Senior Manager - State Government Relations and Public Affairs

About the role

Covista, a healthcare education provider, is hiring a Senior Manager for its State Government Relations and Public Affairs role within the Corporate Affairs team. The position reports to the Director, State Government Relations & Public Affairs and acts as Covista's embedded government relations presence across a region. It is a field role based in the Midwestern US (MN, IA, IL, IN, MI, OH or MO), present in state capitals when needed, and combines government relations with public affairs.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor legislative sessions, regulatory proceedings and executive agency actions, and build proactive relationships with state legislators, legislative staff, governors' offices and state agencies
• Pursue opportunities to engage in state policy conversations such as testimony, coalition participation and stakeholder outreach
• Translate state policy developments into timely intelligence for leadership and coordinate with Legal and Regulatory Affairs on licensing, authorization and compliance
• Manage contract lobbyists across the region, set direction, track activity against priorities and hold them accountable to outcomes
• Serve as the day-to-day GR partner for Chamberlain campus leaders and support state-level matters for Walden University and other Covista institutions in the region
• Advise institutional leaders on policy issues such as clinical placement access, financial aid eligibility, state authorization and distance education regulation
• Act as a regional intelligence source for state political giving, track lobbying registrations and contribution disclosures, and stay current on campaign finance laws and ethics requirements
• Integrate state advocacy with public affairs, including earned media, stakeholder communications, use of the Covista Foundation's programming and deployment of thought leadership materials
• Represent Covista at state-level legislative events, political functions and industry convenings

Required profile

• Bachelor's degree (the text is cut off after "Bachelor's De...")
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with state legislators, agencies and healthcare system partners
• Experience managing lobbyists and understanding lobbying and campaign finance compliance