Population Health Partnership Director

Job Title: Population Health Partnership Director

Location: Open to candidates nationwide; preference for candidates in Missouri, Minnesota, or Texas to align with partnership territory

Reports to: Senior Director, Population Health Programs

Travel: Minimal (1 to 2 conferences or in-person partner meetings per year)

The National Kidney Foundation (NKF) has a long and distinguished history of providing groundbreaking programs and services that have advanced care and improved the lives of millions of people with kidney disease. 

NKF’s Mission is what we do, our Values are how we do it:

• Accountability- Earn and Keep Trust
• Collaboration-Work as a team
• Communication- Empower with information
• Community-Build stronger community
• Compassion- Lead with care and respect
• Impact-Focus on the mission

Your Voice Matters: https://www.kidney.org/about/diversity-equity-inclusion 

What You'll Do

General Summary

The Population Health Partnership Director is a subject-matter expert and external collaborator for advancing kidney care quality at the system level. You will build and steward partnerships with health systems, payers, public health agencies, and community organizations to improve outcomes and equity for the 35+ million Americans living with chronic kidney disease.

This role sits at the intersection of strategy, clinical expertise, and business development. You will help open doors with senior healthcare and government leaders, designing programs that deliver measurable clinical impact, and coaching NKF's national and field teams to do the same.

Build and steward strategic partnerships

• Identify and pursue high-impact partnership opportunities with health systems, health plans, state public health departments, and community-based organizations
• Engage C-suite and senior clinical leaders to make the case for kidney disease as a strategic priority—clinically, financially, and through the lens of health equity
• Serve as external face on population health strategy with sophisticated healthcare audiences

Design and deliver population health programs

• Lead design, implementation, and evaluation of CKD intercept (NKF's flagship CKD detection and management initiative) and adjacent population health work in your assigned regions
• Use claims data, health needs assessments, and other public health data to identify priority partners and measure program impact using clinical quality measures and sound statistical methods
• Partner with NKF national and field teams to develop funding proposals, including government and foundation grants
• Lead quality assurance for deployed programs and communicate outcomes, internally and with external partners

Build organizational capacity

• Advise field office leaders and national colleagues on population health principles, healthcare business development, and engagement with physician executives
• Translate complex clinical and statistical findings for non-technical audiences, including donors, community partners, and internal teams

WHAT YOU’LL POSSESS

Required Qualifications

• Master's degree in public health, health policy, a clinical or health sciences field or equivalent professional experience.
• 5+ years building partnerships or programs across health systems, payers, public health agencies, or population health organizations.
• Working fluency with healthcare data (claims, outcomes measurement, quality improvement frameworks) and the ability to communicate findings up and out.
• Strong grounding in health equity, social determinants of health, and evidence-based approaches to closing disparities.
• Demonstrated ability to earn the trust and confidence of senior clinical and executive stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, with a track record of translating between technical and lay audiences.
• Self-directed operator comfortable in a national, remote, matrixed environment

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in primary care, integrated delivery systems, or value-based care environments
• Prior success developing grant proposals with federal, state, or foundation funders
• Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) credential
• Bilingual English/Spanish

COMPETENCIES

• Accountability: Establishes organizational accountability, driving performance across all levels
• Collaboration: Leads collaborative efforts across the organization, bi-directionally, ensuring that departments work together to achieve strategic objectives. Actively builds partnerships with external stakeholders to advance mission
• Cultural Humility: Promotes cultural humility across departments, ensuring that programs, policies, and services reflect a deep understanding of and respect for cultural diversity
• Data-Driven Decision Making & Results Orientation: Leverages accurate, comprehensive data analytics to guide strategic planning and decision-making. Sets high-impact targets and ensures the organization delivers on strategic commitments
• Financial Acumen: Leads strategic financial planning, driving revenue diversification and long-term sustainability
• Operational Excellence: Leads or delivers on large-scale operational changes to elevate organizational performance
• Patient and Community-Centered Focus: Drives efforts to enhance the impact of programs for patients, living donors, and care partners. Champions initiatives that promote equitable access to care and ensure that the community is well-supported through education, services, and outreach
• Resource Stewardship: Strategically manages Kidney Walk resources to align with and maximize growth opportunities
• Stakeholder Engagement: Shapes and directs a broad spectrum of strategic stakeholders to aid in influencing policy and advancing NKF’s impact
• Innovation: Champions strategic innovations that position Kidney Walk as a leader in the Peer-to-Peer space. Ensures Walk program process optimization, aligning with strategic goals

WORKING CONDITIONS, EQUIPMENT USED AND SPECIAL INFORMATION

Must have unimpeachable integrity and trustworthiness while possessing a high degree of tact, discretion, and professionalism. Verbal and written communication skills will be used daily. Maintain effectiveness under pressure. Proficiency in standard office technology and equipment is required. Ability to lift and transport equipment weighing up to 25 lbs. Flexible to work evenings and weekends as needed. Available for overnight business travel with approximately 5-10 trips per year. Must have a valid driver’s license and reliable transportation.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

At the National Kidney Foundation diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity applies to both our Equal opportunity employer-vets/disabled. NKF is a merit-based employer.

DISCLAIMER

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be considered an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

**The salary band listed reflects the range for this position. Actual compensation will be determined based on the selected candidate’s experience, qualifications, and other relevant factors.