Sr. Strategic Advisor, Policy Development & Implementation (Sightline)

Johns Hopkins Sightline Unleash Your Impact

The Johns Hopkins Sightline Business Modernization Project is more than just a job - it's a mission. We're tearing down walls to unleash the full potential of our people. Baltimore, ranked a top 2024 destination by the New York Times, is your backdrop as you join a dynamic and entrepreneurial team to reimagine the way Johns Hopkins works. We're not just simplifying processes and transforming technology - we're empowering people to focus on what matters most: research, teaching, patient care and community impact.

Does this sound like you?

Thrive in fast-paced environments with daily new challenges and opportunities.
Are passionate about simplifying complex systems to change people’s lives.
Believe in transformation that empowers, not hinders, the front-line people.
Have experience in process improvement, technology implementation, or project management.
Enjoy analytical thinking and problem solving.
Communicate clearly with a team.
Possess a desire to grow and learn.

Joining Sightline means you’ll

Work with cutting-edge technology.
Join a collaborative team of experts in higher education and healthcare.
Build new skills with a team that encourages creativity, innovation, and personal growth.
Gain valuable experience and expertise in process improvement, technology implementation, and change management.
Enjoy a competitive salary and benefits package that includes health insurance, retirement savings plans, telework options, and generous paid time off.

Become an architect of change and help shape the future of Johns Hopkins University and Medicine alongside a passionate team in Baltimore's vibrant hub.

Sightline is a multi-year initiative that leverages a cross-disciplinary, inter-entity team and hundreds of stakeholders in selecting and implementing the next ERP software platform for the Johns Hopkins enterprise, enabling broader operational transformation and the reduction of administrative barriers to mission critical work.

Sightline’s scope includes changes in business processes, policies and other operating considerations that will make administrative actions -such as purchasing supplies and services, managing grant budgets, creating financial reports, and hiring and recruiting- simpler, streamlined, and more standardized throughout the enterprise.

The Sightline program will be focused on business transformation, change management and communications as it relates to changes in technology, policy, and process redesign and will invest in enabling this change through a dedicated team that will work across the University and Health System.

We are seeking a Sr. Strategic Advisor, Policy Development & Implementation to be an integral member of the Business Transformation Team. This position will report to the AVP for Finance & Administration Transformation.

As part of the University’s transformation efforts, the Sr. Strategic Advisor for Policy Development and Implementation is responsible for leading the development and management of a cohesive, transparent, and responsive policy framework in alignment with the institution’s evolving operating model for administrative services, regulatory obligations, and Workday implementation.

The Sr. Strategic Advisor serves as a collaborative partner across administrative, academic, HR, finance, and operational areas. This role is instrumental in promoting consistency, fairness, and accountability in institutional policy design and implementation. The Sr. Strategic Advisor works closely with a broad range of university stakeholders—including legal, compliance, HR, finance, operations, data governance, procurement, and IT—to ensure a holistic and sustainable approach to policy management.

The Sr. Strategic Advisor will assure that the Sightline Business Transformation policy deliverables and milestones are on-time, adhere to high quality standards, and meet the needs of Sightline’s stakeholders. This role will be responsible for coordinating project plans, team and work assignments, guiding, and monitoring work efforts daily, identifying resource needs, performing quality review, and escalating functional, quality and timeline issues appropriately.

Candidates will have experience presenting to executives, end-users (faculty, students, and staff), and subject-matter experts. Candidates must possess excellent negotiation, facilitation, consensus-building, and diplomacy skills and will exhibit a strong customer service orientation. This individual will serve as a knowledgeable liaison between the project’s diverse communities- functional, technical, and change management oriented.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Policy Development & Management

Draft, review, and update institutional policies and procedures.
Lead a structured policy lifecycle, including stakeholder consultation, approval, implementation, and scheduled reviews.
Ensure policies are clear, consistent, accessible, and aligned with the university’s mission, legal requirements, and strategic goals.

