Principal State Director, LA County

Findhelp

$140K — $175K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred (MPA, MBA, Public Policy, Health Administration).
  • 12+ years of executive-level experience in state government or leading major government initiatives.
  • Demonstrated history of influencing policy and securing complex partnerships.
  • Exceptional ability to build trust and influence among high-level government and commercial leaders.
  • Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
  • Superior negotiation and communication skills, particularly for executive audiences.
  • Experience in leading and developing high-performing teams.

Responsibilities

  • Define and execute strategic vision for engagement in assigned states, aligning with government priorities.
  • Establish and deepen relationships with high-level government officials and commercial executives.
  • Oversee delivery of large-scale projects that drive social services change and impact.
  • Identify and capitalize on complex market opportunities and potential new segments.
  • Represent findhelp as a thought leader in forums, conferences, and legislative hearings.
  • Provide executive leadership, direction, and mentorship to senior staff, fostering a culture of excellence.
  • Identify and mitigate political, operational, and financial risks across projects.

Benefits

  • 401k with equity grants.
  • Free food and onsite gym at Austin HQ.
  • Paid parental leave.
  • Competitive PTO with 10 paid holidays.
  • 100% company-paid Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance for employee-only coverage.
  • Dog-friendly office in Austin HQ.
  • 24/7 access to telemedicine and counseling services.
  • Book purchasing program.
Full Job Description
Job Overview:

We're seeking an exceptionally distinguished and visionary Principal State Director to shape and execute findhelp's long-term government, commercial, and partnership strategy within a critical state or across multiple high-impact states. Serving as the single accountable executive for California you will act as the primary authorized representative for contract administration, strategic vision, and high-level government relations. You'll be a trusted advisor to top-tier government and commercial clients, driving transformative adoption and market expansion of findhelp's network and platform offerings. This role requires unparalleled expertise, influencing policy, and potentially overseeing a portfolio of states or high-visibility initiatives.

This is a high-impact, individual contributor role that drives outcomes through cross-functional influence across remote, non-LA based implementation teams, rather than through direct line management.

Responsibilities and Duties:

  • Define, champion, and execute the overarching strategic vision for findhelp's engagement in assigned state(s), identifying and cultivating multi-year opportunities that align with government priorities and national trends. Influence policy and funding decisions at the highest levels.
  • Establish, maintain, and significantly deepen relationships with Governors' offices, Agency Secretaries, Chief Information Officers, and other C-suite level executives within state government and major commercial partners. Serve as a primary point of contact for critical escalations and strategic discussions.
  • Architect and oversee the delivery of groundbreaking, large-scale projects that drive systemic change and demonstrate profound, measurable impact on social services Lead highly complex cross-agency and cross-departmental initiatives, serving as the central orchestrator among diverse internal teams (Product, Engineering, Legal, Marketing) and external stakeholders to navigate intricate political landscapes and achieve unprecedented outcomes.
  • Identify, evaluate, and capitalize on highly complex and nascent market opportunities, potentially leading efforts to enter new segments or develop innovative solutions that address emergent state needs.
  • Represent findhelp as a preeminent thought leader at national and state-level forums, conferences, and legislative hearings, actively shaping industry dialogue, advocating for best practices, and promoting findhelp's unique value proposition.
  • Provide executive leadership, strategic direction, and mentorship to a team that may include State Directors, Associate State Directors, and other senior delivery personnel, fostering a culture of excellence, innovation, and accountability. May be responsible for talent acquisition and performance management of senior staff.
  • Proactively identify, assess, and strategically mitigate high-level political, operational, and financial risks across an entire state or portfolio of projects, developing robust contingency plans.
  • Hold ultimate accountability for achieving and exceeding ambitious revenue targets, adoption metrics, and the overall success and positive impact of findhelp's initiatives within the assigned state(s).

Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred (e.g., MPA, MBA, Public Policy, Health Administration).
  • 12+ years of executive-level experience with a significant portion in state government leadership (e.g., Cabinet Secretary, Agency Director, Chief of Staff), or a proven track record of leading major, multi-agency government delivery initiatives for a large enterprise.
  • Demonstrated history of influencing policy, driving legislative change, or securing large-scale, complex government contracts/partnerships.
  • Unparalleled ability to build and maintain trust and influence at the highest levels of government and within large commercial enterprises.
  • Exceptional strategic thinking, complex problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to navigate ambiguous situations and create clarity.
  • Superior negotiation, public speaking, and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex strategies to diverse executive audiences.
  • Proven experience in leading, mentoring, and developing high-performing senior teams.
  • Deep understanding of government procurement processes, budget cycles, and regulatory environments across multiple agencies or states.
  • Deep expertise in managing the implementation lifecycle for large-scale, multi-agency SaaS solutions, with a proven ability to guide clients on the critical distinction between software configuration and customization.
  • Strong working knowledge of California's social care and health ecosystem, including programs for unhoused individuals (CoC/HMIS), CalAIM, and DxF.


We value being together : We believe being together enables stronger relationships, collaboration, and culture.

This position is 5 days in-office and candidates must be located in Los Angeles, CA.

Perks at Findhelp

401k & equity grants

Free food and onsite gym at our Austin HQ

Paid parental leave

Competitive PTO & 10 paid holidays

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance with 100% company-paid coverage for employee only coverage

Dog-friendly office in Austin HQ

24/7 access to telemedicine and counseling

Book Purchasing Program


The pay range for this role is:

140,000 - 175,000 USD per year (Los Angeles, CA)

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