Vice President, Product & Commercial Policy

Position Summary: Sets strategic direction and develops policy priorities and industry positioning on various issues related to commercial health insurance coverage (including mental health parity, prescription drug reporting) and other lines of business offered by AHIP member organizations, including dental insurance and Medigap or Medicare Supplement plans. This role will be responsible for developing both federal legislative and regulatory policy positions and state-level policy. To facilitate policy development, the VP will be responsible for producing legislative and regulatory analysis, organizing committees and workgroups of AHIP members, and supervising both internal and external research projects, including outside vendors when necessary.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Directs AHIP's policy development and advocacy with respect to AHIP members' Medigap and dental coverage, as well as leading policy development on cross-functional issues including Mental Health Parity and prescription drug data reporting.
2. Establishes the identification, development, and prioritization of policy positions concerning members' supplemental coverages.
3. Develops and implements a strategic plan for positioning AHIP as a strong advocate for Medigap coverage and to better inform federal and state lawmakers of the role Medigap coverage.
4. Manages a (senior) policy advisor, overseeing their responsibilities related to AHIP’s Dental Committee and related work groups,.
5. Represents AHIP at external events, and presents on federal and state policy issues at public or industry forums, and in the press, as assigned.
6. Serves as a primary point of contact for AHIP’s commercial policy team on state-level issues, including representing AHIP at meetings of the NAIC and NCOIL, working closing with AHIP’s senior vice president for state affairs and policy.
7. Facilitates contracts for external consultants to engage on commercial and supplemental policy issues, manages ongoing relationships with those consultants, and directs consulting projects through completion.
8. Oversees and coordinates written communications, reports, testimony, position statements, and talking points concerning members' financial health and wellness coverages.
9. Contributes to efforts and activities that contribute to the overall functioning of the AHIP organization.
10. Performs other tasks as required or assigned.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. For example, while performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to see, talk and hear. In addition, the employee frequently is required to stand, walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms, communicate verbally, use computer and other technology (including keyboarding).

Mental Demands

The mental demands described here represent those that an employee must meet to perform the essential functions of this job successfully. Employee must have a high capacity for logical thinking, be able to cope effectively with stressful demands involving high levels of responsibility and urgent deadlines, remain calm in conflict situations, focus on mission-critical matter but also have the ability to switch quickly from one project or demand to another (and back again).

Supervisory Responsibilities: Supervises a policy advisor or senior policy advisor. Additional supervisory responsibilities may be added, as needed.

Minimum Education and Experience Required

1. Bachelor's Degree and/or equivalent experience.
2. Advanced degree preferred but not required.
3. Minimum of 7-9 years of experience working on legislative or regulatory policy impacting commercial health insurance products, including conducting in-depth research or analysis of legislative and regulatory proposals relating to health care insurance and managed care, or equivalent experience working directly for commercial health insurance carriers on excepted benefit coverage lines.
4. Existing relationships with federal or state policymakers and demonstrated experience developing federal and state health care policy (such as for a Member of Congress, Congressional committee, Federal executive department, State Insurance Commissioner, NAIC, or equivalent).

Other Qualifications

• Advanced understanding of health insurance and health reform issues, legislative and regulatory processes, health plan operations and laws and regulations relating to health insurance and managed care.
• Experience working on behalf of a membership organization or otherwise demonstrated ability to manage relationships and address conflicts among members presenting different viewpoints.
• Working knowledge of behavioral health care and/or pharmaceutical policy.
• Ability to constructively and quickly analyze high profile policy issues.
• Wilingness to approach complex health care policy with compassion for the patients affected and an understanding of the far-reaching impacts of national policy.
• Possesses strong interpersonal skills.
• Proven strong organizational skills and the ability to finalize products in a timely and accurate fashion.
• Demonstrated experience managing direct reports, including remote staff.
• Ability to work favorably as part of a team, understand and follow direction.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to build collaborative relationships.
• Ability to develop consensus and influence others.
• Ability to identify and seek information.
• Analytical and conceptual thinking skills.