Managing Principal

Aurrera Health Group (Aurrera Health) is a mission-driven, national health policy and strategic communications firm dedicated to advancing access to affordable, comprehensive, high-quality health care for all. We partner with states, counties, communities, foundations, non-profits, and federal agencies to design and implement health policy and social services programs. Our team brings decades of experience in Medicaid, behavioral health, and social services at the federal, state, and local levels. Headquartered in Sacramento, California, with team members across the country, Aurrera Health is a small, woman-owned and women-led business.

About the Role

As a Managing Principal, you will lead complex Medicaid and health policy work, providing senior strategic direction across major engagements in policy, implementation, technical assistance, and strategic communications. You will serve as a trusted advisor to sophisticated clients, translating evolving federal and state policy into practical strategies. The role includes substantial work in Medicaid eligibility and enrollment, federal policy implementation, state Medicaid initiatives, and strategic communications. Your portfolio will evolve based on client and organizational needs.

Responsibilities

• Lead major client relationships and complex portfolios, working directly with senior government officials, clients, funders, partners, and project leaders.
• Anticipate risks and opportunities, making sound decisions in ambiguous or high-stakes situations.
• Ensure high-quality client deliverables and strategically valuable work, overseeing portfolio scope, staffing, budgets, quality, and priorities.
• Create clear roles and accountability to empower senior team members to lead effectively.
• Protect and deepen existing client relationships, identifying renewals, follow-on work, and expansion opportunities.
• Develop and pursue new business based on emerging policy needs, shaping proposals, partnerships, and positioning strategies.
• Build relationships with complementary organizations and senior stakeholders to expand Aurrera Health’s expertise and market presence.
• Evaluate opportunities thoughtfully based on mission alignment, expertise, client need, capacity, financial sustainability, and risk.
• Lead strategic communications efforts, helping clients translate complex policy and implementation work into effective outreach strategies, including audience analysis, messaging, stakeholder engagement, and rollout planning.
• Manage and coach Directors and other senior staff, providing candid feedback, fostering psychological safety, and developing the next generation of leaders.
• Participate in broader organizational decisions about clients, staffing, growth, risk, and priorities, contributing to Aurrera Health’s goals across teams and functions.

Requirements

• At least 15 years of progressively responsible health policy experience.
• Extensive and recent experience in one or more of the following:
  • Federal CMS or work directly supporting CMS or federal Medicaid and Medicare programs;
  • State Medicaid agency leadership or substantial work directly supporting state Medicaid agencies; or
  • Senior-level Medicaid consulting.
• Deep and current expertise in Medicaid policy, program operations, and implementation.
• Experience advising senior clients and leading major policy initiatives, consulting engagements, or executive-level projects.
• Proven ability to manage multiple significant clients, projects, contracts, or workstreams.
• A track record of building and maintaining senior client relationships.
• Meaningful business-development experience, including expanding client relationships, developing new work, supporting successful proposals, and/or contributing to revenue growth.
• Experience managing and developing senior staff through delegation, coaching, feedback, and accountability.
• Strong independent judgment and the ability to make consequential decisions in ambiguous situations.
• Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Experience developing and leading strategic communications tied to complex federal or state health policy or implementation efforts.
• A collaborative and inclusive leadership approach that supports psychological safety, healthy disagreement, accountability, and professional growth.
• Flexibility to adapt responsibilities and priorities as client and organizational needs evolve.
• Established relationships across CMS, state Medicaid agencies, foundations, health plans, consulting firms, or other relevant organizations.

Preferred Qualifications

We welcome additional expertise that complements our Medicaid work and may help broaden Aurrera Health’s capabilities, such as:

• Federal Medicaid eligibility and enrollment;
• CHIP;
• Rural health;
• Health information technology;
• CMS Innovation Center models;
• Value-based care;
• Alternative payment and delivery system reform;
• Medicaid managed care; or
• Medicaid waivers and major program implementation.

Candidates are not expected to have experience in all these areas; additional expertise is additive and does not replace the core requirements.

Location

Aurrera Health Group is a fully remote organization, and candidates from all areas of the country are encouraged to apply. This position may require occasional travel for client meetings, conferences, organizational retreats, or other business needs. Managing Principals may need to accommodate client time zones for meetings within reason.

Pay

The starting pay range for this position is $155,000–$185,000 per year, with an opportunity for an end-of-year bonus.

Benefits

• Generous leave program, including company holidays, vacation, sick, parental, and volunteer leave.
• Employer-matching 401(k) retirement plan.
• Health, vision, and dental insurance with generous employer premium contributions.
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) plans.
• Short- and long-term disability insurance.
• Home office and cell phone stipends.
• Charitable donation matching and other benefits.