Business Planning and Policy Specialist

Youth Villages

. The Business Planning and Policy Specialist will be responsible for supporting program leadership by driving business development, strategy, and government relations efforts in their assigned portfolio of states.

Posted 6/25/2026full-timeRemote • Tennessee • 🇺🇸 United StatesJuniorWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

The Business Planning and Policy Specialist will be responsible for supporting program leadership by driving business development, strategy, and government relations efforts in their assigned portfolio of states.
Communicates with state and other Youth Villages leaders (including CSO, COO, and CEO) about growth opportunities and new startups
Assists and/or leads the process of responding to Request for Proposals (RFPs) of interest to the organization in order to grow services in assigned states
Leads and/or contributes to meetings and presentations with key external stakeholders (including potential funders, state/county agencies, and lawmakers)
Assists state leadership with policy and legislative priorities and action steps
Supports technical writing (including proposal writing) as well as composing letters and emails, developing PowerPoints, etc.
Creates budgets and analyzes financials to support business development decision-making
Collaborates with internal leadership, including other support departments (such as Strategy, Strategic Partnerships, Communications, Finance, etc.)
Researches growth opportunities, cultivates relationships, and introduces proposals and services to potential funders (in conjunction with state and department leadership)
Reviews bills, laws, and policies that may impact strategy and engagement with key stakeholders, and/or that will have an impact on child welfare, Medicaid, and other state systems that serve children, families, and young adults
Researches assigned portfolio of states to support growth, expansion, and strategy development of Youth Villages services by completing shallow dives and utilizing collected information, including analyzing the economy, funding streams (local, state, federal), legislation, government structure, political climate, competitors, new business opportunities, and trends related to transitioning youth/disconnect youth and at-risk children and families
Works closely with state leadership to drive expansion of Youth Villages services in assigned states

Requirements

What you’ll need

Master's degree (preferred)
Bachelor's degree (required)
Specific degrees and coursework in public policy, public administration, political science, and/or social work (required)
At least 6 months of leadership experience (preferred)
Experience related to negotiating contracts with funders and/or knowledge of funding sources (preferred)
Experience in government relations, proposal writing, desk research, and budgeting (preferred)
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Excellent written, verbal, and oral skills
Ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
Ability to engage audiences easily and function in an in-person or virtual environment
Ability to think critically and conceptualize complex problems
Proficiency with Microsoft Office products (specifically Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Teams, and Outlook)

Benefits

Comp & perks

Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug Coverage and Vision
401(k)
Time off: 2 week paid vacation (full-time) / 1 week paid vacation (part-time)
12 paid sick days per year
11 paid holidays
Paid Parental Leave
Mileage & Cell Phone Reimbursement (when applicable)
Tuition reimbursement and licensure supervision
Growth & development through continuous training
Clinical and administrative advancement opportunities

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

proposal writingbudgetingdesk researchcontract negotiationpolicy analysisfinancial analysisbusiness developmentstrategy developmentgovernment relationslegislative analysis

Soft Skills

organizational skillsattention to detailwritten communicationverbal communicationoral communicationcritical thinkingaudience engagementmultitaskingcollaborationpresentation skills

Certifications

Master's degreeBachelor's degree