Head of Government Relations

Airwallex • Washington DC, DC

10d

About The Position

The Head of Government Relations (U.S.) will be Airwallex’s senior federal and state policy lead serving as the primary liaison to lawmakers, regulators, think tanks, and key external partners in Washington, D.C, and the US. This is a high‑profile, cross‑functional role that combines strategic policy design, hands‑on advocacy, and operational leadership, including managing external lobbying firms and agency partners. The person in this role will translate commercial priorities into clear policy asks, mitigate political and regulatory risk, and elevate Airwallex’s profile as a constructive partner in building businesses, creating jobs and economic opportunity, facilitating business growth, and shaping fintech policy.

Requirements

• Experience: 10+ years in government relations, public policy, or related roles in the public/ private sector with relevant government/regulatory agency experience. Demonstrated experience working with federal policy and state rulemaking is essential.
• Relationships: Deep, demonstrable relationships across the federal policy community, Hill staff, relevant agency decision‑makers, and senior officials, and experience in building bipartisan credibility.
• Subject matter knowledge: Strong familiarity with financial services and fintech regulatory frameworks (payments, money‑transmission, AML/CTF, sanctions enforcement, consumer finance, data privacy, and digital assets). Prior work touching FinCEN, OFAC, SEC, CFPB, or state banking regulators is highly desirable.
• External engagement: Proven track record managing and directing outside lobbying firms, consultants, and coalitions to advance outcomes.
• Communication & advising: Exceptional writing and oral advocacy skills; experience briefing C‑suite and board members and translating technical issues into business impact.
• Leadership: Ability to demonstrate thought leadership and partnership across the business while operating independently with strong judgment in a fast‑moving environment.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (J.D., MPP/MPA, MBA or equivalent) strongly preferred.

Nice To Haves

• Prior experience in fintech, payments, data, AI, and/or digital assets policy work.
• Prior Hill or federal agency experience (staffer, policy adviser, regulator) or time at a major corporate government affairs function in the tech sector.
• Track record of building multi‑stakeholder coalitions and running successful regulatory comment campaigns or legislative engagement strategies.
• Experience working with trade associations or running state‑level campaigns.

Responsibilities

• Strategy & planning: Design and execute a comprehensive U.S. government relations strategy that advances business objectives, reduces regulatory friction, and aligns with Airwallex’s product and market roadmap.
• Federal & state advocacy: Lead direct engagement with Congress, relevant federal agencies (e.g., DOJ, FinCEN, OFAC, SEC, CFPB), state banking departments, and state legislatures to influence outcomes and protect the business.
• External counsel & lobbying management: Select, direct, and coordinate outside lobbying firms, issue‑specific consultants, and coalitions to maximize influence and ensure consistent execution and compliance across engagements.
• Coalition building & trade associations: Represent Airwallex in industry associations and multi‑stakeholder coalitions; build pragmatic alliances with peers, trade bodies, and civil society when strategic.
• Regulatory intelligence & counsel: Monitor legislation and rulemakings; synthesize technical and political signals for senior leadership and recommend tactical responses (e.g., comments, meetings, coalition activity).
• Cross‑functional partnership: Work closely with Legal, Compliance, Product, Government Affairs colleagues across markets, Communications, and the Executive team to craft policy positions, public narratives, and stakeholder materials. Proactively identify potential issues, mitigants, and solutions.
• Risk & compliance: Ensure all federal and state lobbying disclosures, political activity reporting, and other compliance obligations are met and that external partners follow Airwallex’s compliance protocols. The right individual ensures we proactively identify risks and contribute to reasonable outcomes and solutions that drive the business forward.
• Public presence & thought leadership: Secure and prepare senior leaders for Hill meetings, agency engagements, and public speaking opportunities that raise Airwallex’s profile.
• Team building & resourcing: The role does not have direct reports initially, but with progressive success, wins, and demonstrated impact, there may be an opportunity to build and manage a high‑performing team as the function scales, including defining budget, KPIs, and relationships with external firms.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees