Program 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.

Position Summary

Nava is at the forefront of reimagining how our government serves its people, and we’re looking for a Program Strategist to help us increase our impact within government.

You'll partner with Nava project teams and our governmental partners to quickly and creatively build digital services in alignment with evolving policy and regulations. A key aspect of your role will be to bridge the gap between statutory requirements and practical product design, ensuring our solutions are compliant and user-centric. You’ll translate complex policies into actionable insights for technologists, and conversely, communicate technological possibilities and limitations to policy and operations audiences. This dual understanding will be instrumental in transforming regulatory challenges into opportunities for improved service delivery and more effective government systems.

You’ll also work with Nava’s Partnerships and Evaluation team to identify promising and impactful opportunities to advocate for policy and systems changes that promote effective program implementations. You’ll identify new opportunities for impact, conduct program analysis and research, and track trends in technology and public service design.

You are a strategic and outcomes-oriented thinker, adept at identifying patterns across complex information and making thoughtful decisions that impact various teams, both internal and external. You possess excellent communication skills and balance rigorous analysis with a practical mindset to drive clear, high-quality decisions and forward progress. You have the ability to synthesize research of programs, policies, and government operational models 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 in analyzing public programs through qualitative and quantitative research to guide government implementation decisions and propose practical solutions

- An adaptive, empathetic, collaborative, and positive mindset

- Highly resourceful, reliable, and detail-oriented 

- Comfortable with ambiguous, rapidly-evolving environments with many parallel threads

• Perform in-depth analysis of federal and state statutes and regulations for benefit programs such as Medicaid, Paid Family Leave and WIC
• Analyze policies and regulations and translate findings into practical recommendations that inform product architecture, technical requirements, and delivery plans
• Produce clear, plain-language policy documentation that supports delivery teams in understanding policy and regulatory contexts to inform project choices
• Create artifacts, such as policy briefs and process flows, to support decision-making and prioritization 
• Deliver formal and informal written and oral presentations on policy information to diverse audiences
• Identify regulatory constraints early in project lifecycles and propose solutions that maintain compliance while supporting user-centered design
• Distinguish between policy mandates and operational or technical decisions influencing program processes
• Track legislation and policy reform efforts to help Nava identify risks, dependencies, stakeholders, and areas where we can make a positive impact

• At least 5 years of experience in policy analysis, or a combination of relevant graduate-level education and experience
• Hands-on experience analyzing, interpreting, or implementing Medicaid policies and programs
• Strong ability to build and nurture relationships with both internal teams and external partnersSelf-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 governmentAbility to document research processes, findings, and recommendations clearly, concisely, and in an organized manner

• Direct experience implementing government program policy and/or operational changes in the context of building  technology solutions
• Experience or familiarity working in agile project management environments and applying human-centered design principles
• Available to work during Pacific Standard Time (PST) business hours 
• Graduate degree in public policy, public administration, or related field

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 UnitedHealthcare’s virtual visit program

Sabbatical leave — earn extended paid 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, DC, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, 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. 

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Please contact the recruiting team at [email protected] if you would like to request 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.