DDA EXTERNAL AFFAIRS DIRECTOR

Maryland Department of Health; Baltimore (MD); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Maryland Department of Health seeks a Director of External Affairs for the Developmental Disabilities Administration to lead legislative affairs, communications, constituent services, and stakeholder relations. You will advise the Chief of Staff on external affairs strategy and ensure consistent messaging across initiatives.

The role requires executive leadership, superb communications skills, and the ability to engage diverse partners including legislators, advocacy groups, providers, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus six years of health or human services admin or professional experience, including three years in a supervisory/managerial role.
• Master's degree substitutes for one year of general experience; Doctorate substitutes for two years.
• Experience in communications, public relations, public affairs, public policy, journalism, business administration, or marketing preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive leadership and strategic direction for external engagement functions (legislative affairs, constituent services, communications, stakeholder relations).
• Advise the Chief of Staff on external affairs strategy and messaging to advance policies and priorities.
• Foster collaboration with individuals with disabilities, families, providers, advocacy groups, government partners, and the public to strengthen public trust and policy implementation.

Skills

Executive leadership

External affairs

Media relations

Strategic communications

Stakeholder engagement

Public policy

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree

Doctorate

Job description

Main Purpose of Job

The Director of External Affairs provides executive leadership and strategic direction for the Developmental Disabilities Administration's external engagement functions, including legislative affairs, constituent services, communications, and stakeholder relations. This position serves as the principal advisor to the Chief of Staff on external affairs strategy, ensuring consistent messaging, proactive and responsive constituent engagement, key stakeholders, and effective communication of the Administration's policies, initiatives, and priorities. The Director fosters collaboration with individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, families, providers, advocacy organizations, state and local government partners, and the public to advance DDA's mission, strengthen public trust, and support informed policy development and implementation.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Qualified candidates must possess a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university and six years of health or human services administrative or professional experience, including three years at a supervisory or managerial level. Experience in communications, public relations, public affairs, public policy, journalism, business administration, marketing, is preferred.

A Master's degree from an accredited college or university will substitute for one year of general experience and a Doctorate will substitute for two years of general experience. Additional experience will substitute on a year-for-year basis for the college degree.

DESIRED OR PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will be a seasoned executive leader with significant experience in media relations, external affairs, legislative and government relations, strategic communications, public policy, constituent services, and stakeholder engagement. The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to advise senior leadership, develop and execute organization-wide external affairs strategies, and effectively represent the Administration with legislators, government partners, advocacy organizations, providers, families, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and the media and public. Candidates should possess exceptional written, verbal, and executive communication skills, strong political and strategic judgment, and a demonstrated ability to translate complex policies and initiatives into clear, accessible messages.

Experience navigating state legislative and governmental processes, managing sensitive or high-profile issues, and coordinating timely and consistent responses to emerging concerns is highly desirable. The ideal candidate will have a proven record of building trusted relationships, fostering consensus among diverse stakeholders, strengthening constituent responsiveness, and advancing public trust. Knowledge of disabilities policy, human services, health care, or other complex public-sector environments is strongly preferred. Experience with Maryland State government, the Governor's Office, Maryland General Assembly, advocacy organizations, or comparable government and community partners would be particularly valuable.

The successful candidate will be a strategic, collaborative, politically astute, and highly credible leader who can anticipate external risks and opportunities, provide sound counsel to executive leadership, and ensure that DDA's communications, legislative engagement, constituent services, and stakeholder relationships are aligned with its mission, strategic priorities, and policies.

SELECTION PROCESS

This is a Management Service position and serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority.

Applicants who meet the minimum (and selective) qualifications will be included in further evaluation. The evaluation may be a rating of your application based on your education, training and experience as they relate to the requirements of the position. Therefore, it is essential that you provide complete and accurate information on your application.

For education obtained outside the U.S., any job offer will be contingent on the candidate providing an evaluation for equivalency by a foreign credential evaluation service prior to starting employment (and may be requested prior to interview).

Candidates may remain on the certified eligible list for a period of at least one year. The resulting certified eligible list for this recruitment may be used for similar positions in this or other State agencies.
EOE.