Director of Government Relations

Poseidon Aerospace•Washington, DC

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Poseidon Aerospace is seeking a Director of Government Relations to lead its engagement with the federal government, encompassing both legislative and executive branches. This role is responsible for developing and executing authorization and appropriation strategies, as well as executive and interagency strategies, with the goal of translating mission requirements into funded programs and securing sustained support for Poseidon's autonomous cargo aircraft platforms. The Director will manage direct advocacy efforts on Capitol Hill and with government agencies, with the potential to build and lead a team as the function expands. The ideal candidate is a proactive self-starter capable of independently navigating complex processes to achieve desired outcomes.

Requirements

7+ years of experience in the national security, government relations, or 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 change in the legislative, policy, and budget process, with a track record of outcomes through the NDAA and defense or homeland security appropriations.
Deep, working knowledge of PPBE, the U.S. federal appropriations and authorization processes, and how requirements map to funding lines, schedules, and risk, including the roles of executive agencies, the White House, the Senate, and the House.
One of the following profiles: professional staff 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 and with industry and trade associations.
Willingness to register as an individual lobbyist under the Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995.
Based in and working from our Washington, DC office in person.
Travel approximately 25% or greater.
U.S. Person.
Bachelor's degree required.

Nice To Haves

Active or eligible TS/SCI.
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 the policy levers, including export control, that govern aerospace and autonomy.
Advanced degrees welcome but not required.

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 the industrial base.
Drive annual appropriations and authorization campaigns to support program starts, plus-ups, and multi-year funding profiles.
Build and maintain deep, trust-based relationships with Members and staff on HASC, SASC, HAC-D, SAC-D, and related subcommittees.
Monitor, analyze, and engage the annual congressional policymaking process, focusing on appropriations and defense/homeland security policy.
Engage the executive branch and interagency at senior levels to shape requirements, resourcing, and policy.
Draft congressional and executive-branch requests and determine optimal engagement strategies.
Serve as the primary relationship owner across relevant executive agencies and offices, aligning their priorities with Poseidon's program strategy.
Build constructive working relationships with regulators to streamline approvals for operations and testing.
Design, implement, and drive GR strategy across multiple business lines and fiscal years, aligned with corporate strategy.
Collaborate with growth and business-line leadership to identify opportunities and advise on legislative and resourcing strategies.
Lead coordination across communications, legal, corporate development, and engineering to execute company-wide priorities.
Establish systems, cadence, and eventually a team to scale the GR function.
Draft and manage engagement materials, including white papers, one-pagers, decks, talking points, testimony, and hearing prep.
Plan and execute Member and staff visits, demonstrations, and facility tours.
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.