Vice President, State Government Relations

About the Role

The Vice President, State Government Relations is the senior-most enterprise leader responsible for Kaiser Permanente's state government relations strategy and operations across all current and future markets. As a member of the Public Affairs leadership team and reporting to the Senior Vice President, Government Relations, this role leads Kaiser Permanente's state legislative, political, coalition, and stakeholder engagement strategies. The Vice President serves as the principal enterprise leader for state legislative engagement, building and maintaining relationships, coalitions, and influence to shape favorable operating environments.

This leader oversees state legislative intelligence, political analysis, stakeholder engagement strategy, and state government affairs operations, ensuring Kaiser Permanente maintains a comprehensive understanding of legislative, political, and regulatory developments. The role also serves as a strategic advisor to senior leadership, translating complex external dynamics into actionable strategies and recommendations.

The Vice President partners closely with market Public Affairs leaders, Community Affairs, Communications, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, and Permanente Medical Group leaders to develop coordinated strategies that advance legislative priorities and strengthen Kaiser Permanente's reputation.

Responsibilities

• Lead Kaiser Permanente’s enterprise state government relations strategy and manage a team of market-based Government Relations leaders to advance shared legislative, political, and business priorities.
• Design, implement, and evolve a One KP state government relations operating model that aligns enterprise and market teams around shared priorities, establishes governance, and enables coordinated execution.
• Serve as Kaiser Permanente’s senior enterprise representative with governors, legislative leadership, state agencies, trade associations, coalition partners, and other key stakeholders.
• Build and execute proactive engagement strategies to strengthen Kaiser Permanente’s visibility, credibility, and influence with policymakers and stakeholders.
• Oversee enterprise legislative intelligence, political analysis, stakeholder landscape assessments, and issue monitoring to identify emerging trends, opportunities, risks, and enterprise implications.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive enterprise legislative tracking, monitoring, and reporting capability for timely intelligence and executive-ready reporting.
• Establish enterprise standards, tools, reporting, governance, and performance measures for legislative tracking, stakeholder engagement, coalition management, and issue management.
• Monitor political, legislative, regulatory, and stakeholder environments in prospective growth markets and advise enterprise leaders on opportunities, risks, and market readiness.
• Partner with Permanente Medical Group leaders to align legislative priorities and leverage clinical expertise in engagement strategies.
• Lead Kaiser Permanente’s engagement with key state and multi-state trade associations to shape industry priorities and coalition strategies.
• Partner with Advocacy leadership to establish strategic priorities and develop coordinated engagement strategies for legislative and political objectives.
• Build and maintain relationships with national governors organizations, legislative leadership organizations, healthcare associations, and other influential stakeholders.
• Identify emerging legislative, political, and stakeholder trends and develop enterprise strategies to address issues proactively.
• Develop and lead multi-market coalition strategies to advance Kaiser Permanente’s priorities and strengthen influence with policymakers.
• Build a high-performing enterprise state government affairs capability by developing talent, modernizing tools, fostering collaboration, and establishing accountability.

Requirements

• Minimum fifteen (15) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in government relations, public affairs, legislative affairs, advocacy, or related fields.
• Significant experience representing large, complex organizations before state legislatures, governors' offices, regulatory agencies, trade associations, and coalition partners.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise or multi-state legislative and stakeholder engagement strategies.
• Proven experience advising senior executives and influencing decision-making on complex legislative, political, reputational, and business issues.
• Experience working within highly matrixed organizations and leading through influence across multiple stakeholders and business functions.
• Demonstrated experience managing external lobbying firms, trade association strategies, coalition partnerships, and external consultants across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience working within a highly regulated industry required; healthcare experience strongly preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Advanced degree preferred.

Pay

The posted pay range is $306,000 - $382,500 per year. Actual base pay determined at offer will be based on labor market data, internal alignment, and a candidate's years of relevant work experience, education, certifications, skills, and geographic location.

Schedule

• Full-time, standard shift: Monday - Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
• Travel: Yes, 25% of the time.
• Work Setting: Flexible. Worker location must align with Kaiser Permanente's Authorized States policy.