Principal, Lobbyist (Remote)

Availity delivers revenue cycle and related business solutions for health care professionals who want to build healthy, thriving organizations. Availity has the powerful tools, actionable insights and expansive network reach that medical businesses need to get an edge in an industry constantly redefined by change.

At Availity, we're not just another Healthcare Technology company; we're pioneers reshaping the future of healthcare! With our headquarters in vibrant Jacksonville, FL, and an exciting office in Bangalore, India, along with an exceptional remote workforce across the United States, we're a global team united by a powerful mission.

We're on a mission to bring the focus back to what truly matters – patient care. As the leading healthcare engagement platform, we're the heartbeat of an industry that impacts millions. With over 2 million providers connected to health plans, and processing over 12 billion transactions annually, our influence is continually expanding.

Join our energetic, dynamic, and forward-thinking team where your ideas are celebrated, innovation is encouraged, and every contribution counts. We're transforming the healthcare landscape, solving communication challenges, and creating connections that empower the nation's premier healthcare ecosystem.

The Principal Government Affairs Lobbyist serves as the organization's senior government affairs and public policy expert, responsible for developing and executing legislative, regulatory, and advocacy strategies that advance the organization's strategic objectives. This role builds and maintains trusted relationships with senior government officials, policymakers, industry associations, and external stakeholders while providing executive leadership with strategic advice on political and regulatory developments.

The incumbent leads complex advocacy initiatives, represents the organization before government bodies, and ensures compliance with all lobbying, ethics, and disclosure requirements.

Sponsorship, in any form, is not available for this position.

Location: Remote, US
 

To be qualified for this position you have:

• Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Law, Public Policy, International Relations, or a related field.
• Master's degree, Juris Doctor (JD), or equivalent advanced qualification preferred.
• 12–15+ years of progressively responsible experience in government affairs, lobbying, legislative affairs, public policy, or political advisory roles.
• Demonstrated experience influencing complex legislative or regulatory initiatives.
• Established network of senior government, legislative, and industry contacts.
• Experience advising executive leadership and boards on public policy matters.

What you will be doing:

Strategic Government Relations

• Develop and implement comprehensive government affairs and lobbying strategies aligned with organizational priorities.
• Monitor, analyze, and interpret legislative, regulatory, and political developments that may impact the organization.
• Identify opportunities to influence public policy and regulatory outcomes.
• Advise executive leadership on government relations risks, opportunities, and emerging policy trends.

Legislative Advocacy

• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, key federal healthcare agencies—including HHS and CMS—government agencies, legislative staff, and policymakers.
• Represent the organization in meetings, hearings, consultations, and public forums.
• Prepare policy briefs, position papers, testimony, and advocacy materials.
• Coordinate legislative outreach and engagement strategies.
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Develop strategic partnerships with industry associations, advocacy groups, NGOs, and coalition partners, including organizations such as the Cooperative Exchange and WEDI, and serve as Availity’s representative in those organizations.
• Lead cross-sector collaborations to support policy objectives.
• Engage senior internal stakeholders to align advocacy priorities with business objectives.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders—including executive leadership, Legal, Compliance, Communications, Product, Sales, Business Unit leaders, and Availity’s owners—to understand business priorities, identify policy implications, and ensure Availity presents a coordinated and informed position in external advocacy efforts.

Policy Analysis

• Conduct in-depth analysis of proposed legislation, regulations, and government initiatives.
• Monitor and assess emerging policy developments in artificial intelligence, automation, data use, interoperability, privacy, cybersecurity, and healthcare technology, with particular focus on how these developments may affect Availity’s products, customers, owners, and strategic priorities.
• Assess potential impacts on operations, financial performance, and strategic objectives.
• Recommend organizational responses and mitigation strategies.

Leadership

• Lead and mentor government affairs professionals.
• Manage external lobbying firms and policy consultants.
• Oversee government relations budgets and advocacy initiatives.
• Establish performance metrics and evaluate advocacy effectiveness.
• Compliance and Ethics
• Ensure compliance with all applicable lobbying registration, reporting, and ethics regulations.
• Maintain accurate lobbying disclosures and required filings.
• Promote ethical advocacy practices consistent with organizational values.

Availity culture and benefits: 

• Availity is a certified “Great Place to Work”! Culture is important to us and there are many ways for you to make your mark here!
• We have several Culture teams, a Young Professionals Group, and various ways to engage with fellow Availity associates – if you’re near Jacksonville, we have lots of pop up lunches where lunch is provided for everyone when we can see meetings are taking place and we’ve got teams in the office. 
• Availity is a culture of continuous learning. We have many resources and experts in our tech stack and in our industry that can help get you there too!
• Don’t feel like wearing business attire? Cool, you can wear jeans – we are a casual place.
• We offer a competitive salary, bonus structure, generous HSA company contribution, healthcare, vision, dental benefits and a 401k match program that you can take advantage of on day one! 
• We offer unlimited PTO for salaried associates + 9 paid holidays. Hourly associates start at 19 days of PTO and go up from there with all the same holiday benefits. 
• Interested in wellness? We allow our associates to reimburse up to $250/year for gym memberships, participation in racing events, weight management programs, etc.
• Interested in furthering your education? We offer education reimbursement!
• Availity offers Paid Parental Leave for both moms and dads, both birth parents and adoptive parents. 
• Want to work for an organization that gives back to the community? You’re at the right place! Availity partners with various organizations, both locally and nationally, to raise awareness, funds and morale as our staff members volunteer their time and funds to engage the organizations campaign.

Next steps: 

After you apply, you will receive text/email messages thanking you for applying and then you will continue to receive more text/email messages alerting you as to where you are in the recruitment process. 

Video Camera Usage:

Availity fosters a collaborative and open culture where communication and engagement are central to our success.  As a remote first company, we are also camera-first and provide all associates with camera/video capability to simulate the office environment. If you are not able to use your camera for all virtual meetings, you should not apply for this role.

Having cameras on helps create a more connected, interactive, and productive environment, allowing teams to communicate more effectively and build stronger working relationships.  The usage of cameras also enhances security and protects sensitive company information. Video participation is required to ensure that only authorized personnel are present in meetings and to prevent unauthorized access, data breaches, preventing social engineering, or the sharing of confidential information with non-participants.

Disclaimers:

Availity is an equal opportunity employer and makes decisions in employment matters without regard to race, religious creed, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, national origin, religion, marital status, medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state, and local laws and ordinances.

Availity is a drug-free workplace. Candidates are required to pass a drug test before beginning employment.

NOTICE: Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States. When required by state law or federal regulation, Availity uses I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification in conjunction with E-Verify to determine employment eligibility. Learn more about E-Verify at http://www.dhs.gov/e-verify.

Click the links below to view Federal Employment Notices.

Family & Medical Leave Act  Equal Employment Law Poster  Pay Transparency  Employee Polygraph Protection Act  IER Right to Work Poster  Important Notice about Employee Rights to Organize and Bargain Collectively with Their Employers