guidance to the Policy Analyst in support of research, analysis, and policy development.
• Ensure policy materials clearly explain both the technical issue and the practical implications for members.

Member Support & Committee Management

• Provide technical assistance and policy guidance to member organizations.
• Manage assigned Alliance committees, workgroups, and member forums with a high degree of independence.
• Develop agendas, facilitate discussions, coordinate follow-up activities, and support committee priorities.
• Build and maintain a strong understanding of member needs, challenges, and priorities.
• Elevate recurring member concerns and emerging issues to the Chief Advocacy Officer and leadership team.

Stakeholder Engagement & Representation

• Participate in state agency workgroups, stakeholder meetings, coalitions, and collaborative initiatives on behalf of the Alliance.
• Represent member perspectives in external discussions in a way that is thoughtful, credible, and grounded in policy expertise.
• Ask informed questions, identify issues that may affect members, and bring back relevant information to support internal strategy and member communication.
• Build productive relationships with state agencies, providers, advocacy partners, and other stakeholders.

Advocacy Support & Special Projects

• Provide policy expertise and analysis to support the Alliance's advocacy agenda and priorities as led by the Chief Advocacy Officer.
• Assist with legislative and regulatory tracking, special projects, and other policy-related work as assigned.
• Support the Alliance's reputation as a knowledgeable, constructive, and trusted partner across Ohio's child-serving systems.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in public policy, public administration, social work, political science, health policy, behavioral health, child welfare, law, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in public policy, government, advocacy, health and human services, child welfare, behavioral health, Medicaid, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of Ohio's child-serving systems, including child welfare, behavioral health, Medicaid, foster care, residential treatment, or community-based services.
• Experience working with or within community-based provider organizations, state agencies, county systems, associations, or advocacy organizations strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience interpreting complex legislation, rules, regulations, guidance, or policy issues and translating them into practical implications for organizations or stakeholders.
• Strong writing, research, communication, and presentation skills, including the ability to draft testimony, public comments, policy summaries, or related materials.
• Experience managing committees, workgroups, coalitions, or stakeholder meetings.
• Ability to provide technical assistance, respond to member questions, and develop practical resources.
• Experience supervising or providing guidance to staff preferred.
• Strong judgment, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
• Comfort representing an organization in external meetings and collaborative settings.
• Relationship-oriented approach and ability to work with diverse stakeholders, including providers, policymakers, state agencies, and advocacy partners.
• A commitment to advancing equity.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work: Be part of making a real difference in the lives of children and families across Ohio.
• Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous learning and career advancement.
• Supportive Team: Work with a passionate and dedicated team committed to excellence.
• Flexible Environment: Enjoy a dynamic work environment with flexibility.
• Diversity: The Ohio Children's Alliance is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We welcome and value the contributions of people from different backgrounds, cultures, identities, and experiences, and we strive to create a work environment where everyone can belong, thrive, and grow.

Join us in our mission to create a brighter future for Ohio's children and families. Apply today and be a part of something truly special!