Government Affairs Lead

NMSS National Multiple Sclerosis Society; Washington (District of Columbia); Remote; USD 100,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO

Paid holidays

401k with match

Commuter benefits

Health & welfare

Spring Health program

Job summary

The National MS Society is seeking an AVP, Government Affairs to lead the federal advocacy strategy and engage policymakers, regulators, and stakeholders. You will collaborate closely with policy, healthcare access, and mission leadership to advance priorities and ensure alignment across teams.

Remote-friendly with DC-based activities, this role requires 8–12 years in federal government affairs and an advanced degree.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in federal government affairs, lobbying, congressional relations, or public policy advocacy.
• Strong understanding of federal legislative and regulatory processes.
• Demonstrated success engaging Congress, congressional staff, and federal agencies.
• Experience building coalitions and managing stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to translate complex policy issues into effective advocacy strategies and communications.

Responsibilities

• Federal Advocacy/ Legislative Strategy & Execution: lead federal strategies and coordinate with contractors to advance priorities.
• Relationship Management & External Representation: build coalitions and represent the organization at policy events.
• Federal-State Coordination: align federal and state advocacy priorities and messaging.

Skills

Federal policy advocacy

Coalition building

Stakeholder management

Policy communications

Congress engagement

Education

Advanced degree (MPP/MPH/JD or related)

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

WHO WE ARE:

The National Multiple Sclerosis Society mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges of everyone affected by MS. To fulfill this mission, the Society funds cutting-edge research, drives change through advocacy, facilitates professional education, collaborates with MS organizations around the world, and provides programs and services designed to help people with MS and their families move their lives forward. We partner with volunteers to accomplish our work. Staff members engage volunteers through effective and timely communications, facilitating meaningful opportunities, and continually seeking and providing feedback for reciprocal growth and learning.

Job Summary:

The AVP, Government Affairs (Government Affairs Lead) is responsible for leading the implementation of the Society's federal advocacy strategy and advancing legislative and regulatory priorities through direct engagement with policymakers, regulators, and key stakeholders. This role serves as the primary liaison to federal government entities and works in close partnership with Policy, Healthcare Access, and Mission leadership to execute coordinated advocacy efforts. This role collaborates closely with state government affairs colleagues and contracted lobbyists/ consultants to support alignment of federal and state advocacy efforts and identify opportunities for coordinated engagement. This position focuses on external engagement, relationship management, and advocacy execution, in close partnership with the advocacy and healthcare access leadership team and Mission leadership. Further, the Lead also contributes to the achievement of the Society's four strategic pillars by aligning work, decisions, and partnerships with enterprise priorities and actively collaborating across teams to advance mission outcomes.

Location Requirements

Remote - Flexible Location
Work is primarily performed remotely, however, when possible and necessary, teams meet in person to conduct the business of the organization and build team relationships.

Compensation & Benefits

The estimated hiring compensation range for this role is $100,000 - $120,000. Final offers will be based on the candidate's geographic location, consider career experience, and may vary from this range due to these and other factors. You will have the opportunity for a highly competitive, comprehensive benefit package that the Society provides to employees.

• Considerable Paid Time Off Plan
• Paid Holidays
• 401k Retirement Savings Plan with Society match
• Commuter Benefit Plan
• Comprehensive Health & Welfare benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flex Spending Accounts, Life Insurance, Disability Coverage
• Spring Health Membership offering free therapy and professional coaching, as well as additional voluntary benefit offerings.

Main Responsibilities:

• Federal Advocacy/ Legislative Strategy & Execution (60%) Implement and advance federal government affairs strategies aligned with the Society's policy priorities, access principles, and strategic goals. Lead federal appropriations work through contracted lobbyist. Build and maintain relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, and key committees. Represent the organization in meetings, briefings, and advocacy events on Capitol Hill. Identify opportunities to advance legislative and regulatory priorities. Plan and execute advocacy initiatives such as: Capitol Hill days Legislative briefings Stakeholder roundtables Support grassroots and grass-tops engagement and strategies to amplify the voices of people with lived experience. Advocate for policy implementation that supports patient access and organizational priorities. Coordinate responses to federal rulemaking in partnership with the Policy team.
• Relationship Management & External Representation (20%) Build and manage relationships with advocacy partners, trade associations, and coalitions. Represent the organization at conferences, policy forums, and stakeholder convenings. Provide timely updates and strategic insights to internal stakeholders. Assess political landscape and implications for advocacy priorities. Partner closely with the VP, Policy to translate policy positions into actionable advocacy strategies. Collaborate with Communications to support advocacy campaigns and messaging. Support executive leadership with briefing materials, talking points, and meeting preparation.
• Federal-State Coordination (10%) Partner with state government affairs colleagues to promote alignment between federal and state advocacy priorities and messaging. Facilitate information sharing across federal and state advocacy teams regarding legislative and regulatory developments. Support cross-functional planning efforts related to advocacy campaigns, grassroots engagement initiatives, and key events. Identify opportunities to leverage federal advocacy activities in support of state priorities and vice versa. Contribute to planning and execution of major advocacy initiatives, including the Public Policy Conference and MS Activist engagement activities. Contribute to development of the advocacy budget. Lead the Federal Advocacy Team, providing strategic direction, coaching, and prioritization to maximize policy influence and resource allocation. Partner across the advocacy and healthcare access leadership team and across mission, marketing and communications and development to translate complex policy issues into accessible messages for diverse audiences, leveraging traditional and digital media, personal stories, and advocacy content to drive impact.

Scope of Role:

• Team Responsibilities (10%) Attend/actively engage in training, professional development, conferences, and staff meetings. Share information, lessons learned, and stakeholder insights to support organizational objectives. Participate in cross-functional initiatives and contribute to team success. Collaborate across mission and contribute to the integrated mission operations plan, including working with regional Programs & Support team members to identify emerging issues. Develop a strong working knowledge of all Society and relevant 3rd party (e.g., Komodo) information systems including Salesforce or other Society CRMs. Maintain knowledge of MS, current treatments, disease and symptom management. Stay up to date on advances in MS through publications and research. Implement and follow National MS Society risk management policies and procedures. Participate in professional development activities to improve knowledge and understanding of healthcare systems and provider needs. Contribute to team meetings, provide support and feedback to colleagues. Other duties as assigned.

What We're Looking For:

• 8–12 years of experience in federal government affairs, lobbying, congressional relations, or public policy advocacy.
• Strong understanding of federal legislative and regulatory processes.
• Demonstrated success engaging Congress, congressional staff, and federal agencies.
• Experience building coalitions and managing stakeholder relationships.
• Ability to translate complex policy issues into effective advocacy strategies and communications.
• Preferred qualifications Experience in healthcare, patient advocacy, nonprofit advocacy, or life sciences.
• Experience working within national associations or mission-driven organizations.
• Advanced degree (MPP, MPH, JD, or related field).

We’re committed to supporting the growth of every employee through a structured and transparent approach to career development. We use Talent Portraits to define clear expectations, development opportunities, and advancement paths — whether you're growing as a people leader or deepening your expertise as an individual contributor. Each role is thoughtfully placed within one of these pathways (Leadership or Partner) to help you understand how it fits into our broader organization and your potential career journey. This position is classified as Leader - Leading Others.

The National MS Society is committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We strive to create a workforce that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their authentic selves to work. We need you and your unique talents and perspectives to help us write the last chapter on MS.