Join our Team

Joining the Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC) team offers an exciting opportunity to actively contribute to an organization that represents all segments of the U.S. healthcare system and advocates for affordable, high-quality care for all Americans. HLC seeks staff who are driven, committed to collaboration and able to execute in a fast-paced environment reflecting the innovation, complexity and sophistication of the industry we serve. The office is conveniently located near City Center in downtown Washington, D.C.

Current Job Openings

Head of Policy & Advocacy

Washington, DC | Hybrid

About HLC

The Healthcare Leadership Council (HLC) is an association of CEOs and C-suite executives from all sectors of healthcare working to shape the future of the U.S. healthcare system. HLC serves as the exclusive forum for the nation’s healthcare industry leaders to collaborate on major sector-wide challenges, generate innovative solutions that unleash private-sector ingenuity, and advocate for policies that strengthen our nation’s healthcare delivery system.

For more than 35 years, HLC has united leaders across hospitals, health plans, life sciences, medical technology, and health IT to drive improvements in access, quality, and value. Through its unique cross-sector model and trusted reputation in Washington, D.C., HLC plays a vital role in forging consensus on policies that promote innovation, enhance patient outcomes, and ensure a sustainable, high-performing healthcare system.

Role Summary

The Head of Policy & Advocacy works collaboratively with the CEO to shape and execute HLC’s federal policy strategy, positioning HLC as the premier voice for healthcare industry leadership in Washington, D.C. This executive leads the development of policy positions and related materials, engaging directly with members and policymakers to draft thoughtful, well-supported analyses and recommendations. The role builds and maintains strategic relationships with Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies to inform and advance HLC’s priorities, coordinates internal teams and external partners to ensure cohesive policy engagement, and fosters strong member participation to align agendas with industry needs.

Additionally, this role serves as Executive Director of HLC’s Confidentiality Coalition, a national alliance of healthcare organizations focused on advancing policy solutions related to data privacy, cybersecurity, and interoperability, ensuring its priorities align with and support HLC’s broader policy objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Policy Leadership & Development

• Lead the development and drafting of HLC’s health policy positions, comment letters, reports, and other materials – personally writing and refining content to ensure the organization’s perspective is conveyed with clarity and rigor.
• Engage directly with HLC members, Board leaders, and subject-matter experts to synthesize perspectives and identify policy priorities that reflect HLC’s cross-sector composition.
• Ensure HLC’s policy output – written products, meetings, and briefings – are purposeful, substantive, engaging, and demonstrate value to members.
• Stay current on emerging legislative and regulatory issues; determine where HLC can most effectively contribute thought leadership and develop creative, actionable recommendations.

Strategic Focus & Member Value

• Translate the broad range of healthcare issues relevant to HLC’s membership into a focused set of priorities that deliver tangible member benefit.
• Design and lead policy committee meetings and other member forums that foster meaningful dialogue and actionable outcomes.
• Work closely with members to strengthen engagement, identify expertise to inform HLC’s positions, and ensure that member time and input are used effectively.
• Manage development of reports, analyses, and presentations that are concise, engaging, and reflective of HLC’s standards for quality and credibility.

Policy Engagement & External Relationships

• Build and maintain strategic relationships with Congress, the Administration, and federal agencies to inform and advance HLC’s policy priorities.
• Represent HLC in select meetings, coalitions, and forums, ensuring the organization’s positions are conveyed with credibility and grounded in substance.
• Coordinate sign-on letters, comment submissions, and collaborative policy efforts that align with HLC’s goals and reflect the perspectives of its diverse membership.
• Partner with HLC’s Head of Communications to clearly convey policy priorities to members and, as appropriate, identify opportunities for media engagement that reinforce HLC’s reputation for thought leadership on healthcare policy.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and mentor a small but high-performing team of policy professionals, fostering collaboration, curiosity, and accountability.
• Coordinate internal resources and engage with external consultants to ensure high-quality, integrated policy and analytical support.
• Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership to align policy efforts with HLC’s strategic objectives and member expectations.

Confidentiality Coalition Leadership

• Serve as Executive Director of the Confidentiality Coalition, guiding its policy agenda on privacy, cybersecurity, and interoperability.
• Strengthen Coalition member engagement and ensure its work aligns with and amplifies HLC’s broader priorities.
• Identify opportunities for the Coalition to lead on emerging health information policy issues and to develop practical, cross-sector policy solutions.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in health policy, government relations, or related leadership roles within a trade association, corporation, or policy organization.
• Strong analytical, writing, and synthesis skills; capable of distilling complex topics into concise, compelling insights.
• Demonstrated ability to draft and edit policy documents, including comment letters, issue briefs, and regulatory analyses.
• Deep understanding of federal healthcare policy processes, including legislative, regulatory, and administrative mechanisms.
• Experience convening stakeholders and building consensus across diverse sectors of healthcare.
• Proven leadership ability with a track record of managing high-performing teams and delivering results through collaboration.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in public policy, public health, law, or a related field preferred.

Culture & Fit

HLC operates in a fast-paced, high-trust environment that values curiosity, collaboration, and
substance. The successful candidate will be:

• Policy-minded and creative: enjoys writing, analysis, and connecting ideas across sectors.
• Strategic and focused: able to discern which issues merit attention and pursue them with depth and discipline.
• Confident and curious: comfortable engaging senior leaders with authority while embracing opportunities to continuously expand one’s own knowledge through research, collaboration, and stakeholder engagement.
• Member-focused: motivated by delivering insight and value to HLC’s member executives.
• Collegial and composed: thrives in a small, collaborative team environment that prizes professionalism and thoughtful execution.
• Mission-driven: motivated by advancing a healthcare system that delivers better outcomes, greater value, and improved experiences for patients nationwide.

Shadow Search Contacts
● Will Caggiano: will@shadowsearch.co
● Patrick Eagan: patrick@shadowsearch.co