Jobs

Policy Specialist/Policy Analyst* for Health Reform Studies
(Job #495040)

*Position title will be determined based upon the candidate’s qualifications.

Job Description

The Hilltop Institute at UMBC is seeking a Policy Specialist or Policy Analyst to join its Health Reform Studies team. Hilltop conducts research and policy analysis to support health care financing and delivery system reform in Maryland and other states. With access to an extensive onsite data repository that includes Medicaid and Medicare administrative data, hospital discharge data, nursing home assessment data, and all-payer claims data, Hilltop conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis to inform health care payment, program design, monitoring, and evaluation. Widely recognized for its expertise in Medicaid, Hilltop is at the forefront of national efforts to find data-driven solutions to complex problems facing state policymakers as publicly funded health care systems transition to new models that reward quality and value over volume.

Hilltop seeks professionals with exceptional quantitative research skills, a keen interest in federal and state health policy, and a passion for advancing the health and wellbeing of people and communities. The incumbent will work under the guidance of the Director of Health Reform Studies. The team works with the Medicaid program, the Maryland Health Services Cost Review Commission, the Maryland Health Care Commission, the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, and other state agencies.

Responsibilities

The Policy Specialist/Policy Analyst will participate in policy research and quantitative analysis aimed at improving access to and the quality of health care services for people and communities. Most projects will focus on populations served by the Maryland Medicaid program, Maryland hospitals, and other Maryland state agencies, but occasional work is also performed with other states and research grants.

The successful candidate will perform tasks such as:

  • Analyzing large data sets collected from Medicaid, Medicare, and commercial insurers; hospital community benefit reports; hospital debt collection and financial assistance reports; and/or hospital discharge abstracts using SAS, Excel, or other statistical packages
  • Producing descriptive statistics on program enrollment, utilization, and costs of services for particular Medicaid populations, provider participation, and quality of care measures
  • Participating in multi-disciplinary project teams that may include SAS programmers and policy analysts, as well as researchers or policy analysts from other organizations
  • Conducting literature searches on programs in other states, medical and public health topics, or other aspects of health services research and policy
  • Coordinating data collection from hospitals, providers, and/or stakeholder surveys, interviews, or data tabulations received from managed care organizations, other types of provider groups, or external researchers
  • Writing brief reports, memoranda, meeting minutes, and/or Power Point presentations
  • Assisting in preparing research and analysis for publication in peer-reviewed journals
  • Making presentations to public and professional audiences
  • Participating in internal and external meetings
  • Performing other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

Policy Specialist

Requires a bachelor’s degree in health services research, statistics, quantitative methods, economics, health law, public health, or a related discipline.

Must be proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and have strong analytical and communications skills (both verbal and written).

Policy Analyst

Requires a master’s degree in health services research, public health, public policy/administration, health law, economics, or a related discipline, and at least one year of relevant experience.

A bachelor’s degree in health services research, public health, public policy/administration, economics, or a related field and three years of experience with exposure to health services research, public health administration, and/or policy analysis may be substituted for the master’s degree and required experience.

Must be proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint and have strong analytical and communications skills (both verbal and written).

Desired Qualifications

The ideal candidate will possess the following professional and interpersonal competencies: experience in conducting health policy research; a strong interest in conducting research with large data sets; skills in analyzing data with statistical software such as Excel, SAS, STATA, R, or other statistical software packages; an understanding of publicly funded health insurance programs such as Medicare and Medicaid; knowledge of the Affordable Care Act, well-honed problem-solving skills; ability to communicate orally and in writing to diverse audiences; ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams and be flexible in a fast-paced environment; and excellent interpersonal skills.

Personnel Status: Exempt, full-time, grant-funded (Note: This position is grant-funded, wherein employment is contingent upon the renewal of the grant). Salary: Policy Specialist – $50,000 to $63,000; Policy Analyst – $68,000 to $80,000 depending on qualifications and experience. The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. The above salary range represents the University’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Application

For best consideration, submit a cover letter (indicating Job #495040), resume, and contact information for three professional references. Position is open until filled.

https://listings.umbc.edu/cw/en-us/job/495040/policy-specialistpolicy-analyst

As required by the 1986 Immigration Act, be prepared to present acceptable documentation upon hire showing your identity and that you are a U.S. citizen or an alien who is authorized to work.

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Please visit our web page at http://www.umbc.edu/hr for additional employment opportunities.

September 16, 2025