SUMMARY:

The Government Affairs Specialist plays a key role in advancing Gracelight Community Health’s mission by building strategic relationships with government agencies, elected officials, and community stakeholders. This position serves as a liaison between the organization and public sector partners, ensuring that Gracelight’s priorities are understood, supported, and reflected in public policy. The Specialist monitors relevant legislation, advocates for policies that expand access to care, and helps position Gracelight as a trusted voice on issues impacting community health. This role also supports the planning of advocacy-related events, site visits, and communications, working closely with internal teams to align government affairs efforts with organizational goals.

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Supports and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and values.
2. Determines priorities and method of completing daily workload to ensure that all responsibilities are conducted in a timely manner.
3. Performs all job functions in a professional and courteous manner. This includes answering all general phone calls timely and providing excellent customer service to internal and external customers.
4. Fosters and promotes a culture of service excellence and accountability.
5. Builds and maintains productive relationships with elected officials, government agencies, and community leaders to elevate Gracelight’s visibility and influence in public policy discussions.
6. Reviews and evaluates local, state, and federal legislation pertinent to community health centers. Drafts position letters, tracks regulatory updates, and attends hearings or webinars as needed.
7. Develops and implements strategies to engage Gracelight leadership, board members, staff, and patients in advocacy initiatives. Conducts training and educational sessions on policy and advocacy topics.
8. Collaborates with staff to create advocacy alerts, digital campaigns, and messaging across platforms. Drafts content for internal updates and external correspondence related to government affairs.
9. Plans and executes advocacy-related events, including annual legislative visits, National Health Center Week, Capitol visits, and facility tours for elected officials and other stakeholders.
10. Provides administrative and strategic support for government affairs initiatives. Conducts background research on key issues and contributes to the development of outreach and engagement strategies.
11. Represents Gracelight at meetings, coalitions, and public forums to advance community-based priorities and stay informed on emerging policy issues.
12. Maintains updated lists of legislative contacts, stakeholders, and advocacy activities. Supports calendar and logistics management for events, meetings, and key deadlines.
13. Provide support on legislation analysis, research, and drafting position letters.
14. Conducts outreach, training, and educational presentations on policy and advocacy issues for Gracelight staff and board members.
15. Performs all other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS & ABILITIES:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

1. Bachelor’s degree in public policy, communications, political science, or related field; master’s degree a plus
2. 3–4 years of experience in government relations, advocacy, or policy work
3. Strong writing, editing, and verbal communication skills
4. Working knowledge of legislative and political processes
5. Experience analyzing legislation, drafting position letters, and preparing advocacy materials
6. Confident in public speaking and leading presentations or trainings
7. Skilled at building relationships with elected officials, community partners, and internal teams
8. Familiar with social media, digital advocacy tools, and online research
9. Proficient in Microsoft Office, Adobe Acrobat, and collaboration tools like Teams and SharePoint
10. Highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple projects
11. Professional, proactive, and able to handle sensitive issues with tact and clarity

12. Flexibility to work both remotely and onsite as needed, including the ability to attend impromptu meetings or handle urgent issues after hours and/or in person at any/all Gracelight’s locations.

PHYSICAL, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical, environmental, and mental requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Physical: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and move throughout the health center for extended periods. Frequent use of hands for typing, writing, handling office materials, and operating standard office and clinical equipment is required. The employee must be able to bend, reach, stoop, kneel, and crouch as needed to stock supplies, organize workspaces, and retrieve materials. The employee may be required to lift and carry objects up to 30 lbs, such as supply boxes, office materials, and small equipment. Occasional pushing and pulling of carts or storage containers up to 40 lbs may be necessary. Moderate manual dexterity is required for handling paperwork, computer tasks, and operating office devices.
• Sensory: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to read and analyze printed and electronic documents, including reports, schedules, and supply lists. The employee must be able to distinguish normal speech with background noise in a busy health center environment, including conversations between staff and patients, overhead announcements, and equipment sounds. The employee must have sufficient visual acuity to work on a computer for extended periods, review detailed documents, and monitor clinical and administrative activities. The role requires the ability to comprehend and respond to verbal and non-verbal cues from staff, patients, and leadership in both structured and fast-paced situations.
• Cognitive: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sustain focus on multiple tasks in a fast-paced environment with frequent interruptions. The employee must analyze and process operational information, assess priorities in real time, and make informed decisions to support staff and patient care. The employee must retain and recall details across various administrative and clinical functions, manage competing priorities, and quickly adapt to shifting demands. Strong problem-solving, critical thinking, and organizational skills are required to coordinate workflows, resolve staff or patient issues, and ensure smooth daily operations. The employee must communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with staff, patients, and leadership. The role requires the ability to interpret policies, follow established procedures, and provide clear direction to team members. Emotional intelligence is essential for managing interpersonal interactions, addressing conflicts, and maintaining a collaborative work environment.
• Environmental: Frequent exposure to varied office and mixed (health center/office) environments. Occasional exposure to toxins and poisonous substances, dust, and loud noises.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Must be able to meet and receive a criminal records clearance, as required by Title XXII, other licensing regulations, and Gracelight practices.
• This position requires the ability to travel between sites for business purposes. Employees must be able to reliably fulfill this travel requirement as needed.
• A personal cell phone with reliable service and a data plan to use for business purposes.