Regulatory Compliance

Monitor changes in federal, state, and local regulations; assess their implications for Sightline-related policy.
Partner with legal and compliance offices to ensure policies meet regulatory standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration and Project Management

Engage with HR, legal, academic leadership, finance, operations, IT, procurement, and data governance to ensure policies are practical and operationally aligned.
Support institution-wide initiatives (e.g., Workday, operating model implementation, and risk management frameworks). Collaborate with and frequently lead, other functional and technical experts, architects and subject matter experts, to contribute to the success of the Sightline Project’s Change Management portfolio.
Engage key Business Transformation and Operations Model stakeholders to ensure project is trending towards success.
Work independently and frequently oversee work of others within a matrix environment.
Provide project oversight for adherence to institutional standards and guidelines for project management, continuous service improvement, and customer service.
Maintain knowledge of current trends and developments in the field of policy development.
Maintains Sightline effectiveness and efficiency by helping to define, deliver, and support strategic plans for policy development and implementation.
Build and maintain relationships through positive interactions.

Policy Communication & Training

Develop communication and training materials to support policy rollout, understanding, and adoption.
Serve as a resource to stakeholders by interpreting policies and supporting consistent application.

Governance & Documentation

Maintain file repositories and systems.
Develop and implement governance frameworks for unit-level policy development, review, and accountability.

Other Responsibilities

Conduct periodic policy audits and gap analyses.
Lead or contribute to change management and communication strategies related to policy initiatives.
Manage multiple policy-related projects, timelines, and stakeholders.
Provide subject matter expertise on policy best practices and industry benchmarks.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy, Law, Human Resources, Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, or related field.

Seven years of related progressively responsible experience in financial analysis, project management, and/or consulting.
Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

Preferred Qualifications

Advanced degree (e.g., JD, MPA, MBA) preferred, particularly for leadership-level roles.
Seven to ten years of experience in policy development, compliance, legal affairs, or operational leadership in a complex organization.

Prior experience in higher education strongly preferred.
Knowledge of employment law, Title IX, FERPA, ADA, and other regulatory frameworks relevant to higher education.

Experience with enterprise systems (e.g., Workday) and large-scale administrative transformation initiatives.

Familiarity with shared governance structures and academic organizational models.
Proficiency in policy management tools, content management systems, or platforms like SharePoint, DocuSign CLM, or PolicyTech.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities

Must demonstrate strong critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills.
Ability to work on multiple priorities effectively and prioritize conflicting demands.
Must be well organized and detail oriented.
Ability to lead technical and business colleagues via influence and without direct authority.
Strategic business acumen and understanding of organization strategy, with an ability to design systems to fulfill that strategy.
Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with ability to explain technical concepts to lay audiences.
Experience working with and delivering clear presentations to senior institutional leadership.
Self-starter with the ability to appropriately prioritize and plan complex work in a rapidly changing environment.
Results oriented with ability to produce products that deliver organizational benefits.
Strong critical thinker with problem solving aptitude.
Team player with experience leading and collaborating cross-team to ensure successful delivery of solutions.
Proven success on meeting project deadlines and timelines.

Classified Title: Sr. Associate Strategic Initiatives
Job Posting Title (Working Title): Sr. Strategic Advisor, Policy Development & Implementation (Sightline)
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PG
Starting Salary Range: $99,800 - $175,000 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Mon-Fri, 8:30am-5pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Hybrid/Mount Washington Campus
Department name: Sightline
Personnel area: University Administration

Total Rewards
The referenced base salary range represents the low and high end of Johns Hopkins University’s salary range for this position. Not all candidates will be eligible for the upper end of the salary range. Exact salary will ultimately depend on multiple factors, which may include the successful candidate's geographic location, skills, work experience, market conditions, education/training and other qualifications. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/.

Education and Experience Equivalency
Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines: JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.

Applicants Completing Studies
Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

Background Checks
The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

Diversity and Inclusion
The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/2023-06/22-088_EEOC_KnowYourRights6.12ScreenRdr.pdf

Accommodation Information
If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit https://accessibility.jhu.edu/.

Vaccine Requirements
Johns Hopkins University requires all faculty, staff, and students to receive the seasonal flu vaccine. Exceptions to the flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending upon campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.
The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

Hybrid: On-site 3-4 days a week

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