Career Center

National Association of Dental Plans (NADP)
Executive Director

Role Specifics
Position: Executive Director
Company: National Association of Dental Plans (NADP)
Location: Dallas, TX or Washington, D.C. (preferred)
NADP is also open to the role being based remotely

Reporting Relationship: Board of Directors
Website: https://www.nadp.org/

About National Association of Dental Plans (NADP)
National Association of Dental Plans (NADP), a Texas non-profit corporation with headquarters in Dallas, Texas, serves as the representative and recognized resource of the dental benefits industry. NADP's mission is to improve consumer access to affordable, quality dental care through advocacy, research, and the promotion of dental benefits. Its members include major commercial carriers, regional and single state companies, as well as companies organized as non-profit organizations.

NADP maximizes value to its members through knowledge, information, awareness, and public policy. To achieve this, the organization focuses on its core competencies of research, education, advocacy, and engagement with other organizations to bring value to and create new business opportunities for NADP member companies.

NADP is the only national trade organization that includes the full spectrum of dental benefits companies operating in the United States. NADP’s members provide Dental HMO, Dental PPO, Dental Indemnity and Discount Dental products to more than 200 million Americans with dental benefits.  In addition, NADP offers research on a wide variety of topics through an annual suite of reports, brief surveys, and in-depth studies, as well as education on dental-specific topics via webinars, online training, and the premier industry gathering, NADP’s Annual Conference – CONVERGE. 

Position Overview
Reporting to the Board of Directors, NADP’s Executive Director has overall strategic and operational responsibility for NADP’s staff and programs as well as execution of its mission and strategic initiatives. 

The Executive Director will collaborate with a dedicated 9-member Board of Directors in developing the organization’s strategy and goals, as well as securing and allocating sufficient resources to sustain NADP’s mission and operational requirements. The Executive Director will be integral to NADP’s work in achieving the key objectives of its current strategic plan, including:

• Advocating for federal and state legislation and regulation that increase consumer access to affordable, quality dental care while positively impacting the dental benefits industry and advancing member interests.
• Developing and providing key data, research, and intelligence on the dental industry and emerging trends.
• Providing programs and services that educate and promote the value of oral health and dental benefits.
• Establishing, maintaining, and leveraging partnerships with relevant stakeholders.
• Providing expertise in initiatives which establish and execute terminology, standards, and transactions for the dental industry.

Key Responsibilities
STRATEGIC VISION

• Work with the Board to maintain and refine NADP’s strategic planning process with regular updates to advance the Association’s mission, vision, and values;
• Provide leadership to assure that NADP is achieving its short and long-term goals and objectives;
• Identify and implement strategic partnerships that position NADP to effectively accomplish its mission;
• Examine internal and external data and metrics, carrier insights, and shifts in public policy or opinions, to evaluate the effectiveness of the strategic plan and trigger revisions as needed.

FINANCE

• Develop and manage NADP's overall budget to provide support to programs for staff to achieve goals, specifically the Association’s high level initiatives, departmental goals and ideally, provide a contribution to surplus;
• Expand revenue generating activities to support existing program operations and planned program and audience expansion;
• Manage cash and investments to meet targets and assure fiscally sound operations;
• Develop policies, benefits and compensation within available revenue to maintain dedicated staff for NADP. 

COMMUNICATIONS

• Serve as the vital voice of the dental benefits industry to the press and other constituencies using NADP research and policy positions to elucidate the value of dental benefits;
• Deepen and refine all aspects of communications—from web presence to external relations to maintain and strengthen NADP’s brand as the representative and recognized resource of the dental benefits industry;
• Maintain communication with key organizations, associations and constituencies that impact the dental benefits industry, including the ADA, FAIR Health, consumer groups, DDPA, AHIP, NAHU, ACLI and ADSO to leverage partners, where possible, in the work of NADP;
• Assure that NADP communications and publications are professional, consistent, and accurate reflections of NADP policy, direction, and research.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

• Develop and recommend plans, timelines and resources needed to achieve NADP’s strategic goals;
• Serves as a broker of ideas that engage and energize NADP staff, volunteers, board members in shaping NADP’s future;
• Work with the Board, Nominating Committee, staff, and volunteer group leaders to develop, and maintain a strong, diverse, and representative Board of Directors;
• Select, lead, coach, develop, evaluate, and retain an effective, high-performing staff;
• Maintain organizational alignment with Board-adopted policies and procedures, develop and recommend new policies as needed;
• Ensure effective systems to track progress, regularly evaluate program components, and measure successes that can be effectively communicated to all constituents;
• Keep NADP compliant with all state and federal requirements for non-profit organizations, NADP benefit programs such as the 401k & 457b, and lobbying;
• Adhere to core standards and ethical principles of the American Society of Association Executives. 

PUBLIC POLICY

• Represent and maintain NADP as the voice of the dental benefits industry in federal and state policymaking impacting the industry;
• Advise and coach Government Relations (GR) staff in support of the Commission on Advocacy Policy and other GR volunteer groups, which monitor federal and state level GR activity to be consistent with NADP policy positions;
• Foster consensus between member companies in order to achieve NADP’s best policy interests and consistent with its mission, vision and values;
• Review and synthesize NADP Research and external source data to provide insight on the dental benefits industry and support NADP policy positions;
• Administer NADP's Political Action Committee (PAC) as Treasurer, chair the NADPac Committee in determining targets, encouraging participation, and distributing proceeds to assure NADP's voice is listened to on the federal level. 

Required Qualifications and Experience
The Executive Director must be a passionate advocate for NADP’s mission. They must have or develop deep knowledge of the dental benefits industry, NADP core programs, non-profit trade association operations, and the ability to execute a business plan in a political, consumer-centric policy environment. The organization seeks a highly credible, proven, proactive, dynamic, and dedicated leader with a minimum of ten or more years of executive leadership experience in the non-profit, association, or for-profit sectors, preferably with healthcare expertise. They should have the ability to provide innovative leadership to a nationally renowned trade association.

• Ten or more years’ experience in leadership within a healthcare association, corporate dental, or benefits industries;
• Certification as an association executive (CAE) preferred. (NADP will support attainment of this credential for the right candidate);
• Health or dental insurance industry, or regulatory experience preferred;
• Strong written and verbal communications skills with ability to synthesize data and positions into clear vision representing the best interests of the industry;
• Demonstrated leadership and organizational management skills with proven ability to coach staff, manage, and develop high-performance teams, with some members working remotely;
• Credible experience setting and achieving strategic objectives, and managing a multi-million dollar budget;
• Experience working with a Board of Directors or senior-level management groups.

Key Relationships

• Staff Direct Reports:
  • Deputy Executive Director
  • Director, Government Relations
  • Director, Meetings and Events
  • Director, Membership and Communications
  • Director, Research and Information
  • Administrative Director
• Board:
  • NADP is governed by a nine-member Board of Directors

Education
A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field from an accredited institution is required. A master’s or advanced degree in Public Policy or Business preferred.

Apply
Please send your resume to:
NADPExecutiveDirector@kornferry.com

National Association of Dental Plans is an equal opportunity employer and strongly encourages diverse candidates to apply.