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Assistant Director, Science and Health Policy

Employer
American Association for Cancer Research
Location
Washington D.C.
Start date
Aug 13, 2019

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Overview

Under the leadership of the AACR Director, Science and Health Policy, the Assistant Director, Science and Health Policy, will provide specialized expertise and support to AACR leaders, including the Science Policy and Government Affairs Committee, its relevant subcommittees, and the broader advocacy community on science and health policy issues and activities to further the goals of the AACR’s Strategic Plan and policy priorities.

The Assistant Director, Science and Health Policy, plays a significant role in the success of AACR’s work in this important area and guides AACR science and health policy activities to a productive conclusion. Such activities are designed to create and strengthen the dialogue between policymakers, scientists, and advocates, as well as support policies to advance cancer research and improve patient care and public health. This person provides specialized expertise and support on science and health policy issues that are important to AACR leadership.  He/she takes initiative, has excellent written and oral communication skills, and has experience in project management, committee management, and consensus building. Responsibilities include monitoring, researching, and analyzing science and health policy initiatives in AACR priority areas; developing policy statements; compiling background information; attending and summarizing policy meetings and events; supporting science and health policy-related committees; partnering and collaborating with outside entities; and providing support to the Director, Science and Health Policy, on a wide array of tasks and assignments.

The Assistant Director, Science and Health Policy, is expected to work on a number of science and health policy issues, identify opportunities to disseminate the information to a broader audience, and collaborate with many of our external partners in the cancer research advocacy community.  The Assistant Director, Science and Health Policy, will also work collaboratively with others in the AACR D.C. office, including the Director, Regulatory Science and Policy, the Director, Government Affairs and Advocacy, and the Director, Strategic Patient Advocacy and Engagement, particularly on the numerous policy issues that are crosscutting and currently being addressed by many of them.  The list of issues and activities includes, but is not limited to, the following:
  
•Advancing science and health policy measures that will accelerate discoveries into cures through a variety of innovative initiatives, including enhancing biomarker discovery, supporting innovative translational and clinical research proposals, increasing the number of patients participating in clinical trials, and facilitating clinical data sharing among multiple stakeholders while balancing patient privacy, etc.;

•Formulating forward-thinking policy recommendations/policy statements/white papers for policy makers on Capitol Hill and within federal agencies, most specifically in regard to the NIH, FDA, and CDC on particularly important science and health policy-related topics, such as the domestic and global burden of pathogen-related cancers, the science of survivorship, cancer health disparities, and patient participation in clinical trials, among other possible topics;

•Advocating for and implementing cancer prevention and other public health-related policies to advance public health, such as vaccination for pathogen-related cancers, improved cancer screening and early detection, and using evidence-based measures to ameliorate cancer health disparities;

•Advocating for and implementing innovative policy changes that improve the care that cancer survivors receive from diagnosis onward;

•Working in collaboration with others in the AACR D.C. office to ensure the rapid implementation of research discoveries to improved patient care through a learning health care system and integrated health information technology systems;

•Working on broader policy issues such as nurturing a strong cancer workforce for the future, and decreasing the global burden of cancer

•Responding to “requests for comments” from federal agencies, most especially NIH, FDA, and CDC, on science and health policy issues that are important to the AACR membership;

•Playing a leading role in innovative initiatives that advocate for federal funding for cancer research and biomedical science, such as the annual AACR Cancer Progress Report, as well as one-pagers and letters to Capitol Hill;

•Ensuring that the innovative AACR advocacy materials that are developed are shared and disseminated widely and effectively through various venues and means, such as at Congressional briefings and hearings, special meetings on Capitol Hill, and at AACR conferences;

•Supporting an innovative science and health policy track at the AACR Annual Meeting, as well as special science and health policy sessions at other selected AACR conferences; and

•Working collaboratively with the broader cancer research and medical science community on many of the science and health policy-related issues that are of a high priority for the AACR.

Responsibilities 

•Be proactive in identifying science and health policy areas of importance and conduct policy analysis and development in relation to these issues.

•Staff the Health Policy Subcommitee and support the Science Policy and Government Affairs Committee, including soliciting input on policy issues, coordinating meetings and teleconferences, providing background materials and draft reports, and executing action plans.

•Draft issue briefs, policy statements, white papers, Congressional testimonies, organizational letters, responses to requests for comments from federal agencies, and other communications on behalf of AACR leaders.

•Monitor, analyze, and assess legislation as it pertains to priority science and health policy issues.

•Contribute policy articles for AACR’s monthly policy newsletter and the annual AACR Cancer Progress Report to help inform AACR members, cancer organizations, targeted individuals, and other groups.

•Help shape special sessions and briefings to educate Members of Congress and their staffs about important pending legislation and issues affecting cancer research.

•Develop and maintain strong working relationships with the policy staffs of other relevant organizations and coalitions.

•Attend and report on relevant scientific and science and health policy meetings and conferences.

•Provide support to the Director, Science and Health Policy on a wide array of policy initiatives and assignments.

•Perform the essential functions of the position and other related duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

•Master’s degree in science, health or policy required; Ph.D., M.D., or other doctoral degree in a science or health-related field strongly preferred.

•Five or more years of relevant experience in a science and/or health policy-related environment.

•An expertise and a working knowledge and keen understanding of cancer research and biomedical related science, as well as an expert understanding of various areas of science and health policy.

•Proven accomplishments in implementing complex policy projects.

•Superb written and oral communication skills.

•Excellent interpersonal skills.

•High degree of judgment and insight.

•A self-starter with creativity and initiative.

•Demonstrated problem-solving and decision-making abilities.

•Knowledge of government policies and procedures and the political process.

•Strong strategic thinker and someone who has shown an ability to carry through to completion an initiative and/or project.

•A demonstrated ability to analyze complex political and policy issues, build evidence based arguments for policy proposals to AACR approval bodies, and bring conflicting points of view to consensus.

•Ability to multi-task and work under rapidly developing deadlines and priorities.

•Ability to effectively communicate the progress and future needs of cancer research to various constituencies.

•PC, word processing, presentation, spreadsheet, and database programs.

Equal Opportunity Employer

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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