Government Affairs Senior Director

This position has responsibility for managing the Government Affairs Directors in the northeast region of the United States.   This position works closely with the VP of State Government Affairs to implement the overall government relations strategy and coordinate with her or his counterpart for advocacy and messaging consistency.  The role includes providing guidance to the State Government Affairs Directors on both political and legislative strategies that align to the goals of the business and the local markets.  The position will be responsible for providing a conduit to the business leads and operational practices to inform the advocacy strategy.  Responsible for developing and retaining key team members and leading them to successful results.

The Senior Director State Government Affairs position requires a combination of both state government affairs experience and project management, with an emphasis on setting and delivering on goals within a compressed timeline.  The position requires both strategic outlook and industry-specific technical expertise with a mandate for delivering expected outcomes in a contentious environment.  This is both an external and internal role requiring deep expertise on both pharmacy and and health services policy issues.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Synthesize business needs against political backdrop to develop viable solutions.  Prioritize issues appropriately against adopted ELT-approved company priorities.  Facilitate the development of appropriate objectives, strategies, and necessary tactics to meet goals.  Drive and facilitate stakeholders to achieve a common objective.
• Includes the full range of government affairs tactics, including messaging, coalition building, grassroots activation, and direct advocacy.  Must be able to leverage relationships with existing allies and associations, create new alliances, manage competitor activities, and align with brokers, customers and member needs.
• Ensure State Government Affairs Directors adhere to tight timelines and follow project through completion.  Analyze project results and create recommendations for process improvement.
• Support and manage team, creating a positive attitude and environment that enables team to succeed.
• Coordinate closely with VP of Government Affairs and Senior Director Government Affairs peers to achieve advocacy and messaging consistency.  Identify and report on key trends that could either be detrimental to the business or create opportunities for competitive distinction.
• Serve as a point of escalation for high priority engagement, including direct lobbying as needed.
• Proactively seek out and identify opportunities for competitive advantage.
• Coordinate closely with legal, compliance, and communications team to ensure alignment toward the business objectives and any external activities that could impact the Cigna brand.
• Leverage opportunities to extend advocacy reach through client engagement, coalition building and deploying broader strategies and tactics in close coordination with both the federal and the public affairs teams.

Minimum Qualifications:

• 4 year college degree
• At least five years of experience in legislative analysis, lobbying, and/or direct regulatory interaction or equivalent experience.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and negotiation skills, including the ability to effectively interact with and influence a variety of Cigna management, field associates, retained counsel, state legislators, staff of trade associations.
• Demonstrated ability to manage outside counsel and a team of professionals.
• Knowledge of client products, ability to analyze legislative proposals, recognize potential impact of legislation and communicate with managers of affected areas.
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Proven ability to manage in a matrix environment without direct control.
• Ability to both work independently and within a group environment.  Must be able to lead a team toward common goals.
• Ability to exercise judgment, and manage multiple competing priorities.
  Creativity and flexibility and demonstrated excellent organizational skills.
• Ability to deal with clients at all levels and have effective working relationships with Regulatory and State Government Affairs staff.

If you will be working at home occasionally or permanently, the internet connection must be obtained through a cable broadband or fiber optic internet service provider with speeds of at least 10Mbps download/5Mbps upload.

For this position, we anticipate offering an annual salary of 161,000 - 268,400 USD / yearly, depending on relevant factors, including experience and geographic location.

This role is also anticipated to be eligible to participate in an annual bonus and long term incentive plan.

We want you to be healthy, balanced, and feel secure. That’s why you’ll enjoy a comprehensive range of benefits, with a focus on supporting your whole health. Starting on day one of your employment, you’ll be offered several health-related benefits including medical, vision, dental, and well-being and behavioral health programs. We also offer 401(k) with company match, company paid life insurance, tuition reimbursement, a minimum of 18 days of paid time off per year and paid holidays. For more details on our employee benefits programs, visit Life at Cigna Group.

About Cigna Healthcare

Cigna Healthcare, a division of The Cigna Group, is an advocate for better health through every stage of life. We guide our customers through the health care system, empowering them with the information and insight they need to make the best choices for improving their health and vitality. Join us in driving growth and improving lives.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, age, disability, sex, childbirth (including pregnancy) or related medical conditions including but not limited to lactation, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran or military status, religion, national origin, ancestry, marital or familial status, genetic information, status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status or any other characteristic protected by applicable equal employment opportunity laws.

If you require reasonable accommodation in completing the online application process, please email: SeeYourself@cigna.com for support. Do not email SeeYourself@cigna.com for an update on your application or to provide your resume as you will not receive a response.

The Cigna Group has a tobacco-free policy and reserves the right not to hire tobacco/nicotine users in states where that is legally permissible. Candidates in such states who use tobacco/nicotine will not be considered for employment unless they enter a qualifying smoking cessation program prior to the start of their employment. These states include: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington State.