ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization whose purpose is to ignite human potential to build understanding and create new possibilities for a better world. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve society’s greatest challenges. It is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, as well as an international network of partners.

HEALTH, MEDICINE, & SOCIETY

The Health, Medicine & Society (HMS) Program serves as an umbrella for some of the Institute's most consequential health-focused initiatives — including Aspen Ideas: Health, the Aspen Health Strategy Group, the NeuroArts Blueprint, Science & Society, and AFFIRM — which together confront the most significant health challenges facing the United States in the 21st century. HMS brings together influential groups of thought leaders, decisionmakers, and the informed public through research, convenings, and publications that span timely topics from maternal health and the opioid epidemic to health systems financing, firearms injury, and the role of arts and science in health. A rigorously nonpartisan program, HMS is grounded in evidence-based medicine and science and the power of truth.

HMS COMPETENCIES

All members of the HMS team are expected to demonstrate the following competencies:

• Content knowledge and expertise in HMS's substantive areas and the broader U.S. and global health landscape
• Communication, both internal and external, that engages staff, partners, funders, and the public in advancing HMS's mission
• Strategic analysis and synthesis to identify opportunities, connect disparate threads across the portfolio, and drive coherent impact
• Fundraising and financial stewardship to generate and wisely deploy resources in support of HMS's work
• Initiative and problem-solving to turn challenges into opportunities and remove barriers to progress
• Commitment to a healthy team culture that makes HMS an excellent, equitable, and sustainable place to work

ABOUT THIS ROLE

The Managing Director of Health, Medicine & Society serves as a senior operational and strategic leader within the program, working in close partnership with the Executive Director to advance HMS's mission, strengthen cross-initiative cohesion, and drive programmatic excellence and impact. The Managing Director holds primary responsibility for day-to-day program operations, team leadership and development, and integrated strategy across the HMS portfolio. The role also carries meaningful external responsibilities, including representing HMS in key stakeholder relationships, contributing to fundraising and funder stewardship, and serving as a thought partner on substantive health policy and strategy questions.

The Managing Director must bring deep familiarity with the U.S. health policy and philanthropy landscape, strong organizational and operational instincts, and the ability to lead and motivate a talented, mission-driven team. This is a role for a leader who can hold both the big picture and the details — someone who is equally comfortable shaping a strategy document, supporting a funder conversation, and solving an operational problem.

This role reports directly to the Executive Director. The salary range for this position is $200,000 - $235,000. In accordance with our Reimagining Work policy, the Managing Director should be willing to be in-person with colleagues a minimum of 40% of the time while having the flexibility to work remotely for the balance.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Strategic and Programmatic Leadership

• 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.

Fundraising and External Relations

• 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.

Convening and Knowledge Development

• Collaborate with the Executive Director and program staff to design and deliver HMS's major convenings.
• Contribute to and help steward HMS's role as a trusted, nonpartisan convener of diverse health leaders and stakeholders.
• Develop and edit materials including convening agendas, briefing documents, talking points, web content, and executive communications, a needed.
• Contribute to team knowledge development and continuous improvement by sharing resources, synthesizing lessons, and modeling reflective practice.

KNOWLEDGE, EDUCATION, AND EXPERIENCE

• 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).

HMS COMPETENCIES

All members of the HMS team are expected to demonstrate the following competencies:

• Content knowledge and expertise in HMS's substantive areas and the broader U.S. and global health landscape
• Communication, both internal and external, that engages staff, partners, funders, and the public in advancing HMS's mission
• Strategic analysis and synthesis to identify opportunities, connect disparate threads across the portfolio, and drive coherent impact
• Fundraising and financial stewardship to generate and wisely deploy resources in support of HMS's work
• Initiative and problem-solving to turn challenges into opportunities and remove barriers to progress
• Commitment to a healthy team culture that makes HMS an excellent, equitable, and sustainable place to work

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

The Aspen Institute welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs, including the interview process. If you would like to request accommodations or hav questions about accessibility, please email hrsupport@aspeninstitute.org or call 202-736-2127 in advance of your visit. Requests for ASL or CART services should be made at least two weeks in advance when possible. We will make every effort to fulfill requests, subject to availability.