Director, Government Affairs

CHAOS Industries•Columbia, WA

4d•$180,000 - $250,000•Onsite

About The Position

CHAOS Industries is seeking a Director of Government Affairs to join its growing Government Affairs & Strategy team. Reporting to the Senior Vice President, Government Affairs & Strategy, this role serves as a principal strategist on defense appropriations, acquisition policy, and program funding. The Director will develop and execute legislative strategy aligned with CHAOS’s core technologies, represent the company before Congress and the Executive branch, and partner with the Growth team to win new programs and protect existing ones. The role requires deep Congressional experience and established relationships across the House, Senate, and Executive branch agencies. The position is based in an onsite work context, as indicated by the onsite lunch perk and the job posting’s #LI-onsite tag. CHAOS Industries has more than 500 employees across five global offices. The stated base salary range is $180,000–$250,000, excluding bonus, equity, and benefits.

Requirements

A university degree and 12 or more years of relevant experience, or an advanced degree and 10 or more years of relevant experience.
Extensive Congressional experience on defense authorization or appropriations bills.
Deep knowledge of the NDAA and annual appropriations processes.
Established bipartisan relationships with relevant Congressional offices and committees.
Strong written and verbal communication skills.
A results-oriented, self-starter mindset suited to a fast-paced, rapidly growing environment.
Willingness to register as a lobbyist.

Nice To Haves

Experience as a defense appropriations staffer or professional staff member on a defense committee.
An active security clearance.
Prior experience in a corporate government affairs office or as a registered lobbyist.
Knowledge of the planning, programming, budgeting, and execution (PPBE) process.
Technical fluency in autonomy, sensing, or AI.
Willingness to treat no task as too small.
Sense of humor.

Responsibilities

Lead authorization and appropriations strategy across the Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, identifying, building, and defending funding for key programs.
Build bipartisan relationships with Members of Congress, committee staff, and personal offices, and extend the network into OSW, the services, and relevant agencies.
Track annual NDAA and appropriations cycles from budget request through markup and conference, translating developments into clear guidance for program and executive teams.
Draft legislative and report language, appropriations requests, and policy briefs.
Represent CHAOS on Capitol Hill and in industry associations and coalitions.
Ensure compliance with lobbying and disclosure laws and support PAC and political engagement strategy.
Partner with the Growth team to win new programs and protect existing ones.