Health Policy Analyst / Policy Research Associate

Health Policy Analyst / Policy Research Associate Benefits of working at VCU

All full-time university staff are eligible for VCUs robust benefits package that includes: comprehensive health benefits, paid annual and holiday leave granted up front, generous tuition benefit, retirement planning and savings options, tax-deferred annuity and cash match programs, employee discounts, well-being resources, abundant opportunities for career development and advancement, and more. Learn more about VCUs benefits here .

Job Code 19251 Recruitment Pool All Applicants Posting Number req7525 Unit Massey Comprehensive Cancer Ctr MBU Department Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Department Website Link Location VCU Address 907 Floyd Ave, Richmond, VA 23284 USA Duties & Responsibilities

Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center Mission

To improve the lives of all Virginians by delivering cutting-edge cancer care through patient-centered prevention and treatment; high-impact, innovative research; community input and engagement; and education and training of the next generation of researchers and healthcare professionals.

VCU is committed to hiring veterans! VCU will include a veterans period(s) of military service in the calculation of their annual leave accrual rate. This may provide veterans with an increased leave accrual!

The university and the region

VCU is a public research university unlike any other, dedicated to serving the needs of students and patients. Inclusion is our heartbeat and it drives us to tackle difficult challenges others cant or wont. Were home to creativity, teaching, discovery and healing. Our location in the heart of downtown Richmond, Virginia, means the nonstop energy of our city ignites our innovation and provides unlimited opportunities for our students.

About Virginia Commonwealth University

We are the university for Virginia. We know that the unique backgrounds and life experiences of the VCU community are what drive the university forward. Together, were forging a future that is built by us. Here, artists and engineers, doctors and designers come together to reimagine the human experience and tackle the problems of tomorrow.

VCU dates to 1838 with the formation of the Medical Department of Hampden-Sydney College, whose mission was to educate physicians in central Virginia and which was later renamed Medical College of Virginia. In 1968, Richmond Professional Institute merged with the Medical College of Virginia to become what is now known as Virginia Commonwealth University.

Located in downtown Richmond, the state capital of Virginia, VCU enrolls more than 28,000 students in more than 200 degree and certificate programs across its urban campuses: the downtown Monroe Park and MCV campuses in Richmond; the Rice Rivers Center in Charles City, Virginia; satellite locations in Fairfax, Virginia, and Abingdon, Virginia; and a campus in Doha, Qatar, for the School of the Arts.

Ignited by the energy of the city, were ready to lead industries or disrupt them. We seek out the unexpected, the experimental, the never-been-tried. VCU is designated as a research university with very high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation, garnering more than $500 million in sponsored research from federal and other agencies in FY2024. The National Science Foundation ranked VCU among the top 50 public research universities in the country, and we are one of only 69 public universities nationwide to be designated by the Carnegie Foundation as Community Engaged with Very High Research Activity.

This research enterprise, and the influence of having one of the nations top-ranked public graduate arts schools , ensures students receive unique educational experiences that equip them with a creative mindset that sets them apart.

VCUs contributions in talent, innovation and entrepreneurialism, regional stewardship and local culture shape the economic impact and overall quality of life in the region. VCU as a whole generates more than $9 billion in economic activity. It is the largest employer in Richmond with more than 26,000 employees at VCU and VCU Health, and it supports approximately 58,000 j obs in Virginia . In addition, Virginia classifies VCU with a Tier III status the highest possible status for universities and colleges allowing VCU more flexibility in managing its operations to implement best practices and streamline processes. To learn about VCUs finances, visit about.finance.vcu.edu .

VCUs mission, under the leadership of President Michael Rao, Ph.D., is to serve as one national urban public research institution dedicated to the success and well-being of our students, patients, faculty, staff and community through:

Real-world learning that furthers civic engagement, inquiry, discovery and innovation.

Research that expands the boundaries of new knowledge and creative expression and promotes translational applications to improve the quality of human life.

Interdisciplinary collaborations and community partnerships that advance innovation, enhance cultural and economic vitality, and solve societys most complex challenges.

Health sciences that preserve and restore health for all people, seek the cause and cure of diseases through groundbreaking research and educate those who serve humanity.

Welcome to VCU. A world unlike any other.

