Managing Director

The Aspen Institute

Managing Director leading health strategy within the Health, Medicine & Society Program at the Aspen Institute. Overseeing program operations, strategic leadership, and stakeholder engagement.

Posted 5/9/2026full-timeWashington • District of Columbia, Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $200,000 - $235,000 per yearWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Serve as a key strategic partner to the Executive Director in setting and executing HMS's overall program vision, annual priorities, and multi-year strategy.
Maintain current knowledge of federal and state health policy developments, philanthropic trends, and practice innovations relevant to HMS's portfolio areas.
Provide substantive oversight and coordination across HMS's signature initiatives, ensuring coherence, quality, and strategic alignment across teams.
Serve as an internal convener and thought partner, facilitating cross-initiative learning, collaboration, and joint planning.
Identify and pursue opportunities to amplify HMS's impact and reach through new partnerships, initiatives, or public platforms.
Represent HMS as a senior leader at national convenings, funder meetings, and external engagements.
Contribute substantive expertise to HMS research, publications, and convenings; review and provide editorial guidance on analytical and policy materials for internal and external audiences.
Oversee budget development and management in coordination with the Executive Director and Institute finance staff.
Ensure timely and high-quality delivery of funder reports, proposals, and other grant-related obligations.
Serve as a key partner to the Executive Director and senior advisors in developing and executing HMS's fundraising strategy.
Cultivate and steward relationships with current and prospective institutional funders, individual donors, and strategic partners.
Lead the development of funding proposals, letters of inquiry, stewardship reports, and related materials.
Support and participate in funder briefings and site visits; represent HMS's work compellingly to external audiences.
Build and maintain strategic relationships with partner organizations, peer institutions, and leading experts relevant to HMS's areas of focus.
Collaborate with the Executive Director and program staff to design and deliver HMS's major convenings.

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of progressive professional experience in health policy, health strategy, public health, or a closely related field, with demonstrated leadership responsibilities.
Deep substantive knowledge of the U.S. health system, health policy landscape, and key issue areas relevant to HMS's portfolio (e.g., maternal health, behavioral health, health equity, health financing, public health communication, or the intersection of science and society).
Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives or programs in a nonprofit, research, government, or policy institution setting.
Proven ability to lead, develop, and inspire high-performing teams across multiple workstreams.
Established track record in fundraising and funder relations, including proposal development and grant reporting for institutional funders.
Exceptional analytical, writing, and verbal communication skills; ability to distill complex policy and research content for diverse audiences.
Proven track record designing and executing high-quality convenings and facilitating dialogue among senior leaders and experts.
Demonstrated high emotional intelligence, diplomatic instincts, and the ability to build trust and credibility with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
Proven entrepreneurial orientation: ability to see and respond to opportunities, troubleshoot challenges, and adapt plans in a dynamic environment.
Advanced degree, ideally JD and additional graduate level work specializing in health and health policy, required.
Willingness and ability to travel (up to 25-30% of the time).

Benefits

Comp & perks

health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits
retirement benefits
paid leave

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

health policyhealth strategypublic healthfundraisingproposal developmentgrant reportingbudget managementanalytical writingpolicy analysisprogram management

Soft Skills

leadershipteam developmentcommunicationcollaborationemotional intelligencediplomacytrust buildingentrepreneurial orientationstrategic thinkingfacilitation

Certifications

advanced degreeJD