Director of Government Relations

Poseidon Aerospace•Washington, DC

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Poseidon Aerospace is seeking a Director of Government Relations to own the company’s federal engagement across the legislative and executive branches. The role leads authorization, appropriations, executive-branch, and interagency strategies to convert mission needs into funded programs and enduring support for Poseidon’s autonomous cargo aircraft. The Director will personally lead engagement on Capitol Hill and across agencies, then build and lead a government-relations team as the function grows. The position is based in person at the company’s Washington, DC office and requires approximately 25% or greater travel. The Director will develop congressional and legislative strategy across the NDAA, defense and homeland security appropriations, and oversight; advocate for authorization and report language; and pursue annual funding campaigns, program starts, plus-ups, and multi-year funding profiles. The role will also engage senior executive-branch and interagency stakeholders, own relationships with relevant agencies and offices, and build working relationships with regulators to support approvals needed to operate and test. The role designs and drives government-relations strategy across business lines and multiple fiscal years, partnering with growth and business-line leaders and coordinating with communications, legal, corporate development, and engineering. Responsibilities also include preparing engagement materials, arranging congressional visits and demonstrations, managing lobbyists and consultants, representing Poseidon in external organizations, and supporting the company’s Political Action Committee priorities and strategy.

Requirements

At least 7 years of experience in national security, government relations, or the federal legislative or executive arena, with significant Capitol Hill engagement.
Extensive defense and national security experience on Capitol Hill, in the executive branch, or in a comparable defense-industry government-relations position.
Demonstrated success planning and implementing strategies that influence legislative, policy, and budget processes, with outcomes through the NDAA and defense or homeland security appropriations.
Deep working knowledge of PPBE and U.S. federal appropriations and authorization processes, including how requirements map to funding lines, schedules, and risk, and the roles of executive agencies, the White House, the Senate, and the House.
Must have one of the following backgrounds: professional staff experience on HASC, SASC, HAC-D, or SAC-D (or service for a senior appropriator), or current in-house government-relations experience at a defense technology company.
Ability to build coalitions and maintain relationships with key congressional and executive-branch officials, industry, and trade associations.
Willingness to register as an individual lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
Based in and working in person from the Washington, DC office.
Willingness to travel approximately 25% or more.
Must be a U.S. Person.
Bachelor’s degree required.

Nice To Haves

Active or eligible TS/SCI clearance.
Established bipartisan relationships across the Armed Services and Appropriations committees and with senior executive-branch and combatant-command stakeholders.
Experience building a government-relations function from scratch rather than inheriting a mature process.
Fluency in defense acquisition and policy levers, including export control, that govern aerospace and autonomy.
Advanced degree.

Responsibilities

Define and lead Poseidon’s congressional strategy across the NDAA, defense and homeland security appropriations, and oversight.
Identify, draft, and advocate for authorization and report language that supports Poseidon’s platforms and their industrial base.
Drive annual appropriations and authorization campaigns for program starts, plus-ups, and multi-year funding profiles with direct material impact on revenue.
Build and maintain trust-based relationships with Members and staff on HASC, SASC, HAC-D, SAC-D, and related subcommittees.
Monitor, analyze, and engage in the annual congressional policymaking process, particularly appropriations and defense and homeland security policy.
Engage senior executive-branch and interagency stakeholders to shape requirements, resourcing, and policy in Poseidon’s favor.
Draft congressional and executive-branch requests and determine how to pursue favorable outcomes.
Own relationships across relevant executive agencies and offices, translating their priorities into Poseidon’s program strategy and vice versa.
Build working relationships with regulators to streamline approvals needed for Poseidon to operate and test.
Design, implement, and drive government-relations strategy across business lines and multiple fiscal years, aligned with corporate strategy.
Work with growth and business-line leaders to identify business and policy opportunities and advise on legislative and resourcing strategies.
Coordinate communications, legal, corporate development, and engineering in support of company-wide priorities.
Establish the systems and cadence, and eventually build the team, to scale the government-relations function.
Draft and manage white papers, one-pagers, decks, talking points, testimony, and hearing preparation materials.
Plan and execute visits, demonstrations, and facility tours for Members and staff.
Manage external lobbyists and consultants, and represent Poseidon in industry coalitions, trade associations, and think tanks.
Support Poseidon’s Political Action Committee priorities and strategy.