Benefits At a Glance

• Continuing education and professional development for undergraduate and graduate tuition in addition to mandatory fees (except the transition student fee) for a maximum of six credits per semester
• 28 University Leave Days, 11+ State Holidays, and 2 Enhanced Community Service Leave Days
• Medical, Dental and Vision Health Benefits to meet the needs of employees and their eligible family members from the Commonwealth of Virginia as well as optional FSA
• Participation in the Virginia Retirement System (VRS) and other retirement saving options
• Parental and Caregiver Leave, Short Term Disability (STD), Disability Insurance, Voluntary Long Term Care Insurance, and Employee Assistance Program
• Professional development opportunities encouraged and offered for employees as part of annual career development, e.g. certifications, seminars, courses, annual conferences, mentorship, etc.

Health Policy Analyst / Policy Research Associate

This position supports policy research and manages policy projects at VCU Massey across a range of cancer health policy domains, including research funding, innovation, and health care access and nancing. The Health Policy Analyst / Policy Research Associate is a subject matter expert who demonstrates technical expertise in collaboration with other team members and senior external collaborators, and managing projects while consistently meeting team deadlines.

The inaugural Office of CancerHealth Policy and Education (CPE) at Massey is a novel, innovative academicinitiative that works to address the policy drivers of cancer health throughthe CPEs three mission pillarsResearch, Education, and Collaboration. The CPEinforms cancer-related policies with transdisciplinary analysis andevidence-based solutions that improve cancer health across local, state, andnational settings.

Primary responsibilities include supporting complex research and managing policy activities, including:

• Tracking, researching, and analyzing federal, state, and local cancer-related legislation and other policies that affect cancer centers and cancer health
• Drafting written products, including summary documents, blog posts, peer-reviewed publications, and policy briefs
• As needed, liaising with high-level external stakeholders; and managing the agenda, content, and logistics for events and convenings
• When applicable, conducting quantitative analyses to support project goals.

Work Performed

The Health Policy Analyst / Policy Research Associate provides subject matter expertise and supports research projects encompassing a broad array of policy domains within the work scope of the CPE that span the continuum of cancer prevention, clinical care, and survivorship. These domains include research funding, access to care and health services, emerging science and biomedical innovation, medical product development and regulation, regulatory science, health informatics and information technology, cancer control and prevention, as well as patient quality of life and survivorship. Participation in broader Massey priority projects may include other relevant health economics and policy areas such as payment reform, value-based care, U.S. health policy reforms, and global health.

CPE public-facing work products include research papers, issue briefs for policymakers, white papers, blogs, editorials, presentations, progress reports, peer-reviewed publications, and education programming. Execution of projects often require management of sensitive and condential information that are valuable to policymakers, providers, Massey community members, and

patientsand may involve background research support as well as timely dissemination of key conclusions and recommendations.

The policy research processes rely on close collaboration with the CPE Director on strategic planning, research design, and project conceptualization. Work products frequently involve rapid and accurate synthesis of information from a range of credible sources, and maintaining clear lines of communication with relevant internal and external parties.

The policy practice aspects of the role encompass the generation of policy solutions, creation of partnerships to provide thought leadership and education in the implementation process, and prospective as well as retrospective evaluations of policy impact. On-demand work products may include analysis of policy strategies as well as economic impact and return of investments.

In collaboration with the CPE Director, the analyst / research associate:

• Contributes independent project management and attention to detail in writing, analysis, and synthesis of scientic and policy information. If assigned as lead on specic projects, this role is responsible for managing the project timeline, determining the production of content and deliverables, and planning dissemination of work products with other Massey teamsincluding through the Massey website, mainstream and trade press, journals, and other venues.
• Evaluates project assignments and determines inputs needed to achieve objectives, including quantitative and/or qualitative data. Assesses audiences and level of technicality required to translate complex information and tailor messaging and work products depending on the target audience.
• Supports editorial needs by preparing and reviewing drafts of documents, communications, and work products with team members and in collaboration with Massey leadership and administration, faculty, senior researchers, and external public and private stakeholders.
• Develops beats in specialized cancer health policy areas of interest through monitoring and analysis of developments, and provides thought leadership by identifying opportunities for policy improvement as well as barriers to progress and threats to the cancer centers mission and patient health and outcomes. Provides regular updates on developments, identies research directions and actionable items requiring a response or analysis of impact and stakeholder education, and when applicable, creating work products that improve the evidence base needed to inform policy solutions.
• Supports and oversees event planning for CPE activities, including agenda and content development and speaker selection for conferences, panel sessions, seminars, education workshops, and expert roundtables. As needed, responds to support requests from other Massey leaders on center-wide events that include a policy focus and works collaboratively with events and communications teams on talking points and outreach strategies.
• In tandem with CPE leadership, builds professional alignment and collaboration across institutional colleagues to achieve project objectives and develops trusting, responsive, and accountable relationships with community partners to meaningfully share information and create alliances to improve cancer health for all.

