POLICY SPECIALIST - 80769

State of Tennessee; Nashville (TN); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

State of Tennessee, Nashville, invites a Policy Specialist to support the Director of Policy, Contracts and Compliance for LTSS within TennCare.

The role focuses on drafting contracts, amendments, and procurements, while engaging in policy discussions and research across LTSS programs in Tennessee.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in public policy, health policy, public health, public administration, business administration or related field with 3 years of policy interpretation experience.
• Equivalent combination of education and work experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Draft LTSS contracts and amendments with input from stakeholders.
• Engage in program and policy discussions and research LTSS matters.
• Draft policy documents, guidance, and interpretations for LTSS in Tennessee.

Skills

Policy analysis

Contract drafting

Contract compliance

Research

Education

Bachelor's degree in public policy or related field

Equivalent combination of education and experience

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Job description

Executive Service

Background Check

This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

Executive Service

POLICY SPECIALIST Division of TennCare Long Term Services & Support (LTSS) Nashville, TN Minimum Annual Salary: $67,764.00 Closing Date: 09/21/2026

Background Check

This position requires a criminal background check. Therefore, you may be required to provide information about your criminal history in order to be considered for this position.

Who We Are And What We Do

TennCare is Tennessee's Medicaid managed care program, serving over 1.4 million Tennesseans, including children, pregnant women, older adults, and individuals with disabilities. With an annual budget exceeding $19.2 billion, TennCare operates under the oversight of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).TennCare's mission is to improve the lives of Tennesseans by providing high-quality, cost-effective care...At TennCare, we are driven by purpose. Our team is committed to improving outcomes for Tennessee's most vulnerable populations through innovation, integrity, and collaboration. Employees at TennCare report a deep sense of impact and satisfaction in their work. We prioritize people and process equally to create a workplace that values meaningful service, professional development, and shared success.

Job Overview

TennCare compensation is equitable and will be based on education and experience for a qualified candidate in accordance with Department of Human Resources (DOHR) policy.

The Division of TennCare is dedicated to providing our employees with a hybrid work environment All TennCare positions have a combination of work from home and work in the office, which varies by position, department, and business need You may review the specific expectations with our hiring team

An employee in this position will support the Director of Policy, Contracts and Compliance through drafting contracts, contract amendments, procurements and actively engaging in policy and program discussions and researching and drafting related documents focusing on Long-term Services and Supports (LTSS) programs in Tennessee.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft new LTSS contracts and contract amendments including incorporating feedback from internal and external stakeholders
• Actively engage in program and policy discussions
• Research and draft policy documents relating to LTSS in Tennessee, including policies and programmatic guidance and interpretation
• Maintain an accessible system for documenting such guidance for internal and external stakeholders, as appropriate
• Develop and maintain subject matter expertise on LTSS programs and services in Tennessee, including expertise on current LTSS initiatives, administrative rules, and policies
• Track amendments to LTSS contracts and policy documents
• Assist with monitoring Managed Care Organization contract compliance including issuing Corrective Action Plans and Liquidated Damages
• Assist with the readiness review process for TennCare LTSS contracts
• Attend meetings, webinars, and presentations to stay current on LTSS policy and sharing information learned with the PCC team
• Assist with procurement activities (writing RFIs, RFPs, reviewing responses, evaluating/scoring responses, facilitating the procurement process)
• Communicate with contractors, LTSS business owners, and other departments within TennCare
• Conduct research and summarize findings
• Proofread and edit documents
• Complete project management activities such as scheduling meetings, facilitating meetings, tracking deadlines, developing agendas, taking notes, saving contract-related documents and correspondence, and holding business owners accountable
• Update job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities (LinkedIn Learning courses, etc.)
• Other special projects as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in public policy, health policy, public health, public health, public administration, business administration or a related field and 3 years of experience in policy interpretation and application or similar work.

Or

an equivalent combination of education and work experience may be considered.

Desirable Qualifications

• 3-5 years of professional experience
• Experience working in or with Medicaid or disability-related programs
• Experience with drafting contracts and/or contract compliance
• Demonstrates experience in drafting policy documents, conducting research, and communicating effectively both verbally and in writing.
• Strong organizational capabilities, attention to detail, and effective time management, with the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines independently.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and SharePoint, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills and the ability to learn quickly.
• Adaptable, self-motivated, and able to work collaboratively or independently in fast paced, results oriented environments.

Pursuant to the State of Tennessee's Workplace Discrimination and Harassment policy, the State is firmly committed to the principle of fair and equal employment opportunities for its citizens and strives to protect the rights and opportunities of all people to seek, obtain, and hold employment without being subjected to illegal discrimination and harassment in the workplace. It is the State's policy to provide an environment free of discrimination and harassment of an individual because of that person's race, color, national origin, age (40 and over), sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, disability, veteran's status or any other category protected by state and/or federal civil rights laws.