Vice President, Public Affairs - Washington

Job Summary The VP, Public Affairs Markets Outside California serves as the senior-most Public Affairs leader within the Market and is responsible for advancing and protecting Kaiser Permanentes reputation, mission, strategic priorities, and business objectives through integrated communications, media relations, community affairs, stakeholder engagement, local government relations, executive positioning, and issues management. Reporting directly to the Chief Public Affairs Officer and maintaining a dotted-line relationship to the Regional President, this leader serves as the primary Public Affairs advisor to Market leadership and operates at the intersection of enterprise strategy and market execution. The role is accountable for ensuring enterprise Public Affairs priorities are effectively translated into Market strategies, stakeholder engagement efforts, campaigns, communications programs, and community activities while ensuring local market realities inform enterprise decision-making. As part of the Chief Public Affairs Leadership Table, this role also carries an enterprise leadership mandate and contributes to shaping Public Affairs priorities, alignment, and decision-making across Kaiser Permanente. The VP, Public Affairs Markets Outside California serves as the primary Public Affairs point of contact for Market leadership. While certain Public Affairs functions, including State Affairs and Federal Government Relations, maintain direct reporting relationships to enterprise leaders, this role is responsible for ensuring all Public Affairs activities within the Market are coordinated, aligned, and executed through a unified One KP approach. The position provides a single point of integration for Market leadership, ensuring enterprise capabilities are effectively leveraged and Market needs are effectively represented across the Public Affairs function. The VP, Public Affairs Markets Outside California leads a market-based Public Affairs team responsible for communications, media relations, community affairs, stakeholder engagement, local government relations, executive positioning, reputation management, and issues management. The role works in close partnership with enterprise centers of excellence across External Communications, State Affairs, Federal Affairs, Internal Communications & Engagement, Community Affairs & Engagement, Advocacy, Marketing, Legal, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, and Community Health. Internal communications will be more tightly integrated between national and markets, with national internal communications supporting shared platforms, greater consistency, and a One KP voice. At the same time, markets will continue to lead the operational and market-specific communications required to advance local priorities. That includes everything from day-to-day workforce communications to sustained change management campaigns tied directly to how a market competes, including quality measure improvement, care delivery transformation, and operational shifts that require employees to work differently. These are not enterprise storytelling exercises; they are operational necessities, and they require local knowledge, local relationships, and dedicated capacity. As the senior Public Affairs leader in the Market, this individual serves as a trusted advisor to market leadership, medical group leadership, and health plan leadership, helping leaders navigate complex business, reputational, community, labor, politics, and stakeholder dynamics. This leader is also a visible executive presence in the Market and helps cultivate trusted network relationships across the health care delivery system, including with providers, purchasers, employers, labor leaders, community partners, and other influential stakeholders. The role ensures Kaiser Permanente maintains strong relationships with local media, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, civic organizations, chambers of commerce, local elected officials, business groups, and other key stakeholders while advancing enterprise priorities and preserving local trust and credibility. Success in this role requires balancing enterprise consistency with Market relevance, operating as both a strategic counselor and operational leader, and ensuring Kaiser Permanente maintains a coordinated, visible, and trusted presence throughout the communities it serves. Essential Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Executive Counsel Serve as the senior Public Affairs advisor to Market leadership. Serve as a member of the market leadership team and the Chief Public Affairs Leadership Table, representing market priorities, opportunities, stakeholder insights, and reputational considerations within enterprise Public Affairs planning and governance processes. Help shape enterprise Public Affairs strategies and priorities by providing market insights, stakeholder perspectives, competitive intelligence, community intelligence, and business context. Advise leaders on communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management, labor dynamics, public policy implications, and emerging issues that may affect market performance. Support executive decision-making through strategic counsel, risk assessment, stakeholder insights, and communications planning. Public Affairs Leadership & Coordination Serve as the primary Public Affairs leader and point of contact for Market leadership. Coordinate Public Affairs activities across Communications, Media Relations, Community Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement, Local Government Relations, State Affairs, Federal Government Relations, Advocacy, and enterprise centers of excellence to ensure alignment and effective execution of enterprise and market priorities. Ensure Market leadership, including medical group and health plan leadership, has a clear, coordinated, and integrated Public Affairs strategy that reflects the full capabilities of the Public Affairs organization. Convene and lead regular Market Public Affairs planning, prioritization, and coordination efforts to ensure alignment across functions and eliminate duplication. Ensure market Public Affairs strategies support enterprise priorities while reflecting local business