Policy Strategist

About Nava

Nava is a consultancy and public benefit corporation working to make government services simple and effective. Since 2015, federal, state, and local agencies have trusted Nava to help solve highly scrutinized technology modernization challenges. As a client services company, we guide agencies constrained by legacy systems to a future with sharp user experiences built on secure, reliable, fault-tolerant cloud infrastructure. We bill for our time, offering our expertise and problem-solving approach to help our government partners enhance their digital products and services. People are at the heart of our work, from members of the public who rely on benefit programs to government agency staff. Through human-centered design and modern engineering best practices, we help our government partners understand user needs and deliver on their missions more effectively. This focus gives everyone at Nava the opportunity to do work that is meaningful, impactful, and deeply connected to public good.

Please note: the level of the role will be determined by Nava leadership based on experience and skillset.

Position Summary

Nava is at the forefront of reimagining how our government serves its people, and we’re looking for a Policy Strategist to help us increase our impact within government. Policy Strategists at Nava help teams navigate complex policy environments by turning policy into decisions, tradeoffs, and actionable direction. We work across disciplines—including product, design, and engineering—to ensure systems are compliant, effective, and grounded in real-world policy and program operations. For this position, you will support an integrated eligibility platform, with work spanning application intake, notices, eligibility decisions, and case management.

You bring experience analyzing Medicaid policy and can translate that analysis into practical recommendations. You can independently research federal and state requirements, explain what is required and where choices exist, and help colleagues decide how to proceed. You are comfortable identifying needed policy work and agreeing on priorities with a team that may not have worked with a policy strategist before. You have the ability to develop research plans, and synthesize analyses into concrete recommendations that positively impact service experience outcomes. You stay up to date about technology, legislation, and policy trends, and care deeply about improving the way government programs operate.

What we're looking for:

Skilled at interpreting policy and using the findings to improve program processes, operations, or technology

An adaptive, empathetic, collaborative, and positive mindset

Highly resourceful, reliable, and detail-oriented

Comfortable identifying policy questions, proposing an approach, and making progress when the work is not fully defined

What you’ll do

Policy Translation & Implementation

Partner with cross-functional teams to translate policy into system behavior, workflows, and user experiences

Identify regulatory constraints, risks, and ambiguities — including edge cases, eligibility requirements, and business rules — and propose solutions that balance compliance, user experience, and delivery needs

Create artifacts (e.g., policy briefs, decision frameworks, process flows) to support decision-making and prioritization

Support testing and validation of policy implementation (e.g., scenario and edge case testing)

Research, Strategy & Advocacy

Conduct landscape and cross-jurisdictional research to monitor evolving policies and translate them into implications for implementation, technology, and engagement opportunities

Synthesize research into clear written and verbal communication for a range of different internal and external audiences

Build relationships with external partners to exchange implementation lessons, develop joint work, and create opportunities to share Nava’s policy expertise

Contribute to advocacy strategy development and execution

Required skills

At least 3 years of experience in policy analysis, or a combination of relevant graduate-level education and experience

Hands-on experience independently researching and interpreting policy using statutes, regulations, or authoritative agency guidance, and applying that analysis to program or implementation decisions

Strong ability to build and nurture relationships with both internal teams and external partners

Self-directed and comfortable working independently with minimal supervision

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including technical and policy contexts

Understanding of public programs, ideally at multiple levels of government

Ability to document research processes, findings, and recommendations clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner

Desired skills

Experience with Medicaid eligibility and enrollment policy, such as applications, verification, renewals, eligibility decisions, notices, or appeals

Experience with integrated eligibility systems or coordinating requirements across public benefit programs

Experience working within agile delivery and human-centered design processes (sprint ceremonies, design reviews, user research)

Experience working on government technology modernization, civic tech, or large-scale systems change

Graduate degree in public policy, public administration, or related field

Available to work regular business hours Pacific Standard Time

This position is represented by Nava United

Compensation$109,800—$121,500 USD

Other requirements

All roles at Nava require the following: Legal authorization to work in the United States Ability to meet any other requirements for government contracts for which candidates are hired Work authorization that doesn’t require visa sponsorship, now or in the future May be subject to a government background check or security clearance, depending on the contract

Perks working with Nava

Health coverage — comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans to support your overall health needs Insurance coverage — Nava provides disability, life, and accidental death insurance at no cost Time off — vacation, holidays (including Juneteenth), and floating holidays to rest and recharge Company holidays — enjoy 12 paid federal holidays each year on top of your regular PTO Annual bonus — when Nava meets its goals, eligible employees receive a performance-based annual bonus Parental leave — paid time off for new parents, plus weekly meals delivered to your home Wellness program — full platform offering physical, mental, & emotional health resources & support tools Virtual care — see doctors online with no copay through a virtual visit program (depending on available providers) Sabbatical leave — earn extended unpaid leave after continuous service for personal growth or rest 401(k) match — Nava matches 4% of your salary to support your retirement savings plan Flexible work — remote-first environment with flexibility built around your schedule and responsibilities Home office setup — company laptop & setup assistance provided via Staples for remote work needs Utility support — monthly reimbursement to help offset eligible home office utility expenses Learning opportunities — internal training programs and resources to help grow your professional skills Development opportunities — LinkedIn Learning access & an annual allowance for courses, tuition, & certs Referral bonus — get rewarded when you refer great people who join the Nava team Commuter benefits — pre-tax commuter programs to support in-office travel when applicable Supportive culture — A collaborative and remote-friendly team environment where people genuinely care

Location

We have fully remote options if you reside in one of the following states: Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, DC, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin *If you are not living in one of the states listed above, unfortunately, you will not be considered for a position at this time.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our newsletter to find out about career opportunities, new partnerships, and news from the broader civic tech community. Please contact the recruiting team at recruiting@navapbc.com if you would like to request any form of reasonable accommodation during the application or interviewing process. We participate in E-Verify. Upon hire, we will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. This role requires you to work from the contiguous United States.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Nava is committed to providing equal employment opportunities without discrimination or harassment on the basis of race, gender and/or gender identity or expression, color, creed, religion, religious creed, age, national origin, ethnicity, disability, veteran or military status, sex, sexual orientation, reproductive health autonomy, pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy or childbirth, genetic information, domestic violence victim status, marital status, citizenship status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Nava prohibits any such discrimination or harassment. This policy applies to all employees, applicants, contractors, and temporary workers of Nava.