About the Association of Surgical Technologists

The Association of Surgical Technologists (AST) established in 1969 is the only national organization that represents more than 50,000 surgical technologists with a primary purpose to ensure that surgical technologists possess the knowledge and skill sets to administer the highest quality of care for every patient.  Surgical technologists are responsible for maintaining the sterile field to ensure members of the surgical team adhere to aseptic and sterile technique. They serve as the surgeon’s co-pilot and provide instruments and supplies to the surgeon during a surgery. 

Position Summary

Director of Government Affairs is a full-time position that oversees the implementation of AST’s public policy and public affairs strategies to strengthen the profession of surgical technology through advocacy and legislative efforts for education and certification standards. The director is expected to pass minimum education and certification standard laws for surgical technologists, defend current surgical technology laws, improve surgical technology laws, monitor, and engage with surgical technologist regulations, support the profession of surgical assisting through supporting licensure legislation and regulation, and implement strategic policy objectives.  Position reports to the CEO and oversees Government Affairs employees. Position will reside in Littleton, CO. This position is in-person or hybrid.

• Strategic objectives:
  • Pass and defend surgical technology accredited education (Associate Degree) and certification laws.
  • Advocate AST position statement on educational standards with state regulatory agencies.
  • Educate members about apprenticeship alignment with AST values of accredited education and certification.
  • Advocate for AST’s mission with state apprenticeship offices and the U.S. Federal Department of Labor.
  • Ensure member awareness of AST advocacy and legislative efforts

Primary Responsibilities 

• Informs the Executive Director/CEO of key policy issues.
• Tracks legislation and regulation through GovHawk.
• Manages VoterVoice to engage members to contact their elected officials.
• Researches, analyzes and writes public policy comment letters to state/federal regulatory bodies, state legislatures, and Congress.
• Testifies before state legislative and regulatory bodies.
• Drafts fact sheets on legislative/regulatory issues for elected officials and AST members.
• Informs and trains members chapter on state and federal advocacy issues. 
• Consistently and continuously communicates with AST leaders, staff and members about AST’s advocacy efforts and promotes the value of such efforts.   
• Liaison to the Professional Certification Coalition.
• Engages the media on state and national related issues.

Knowledge, Skills & Requirements Position Summary

• Five to seven years’ experience in government affairs.
• Familiarity with issues related to the health care landscape is preferred but not required.
• Ability to work with many different types of groups and individuals, from AST volunteers to organizational partners and from policy makers to AST staff.
• Strong communication skills to be able to translate complex policy issues and make them easy to understand and accessible to AST leaders and members.
• Highly motivated, proactive, and self-directed with an ability to work collaboratively with other organizations and individuals, both internally and externally.
• Superior verbal and written skills to present and at times argue for AST’s policy positions in-person, virtually and in writing.
• Ability to speak before policy makers and their staff in private and at public hearings.
• Problem analysis, problem solving and project management skills.
• Travel required to AST annual conference (1 time per year); state legislative hearings and meetings in person with state legislators, speaking engagements with AST’s state assemblies, and as necessary other occasional travel.

About Association of Surgical Technologists

AST is the organization that represents surgical technologists from across the nation. AST's primary purpose is to ensure that surgical technologists have the knowledge and skills to administer patient care of the highest quality.

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