objectives, stakeholder needs, and community realities. Market Reputation & Communications Leadership Lead Market communications and reputation strategies in alignment with enterprise priorities and business objectives. Serve as the senior leader accountable for market reputation management, stakeholder trust, and coordinated execution of enterprise Public Affairs priorities. Develop and implement Market communications strategies that strengthen Kaiser Permanentes reputation and support organizational goals. Ensure enterprise narratives are effectively localized and executed within the market while maintaining consistency with One KP priorities. Identify, elevate, and amplify market innovations, care delivery successes, community partnerships, thought leadership opportunities, and organizational achievements that strengthen Kaiser Permanentes reputation. Media Relations & External Visibility Oversee Market media relations and earned media strategies in partnership with enterprise communications teams. Serve as a visible executive and spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente within the market, including participation in media interviews, public forums, community events, industry conferences, stakeholder meetings, and executive engagements. Support and prepare executives, physicians, and subject matter experts for media interviews, public-facing engagements, speaking opportunities, and stakeholder meetings. Develop and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and industry media. Ensure market media activities align with enterprise priorities and support a One KP Voice. Community Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement & Local Government Relations Lead Market community affairs, stakeholder engagement, and local government relations strategies. Build and maintain trusted relationships across the market and the broader health care delivery system, including with community leaders, nonprofit organizations, employers, purchasers, chambers of commerce, labor leaders, civic organizations, local elected officials, business groups, providers, and other influential stakeholders. Partner with Community Health leaders to align community engagement, mission delivery, stakeholder engagement, and community investment activities in support of enterprise and market priorities. Partner with Marketing, Sales, Customer Experience, Government Relations, medical group leadership, and health plan leadership to strengthen Kaiser Permanentes visibility, mission impact, customer engagement, and stakeholder relationships. Support implementation of enterprise community engagement strategies, sponsorship activations, volunteerism programs, and mission-focused initiatives. Ensure Kaiser Permanente maintains a visible, trusted, and credible presence within the communities it serves. Enterprise & Market Integration Translate enterprise Public Affairs strategies, campaigns, and priorities into effective Market execution. Partner closely with State Affairs and Federal Government Relations leaders to ensure alignment of stakeholder engagement, advocacy priorities, legislative activities, reputation strategies, and market execution while respecting enterprise reporting relationships and responsibilities. Establish Market operating rhythms and governance that bring together market Public Affairs teams and enterprise centers of excellence to support a coordinated One KP approach. Ensure market teams leverage enterprise capabilities, tools, content, campaigns, reporting, and expertise effectively. Foster collaboration and information sharing across enterprise and market Public Affairs teams. Issues Management & Market Intelligence Lead Market preparedness, response, and coordination related to reputational issues, emerging concerns, and stakeholder challenges. Maintain visibility into emerging market issues, stakeholder concerns, community sentiment, labor developments, competitive dynamics, and reputational risks, ensuring timely escalation and coordination with enterprise leaders. Provide enterprise leaders with regular intelligence regarding stakeholder relationships, community dynamics, media trends, local government developments, and market conditions that may influence organizational priorities. Partner with enterprise Communications, Government Relations, Legal, and Issues Management leaders to support coordinated responses to complex situations. Team Leadership & Organizational Effectiveness Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing Public Affairs team. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, inclusion, innovation, and continuous improvement. Align resources, priorities, and capabilities to support both market and enterprise objectives. Support development of future Public Affairs leaders and strengthen organizational capabilities across the Market. Basic Qualifications Experience Minimum ten (10) years of progressively responsible leadership experience in public affairs, communications, community affairs, media relations, government relations, stakeholder engagement, or related disciplines. Education Bachelors degree required License, Certification, Registration Additional Requirements Significant experience advising senior leaders and leading through complex reputational, political, regulatory, labor, and business environments. Demonstrated success leading integrated Public Affairs, Communications, Community Affairs, Government Relations, or stakeholder engagement functions. Demonstrated understanding of healthcare delivery systems, health plans, provider organizations, community health, and the stakeholder environments that influence healthcare organizations. Experience operating within matrixed organizations and leading through influence. Experience working in represented employee and labor environments, with the ability to build credibility and collaborate effectively across labor-sensitive settings. Proven ability to build trusted relationships with executives, media, community leaders, elected officials, labor leaders, business organizations, and other external stakeholders. Preferred Qualifications Advanced degree preferred. Experience working in highly regulated industries preferred; healthcare experience strongly preferred. #J-18808-Ljbffr Kaiser Permanente