Consultant I, Policy

About the Company

Avalere is a strategic advisory company whose core purpose is to create innovative solutions to complex healthcare problems. Based in Washington, DC, the firm delivers actionable insights, product solutions, and custom analytics for leaders in healthcare business and policy. Avalere’s experts span 230 staff drawn from Fortune 500 healthcare companies, the federal government (e.g., CMS, OMB, CBO and the Congress), top consultancies and nonprofits. The firm offers deep substance on the full range of healthcare business issues affecting the Fortune 500 healthcare companies. Avalere’s focus on strategy is supported by a rigorous, in-house analytic research group that uses public and private data to generate quantitative insight. Through events, publications and interactive programs, Avalere insights are accessible to a broad range of customers.

Avalere is part of a parent company Avalere Health, a purposefully built commercialization partner for the biopharmaceutical, medical technology, and wellness industries. Its 1,500+ experts combine their knowledge and expertise across our core disciplines—Consulting; Medical; Policy, Access, Value, and Evidence; Marketing; and Digital Experience and Technology—to create the connections that make better health happen. Visit www.avalere.com and follow Avalere Health on LinkedIn and Instagram.

About the Role

Avalere is seeking a Consultant I to join our Policy practice focused on federal legislative activity affecting health policy, including developments in key committees with jurisdiction over the healthcare policy sector. Other areas of focus may include the 340B drug pricing program, physician payment policy, implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and the impact of elections on healthcare priorities.

The Policy practice focuses on a broad range of issues including: Medicare Part D and the IRA, risk adjustment and payment modeling for Medicare Part D and Medicare Advantage, the 340B Drug Pricing Program, drug pricing reform, alternative payment models (e.g., CMS Enhanced Oncology Model, Accountable Care Organizations), PBM reform, vaccines, and state/federal policy developments.

What You Will Do

• Serve as a subject matter expert on the legislative and regulatory policymaking process, policy-related issues impacting the pharmaceutical/biotech and health insurance industries, and federal and state policy/regulatory developments. Expertise on other issues related to 340B, PBM reform, site-neutral payment are other anticipated areas of focus.
• Support and assist in managing project teams to help solve complex client problems and engage clients with novel solutions and ideas.
• Work with a portfolio of clients to identify and deliver on business opportunities and projects that dovetail with Avalere’s expertise and offerings.
• Engages with clients to help identify how Avalere can address their policy and business needs.
• Manage short- and long-term deliverables, to ensure that all of Avalere’s knowledge and expertise are leveraged to meet client needs.
• Solve complex client issues in a timely and appropriate manner with attention to resources and minimal management oversight.
• Contributes to defining the parameters of an engagement for a broad range of client projects involving diverse, cross-functional, cross-practice teams.

Bachelor’s degree in public policy, public health, public administration, business, law, or related fields; Master’s degree in public policy, healthcare management, public health, business administration or relevant discipline preferred and a minimum of 3-6 years’ of relevant work experience

• Strong communication skills (written and oral) including the ability to concisely explain complicated concepts to executives within and outside of the firm
• Strong Microsoft Office skills, including PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
• Government affairs knowledge and experience with legislative and regulatory policymaking.
• Strong understanding of government payers including Medicare Part D, Medicare Part B, Medicare Advantage, and Medicaid.
• Strong understanding of current legislative environment surrounding key health policy debates, including transparency, PBMs, 340B, and the IRA.

• Prior project management experience.
• Experience analyzing policy proposals, legislation, and/or regulation and conveying findings to clients and the public.
• Good understanding of policy issues impacting the healthcare sector, as well as how federal and state policy affects the industry.
• Capability to manage or provide guidance to junior staff.
• Experience rapidly digesting new regulations and legislative developments while communicating changes to others.
• Interpersonal skills that translate into positive relationships with colleagues and clients.
• Commitment to working in a team environment with an emphasis on collaboration and maintaining positive relationships with colleagues and clients.
• Problem-solving and analytic skills with the ability to apply knowledge outside of one’s immediate functional area.