Vice President, Policy and Advocacy- Resolve to Save Lives

Resolve to Save Lives is an initiative of Vital Strategies with a mission to prevent 100 million deaths from heart disease and to make the world safer from epidemics. We are led by Dr. Tom Frieden, former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Resolve to Save Lives has been incubated by Vital Strategies, a US-based international public health organization working in more than 70 countries to strengthen public health systems and address leading causes of morbidity and mortality.

Resolve to Save Lives is transitioning to an independent public health organization in early 2022 to maximize global impact with speed, simplicity, and scale. Focused policy advocacy efforts with US, global and national institutions will be an important component of our work in this new phase. Learn more about our work at resolvetosavelives.org.
We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We encourage people of all racial, ethnic, economic, social, cultural, sexual orientation, and gender expressions to apply.

Vital Strategies and Resolve to Save Lives are committed to helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to protecting the safety of our employees. All U.S. employees will be required to be fully vaccinated unless the employee is approved for a reasonable accommodation due to a disability or a religious reason.

Overall Role
Resolve to Save Lives seeks a Vice President, Policy and Advocacy to support our core programs – Prevent Epidemics and Cardiovascular Health – with effective policy and advocacy partnerships, analysis, strategy and action to advance epidemic preparedness, reduce sodium intake, eliminate artificial trans fat, and strengthen public health capacity globally. Reporting to the President and CEO, the VP, Policy and Advocacy will work closely with Resolve’s headquarters and country program teams as well as a range of advocacy partners in the US and globally. Resolve’s policy advocacy efforts are rooted in public health evidence and program experience including from our government partners in low- and middle-income countries.

This role will lead a focused policy-change agenda, influencing US, global health, and country policies and resource allocation to support strengthened health outcomes and public health generally. The role advises Resolve leadership on strategic partnerships and levers required to achieve our policy and advocacy goals. The incumbent will set strategy, analyze and package evidence, and build advocacy networks and bridges between in-country advocates and key national and global decision-makers. The VP, Policy and Advocacy will strategically engage our leadership and global partnerships, helping to translate evidence and practical experience into resource mobilization advocacy and targeted policy solutions. The role requires skills in policy analysis, data analysis, strategy development and implementation, partnership building and management, effective communication, and monitoring and accountability.

This full-time position is currently remote. The incumbent will be expected to convene periodically for team meetings in NYC beginning in January 2022.

Main Responsibilities:

• Be a thought partner to the President and CEO, informing, setting, monitoring, implementing, and evaluating Resolve’s US and global policy and advocacy agenda concerning epidemic prevention and cardiovascular health
• Lead the development of policy and advocacy strategies targeting US and global decisionmakers to:
  • promote evidence-based guidance and tools
  • influence key national and international laws, policies and regulations
  • mobilize domestic and international funding to sustain effective epidemic preparedness and cardiovascular health efforts
  • other advocacy efforts deemed necessary to support Resolve’s mission
• Oversee US government relations outreach and strategy, coordinating closely with program teams and national partners, to produce measurable legislative and resource allocation results
• Work closely with Prevent Epidemics, Cardiovascular Health and Office of the President teams on analysis, development and implementation of policy advocacy strategies globally and in-country, directly and/or in coalition with partners
• Lead on, contribute to or guide Resolve policy analysis and positions**,** including policy briefs and related documents, talking points, media and other communications strategy, and other externally facing communications, drawing on Resolve research, programmatic work, and other relevant research and evidence
• Strengthen the short- and long-term impact of Resolve’s policy advocacy activities, including through ensuring appropriate timing, specific asks, and tactical approaches
• Collaborate and coordinate with Resolve’s policy advocacy, communications, and legal advisors and key organizational partners to ensure alignment of messaging and policy efforts in the US, in the US as it relates to global health policy, and globally
• Analyze and strengthen coalitions for policy progress
• Leverage Resolve’s existing assets, partnerships and relationships by mapping, enriching and maintaining oversight of Resolve’s strategic collaborations and participation in networks, ensuring coherence and maximum impact; shape Resolve’s positions on forging new alliances, sign-ons, etc
• Identify ways to better leverage the presence and amplify the impact of seconded staff to international organizations
• Provide leadership in the development of inter-team communication, collaboration and cohesiveness
• Supervise and coordinate the work of others, including supporting matrix management of key staff and consultants working on policy, advocacy and legal issues and programming
• Identify new opportunities, and develop and contribute to project/funding proposals for policy and advocacy efforts

Required Experience and Skills:

• Minimum 15 years of experience in global health or related policy advocacy
• Master’s or higher degree in public policy, public health, international relations or related field
• Significant experience in policy and data analysis and the drafting of policy documents
• Prior experience in global policy or US government policy (eg, Capitol Hill, federal agency), with knowledge of the legislative process and foreign assistance
• Demonstrated experience leading or working effectively in coalitions
• Experience working in low- and middle-income countries
• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, and ability to collaborate successfully with and influence others
• Exceptional project management, planning, prioritization, execution and time-management skills
• Demonstrated, well-developed strategic and analytical skills
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, and to adapt to a changing work environment
• Able to work in US East Coast standard work hours

Preferred Experience:

• Demonstrable knowledge of public health