Qualifications

Minimum Required Qualications

Education/Training: Typically requires a Bachelor's degree in a eld related to the position (e.g., policy, public health, public administration, political science, health journalism, economics, basic,

clinical, and translational science, engineering, law, or eld directly related to the position). Master's degree preferred.

Experience:

Work requires a minimum of two to ve years of progressive experience in policy/research/data analysis at the international, federal, regional, and/or state level OR an equivalent combination of relevant education and/or experience.

Demonstrated experience working in and fostering an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU

Desired Skills

• Excellent writing skills and research acumen. Proven competence in leading projects.
• Excellent organizational, project management, and communication skills, including the ability to transform complicated information into materials that are easy to understand.
• Demonstrated prociency in policy research and/or business analysis, including the ability to synthesize content from a broad range of sources.
• Quantitative and/or qualitative data analysis capabilities preferred.
• Proven ability to plan and organize content with creativity and attention to detail, crafting an argument for specic audiences and appropriately translating scientic or technical details.
• Knowledge/experience in specialized areas of health policy relevant to the position, including familiarity with current trends in healthcare policy and politics, health care and biomedical innovation, health care business practices, and health care nancing and regulation.
• Ability to interact professionally and foster positive collaborative relationships with senior-level individuals (e.g., local, state, and national stakeholders) and organizations.
• Ability to exercise good judgment and initiative.
• Must be able to function independently and collaborate effectively with others.
• Ability to coordinate a variety of activities simultaneously, complete work with limited oversight and supervision, and manage a project team effectively.
• Must be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with varied responsibilities, and able to assess the impact of and respond exibly to changing conditions.
• Training or experience in cancer-related health economics, health policy, public policy, or data science is a bonus.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Oce and basic digital content management systems required (bonus: relevant research and analytic software).
• Ability to travel approximately 10%.

Application Materials Required

• Cover letter
• Resume or Curriculum Vitae
• At least two writing samples (e.g., policy-related commentary or analysis, policy briefs, peer-reviewed publications, etc.)

About Richmond, Virginia

As the commonwealths capital , Richmond, Virginia, offers a vibrant mix of history, diverse culture and real-world opportunities . Distinct neighborhoods, cozy restaurants and cafes and quaint local markets give the city an intimate feel, but theaters, galleries, music festivals, sports attractions and a steady stream of annual events bring RVA as locals call the region to life. Established in 1780, its rich history can be seen in the architecture, the Capitol grounds and the cobblestone streets around the city. With the historic James River and 600 acres of parks bordering it, bike trails, wineries, breweries, a flourishing arts, entertainment and restaurant scene (Food and Wine called Richmond a culinary powerhouse ) and affordable suburbs, this small city punches well above its weight in terms of attractions and buzz. In fact, Travel + Leisure named Richmond the best place to live in Virginia in 2023 and Southern Living named Richmond one of the 20 best cities to live in the South in 2024.

Richmonds location in the middle of the state allows for day or weekend trips to the beach, the Blue Ridge Mountains or Virginias many wineries. Its within a two-hour drive of Washington, D.C., and a multitude of excellent institutions of higher education. The Richmond metropolitan area is also home to several Fortune 500 companies , a broad base of financial companies , hospitals and media firms, high-tech manufacturing companies and state and local government agencies . Entrepreneurs and artists put down roots in Richmond, and Thrillist named it one of the best U.S. cities for creatives in 2022.

Beyond Richmond, CNBC has named Virginia as the No. 1 state in the country to do business six times since the study began in 2007. It has accomplished this by bringing in billions in capital investment and thousands of new jobs; investing in education; expanding access to quality health care for all; making sure everyone has access to opportunity; and more. Business Facilities magazine named Virginia the 2024 State of the Year. Suffice to say, Virginia is full of growth and opportunity, making it the perfect location for a university determined to erase barriers and provide students with robust learning experiences that will make them unstoppable.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action university providing access to education and employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, political affiliation, veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, or disability.

Please note VCU is not able to provide ongoing visa sponsorship for this position.

FLSA University Employee Job FTE 1 Exemption Status Exempt Restricted Position No E-Class UF - University Employee FT Job Category ORP Eligible No Salary Range $80,000 Compensation Type Salaried Target Hire Date 7/21/2025 Contact Information for Candidates

Massey Cancer Center
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Documents Needed to Apply ResumeCover Letter