DAP Health – Director of Public Policy & Community Relations – Palm Springs, CA

Overview

Salary Range

$129,787.00 – $152,500.00 Salary

Position Type

Full Time

Category

Health Care

Description

At DAP Health, we are committed to transforming lives and advancing health equity for all. As a leading nonprofit health care provider, we deliver compassionate, high-quality care to the diverse communities of the Coachella Valley and San Diego County. Our comprehensive services range from primary care to mental health, wellness programs, and beyond, with a focus on those who are most vulnerable. Joining our team means becoming part of a passionate, innovative organization dedicated to making a meaningful impact in the lives of those we serve. If you’re looking for a dynamic and purpose-driven environment, we invite you to explore the opportunity to contribute to our mission.

Job Summary
The Director of Public Policy & Community Relations serves as a senior strategic leaderadvancing the mission and long-term sustainability of the health center through policyengagement, advocacy, and community partnerships. This role represents the organization with
elected officials, government agencies, and community stakeholders, ensuring the healthcenter’s priorities and the voices of the communities it serves are reflected in public policy anddiscourse. This is position partners with leaders to assess key policy developments and
community impact information, synthesizing complex information into clear, actionable insightsto support executive decision making, and effective communication with leadership, assisting inorganizational wide communication.

Supervisory Responsibilities: None
Essential Duties/Responsibilities:
Government Relations (Local, State, and Federal)

• Serve as a primary liaison between the health center and local, state, and federalelected officials and some regulatory agencies.
• Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory developments impacting FQHCs,Medicaid, public health policy, and healthcare access.
• Identifies the specific priorities of DAP Health, developing and executing strategicadvocacy plans to advance policy priorities.
• Organize and lead legislative site visits, briefings, and participation in health centeradvocacy days.
• Proactively draft policy briefs, testimony, talking points, and position statements forleadership and board members, ensuring executive leadership is prepared for meetingsand community events
• Collaborate with national and state associations (e.g., NACHC, CPCA) on policy issuesand campaigns

Community Relations & Engagement

• Lead a strategic community engagement framework that aligns grassroot insights withorganizational policy priorities, ensuring community voices meaningfully inform advocacypositions and public policy strategy
• Cultivates and manage high-level relationships with community-based organizations,advocacy coalitions, civic leaders, and faith-based networks to advance coordinatedpolicy goals and systems-level change
• Ensure community engagement efforts are intentional, inclusive and policy relevant,moving beyond transactional outreach to sustained relationship-building and sharedimpact
• Identify and leverage strategic partnerships to influence policy outcomes, strengthencollective advocacy efforts, and address social and structural drivers in health
• Direct public-facing engagement initiatives including town halls, community forums, andlistening sessions, that inform policy development, support narrative change, and buildpublic will around healthcare access and equity

Strategic Communication & Stakeholder Engagement

• Align policy, advocacy, and community engagement messaging, ensuring a cohesivenarrative that advances organizational priorities and reinforces credibility with externaland internal stakeholders
• Shape and develop high-impact policy and advocacy related content for newsletters,website updates, and social media posts related to policy work and community impact
• Collaborate with internal leaders to identify priority risks and opportunities, streamline theinformation for executive leadership and the board
• Provide regular executive-level and mid-level staff briefings on key and complex policychanges and advocacy opportunities

Reporting & Compliance

• Maintain detailed records of meetings, contacts, and outcomes related to advocacy andstakeholder engagement
• Prepare reports and dashboards to track outreach, policy engagement outcomes, andstakeholder feedback.
• Ensure compliance with 501(c)(3) lobbying regulations and grant-funded advocacyefforts.
• Provides the Chief Transformation Officer & Chief Strategy Officer with forward-lookinganalysis of policy and regulatory developments, translating implications into strategicoptions, risk assessments, and clear recommendations to support governance andfiduciary oversight
• Synthesizes complex policy, regulatory, and community-impact information into concise,decision-ready briefings for the Board of Directors, highlighting risks, opportunities, andrecommended actions

Qualifications

Required Skills/Abilities

• Ability to commit to health equity, community-centered advocacy, and the mission andvalues of FQHCs, with a demonstrated understanding of culturally responsiveengagement and systems-level change
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Strong organizational, analytical, and interpersonal skills

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public health, political science, communications, or a related field (master’s or equivalent advanced training preferred)
• Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in governmentrelations, public affairs, advocacy, or policy leadership within a non-profit, health care,public sector setting, or mission-driven organization
• Demonstrated expertise in healthcare policy and public systems, particularly issuesaffecting underserved, marginalized and historically excluded communities, includingMedicaid, public health funding, and access-to-care policy
• Proven ability to build, manage, and sustain relationships with elected officials,regulatory agencies, coalition partners and community leaders to advance organizationalpolicy priorities
• Experience working in or with Federally Qualified Health Centers or community health isstrongly preferred
• Demonstrate capacity to lead through influence, collaborating effectively acrossdepartments and with external stakeholders in fast-paced, politically dynamicenvironments

Working Conditions/Physical Requirements

• This position is on-site at a DAP Health location with the possibility of hybrid
• This job operates in an office setting and requires frequent times of sitting, standing,repetitive motion and talking
• May require occasional evening or weekend hours for community engagement oradvocacy events
• Requires current and valid driver’s license and current personal auto insurance
• Able to travel to DAP Health locations, community events, including statewide andnational travel when needed
• Ability to lift up to 24 pounds