Consultant

About the position

HealthBegins is seeking a Consultant to join our team in providing expert guidance and support at the intersection of healthcare policy and health equity. This full-time remote role offers the opportunity to shape impactful change in healthcare and social outcomes by addressing social determinants and promoting equity.

As a Consultant, you will join a passionate team dedicated to helping courageous leaders nationwide dismantle systemic barriers to health. With deep expertise in at least one focus area — such as Medicaid policy, access to food, housing, social care integration, maternal health, or program evaluation/planning — you will advance health equity through consulting, thought leadership, and collaborative partnerships.

This role is central to HealthBegins’ consulting practice and requires subject matter, consulting, and project management expertise along with leadership skills. The position will report directly to the Programs Director for Medicaid Strategies and Initiatives.

HealthBegins seeks to inspire and drive radical transformation in health equity by helping clients and partners to equitably and effectively integrate health and social care, address individual HRSN, improve community-wide social determinants of health, and dismantle deeper structural determinants of health inequity. You will join a dynamic and supportive work culture that uplifts team members with great benefits and values, supports the balance of work and family commitments, and promotes excellence and impact through team collaboration, continuous learning, diversity, equity, inclusion, and a sense of belonging.

Who will love this job:

• A mission-driven expert who thrives on advancing health equity through bold strategies.

• A skilled consultant who demonstrates agile problem-solving and analytical thinking.

• An experienced project manager who builds and manages projects to deliver value efficiently.

• A strategist who navigates complex policy and market landscapes with foresight and innovation.

• A communicator who can synthesize and articulate complex ideas clearly to influence decision-making.

What you’ll do:

Consulting and Client Service (75%):

• Serve as Project Lead on a portfolio of assigned client engagements, which can include overseeing the planning, execution, and delivery of assigned consulting projects; owning the client relationship; solving complex problems; providing expert advice and guidance; creating tailored solutions and quality deliverables for clients; communicating and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders; and working collaboratively with other colleagues and contractors to ensure that the project meets quality, budget, and timeline standards.

• Help develop and apply standardized consulting methodologies to solve complex problems for client partners with consistent and high-quality service delivery.

• Manage project timelines, budgets, and deliverables to meet both client expectations and firm standards.

• Serve in supporting roles (i.e., SME, facilitator, etc) on other client engagements where a colleague is the Project Lead.

• Share best practices and contribute to a culture of continuous improvement and learning.

• Work effectively with a diverse team of internal and contracted professionals.

• Represent, foster, and reinforce our culture and organizational values of Equity, Growth, and Joy & Hope.

Sales, Business Development, and Thought Leadership (10%):

• Support and advance business development efforts, client relationship management, and network building in defined practice areas and areas of expertise, which includes building and maintaining relationships with existing and potential clients; and prioritizing and building strategic partnerships

• Support sales processes, including proposal development, scoping, and pitching new engagements.

• Partner with colleagues to support and inform product and program development aligned with HealthBegins’ practice areas and strategic priorities.

• Coach and mentor colleagues and other consultants.

• Represent HealthBegins through speaking, writing, and thought leadership.

• Build and maintain professional networks in subject matter areas to generate opportunities and partnerships.

Business Operations, Resource Management, and Knowledge Management (15%):

• Apply best practices, expertise, and tools to build and adhere to standardized approaches to project management, resource planning and management, and knowledge management

• Ensure effective resource planning, budgeting, and operational execution of assigned projects.

• Partner with Program Directors and other senior leaders to support optimal resource planning and management and project staffing across the portfolio.

• Maintain, develop, and leverage knowledge management resources in subject matter areas.

• Contribute to refining and implementing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the consulting practice.

• Provide input into firmwide strategy and ensure portfolio alignment with HealthBegins’ mission and priorities.

You should have

• Bachelor’s or Master’s preferred in Public Health, Public Administration, Public Policy, or in a similar field,

• At least 7 years of experience leading and supporting major healthcare initiatives and managing diverse teams, with at least two (2) of those years in a consulting role supporting or guiding Medicaid-managed care plans, healthcare systems, and/or community-based social service providers to navigate and implement Medicaid transformation

• Deep understanding of the Medicaid policy environment at the state and federal level and how that policy impacts and can best be implemented by providers and partners on the ground.

• Experience planning and implementing health equity strategies, including strategies addressing social and structural drivers of health equity.

• Knowledge of policy at local, state, and federal levels in relevant areas, such as initiatives aimed at improving food access, nutrition education, and food system sustainability. Your understanding of Medicaid policy strengthens your ability to develop comprehensive solutions to address social determinants of health.

Technical skills include

• Expert proficiency in Microsoft 365 and Google Suite software.

• Excellent experience with databases and CRM software.

• Proficiency using platforms like Zoom, Slack, MS Teams, and Webex

• Knowledge and experience working with industry-leading project management methods, tools, and resources.

• Adept at managing department, project, and staff budgets, resources, and capacity; interpreting and using financial reports (including P&L reports); and can understand and communicate core financial management concepts to team members.

Physical requirements

• Work schedule that provides substantial overlap with Pacific Time business hours

• Will provide reasonable accommodations to support candidates to work remotely and to

support physical ability

• Ability and willingness to travel up to 20% of the time, inclusive of company retreats or team conferences

Don’t meet every requirement?

Even if you don’t meet all requirements, we still want to hear from you! Research shows that women, non-binary applicants, and people of color often hesitate to apply unless they check off every box. HealthBegins strives to maintain a diverse and inclusive workforce through recruitment, retention, and promotion policies. We strongly encourage applications from individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and identities as well as those who have been directly impacted by the social needs and systemic barriers we seek to address.

HealthBegins believes that all persons are entitled to equal employment opportunities and does not discriminate against its employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, or medical condition.

Why work at HealthBegins

HealthBegins is a mission-driven consultancy firm that drives radical transformation in health by helping Medicaid-managed care plans, health systems, and social sector clients advance health equity and improve the social and structural drivers that put patients and communities in harm’s way. Better health for all begins with equity. Learn more here.

The compensation package for this position includes a salary range of $80,000 - $105,000 commensurate with experience plus an annual bonus awarded based on individual and team performance. We also provide great benefits that value and support you as you balance work and family commitments.

How to apply

In order to apply, you must be authorized to work in the United States. Submit your cover letter, writing sample and resume to talent@healthbegins.org. We will not accept candidates without a cover letter, writing sample and resume.

This is a primarily remote position with some requirements for in-person meetings and travel, and preference will be given to qualified candidates based in California.