Policy Entrepreneurship, Manager/Senior Manager

FAS • Washington, DC

6d • $80,000 - $105,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) is hiring a Policy Entrepreneurship Manager or Senior Manager to work at the intersection of science policy, government affairs, and organizational execution. The role focuses on catalyzing reform of the R&D enterprise and learning from how research is planned, funded, evaluated, and communicated. The position will manage research projects and relationships with executive and legislative branch decision-makers, identify policy windows, draft policy products, and support the team’s policy entrepreneurship infrastructure. The role may be filled at either level depending on the candidate’s experience and qualifications.

The successful candidate will advance projects across FAS’s policy entrepreneurship portfolio, including initiatives concerning the future of NSF, federal R&D performance metrics, and the incorporation of AI into science and research systems. They will prepare for and follow up on high-stakes meetings with congressional staff and executive branch officials, manage selected timebound projects using agile-based approaches, and develop policy memos, briefs, and other materials that turn complex science and technology ideas into actionable recommendations. The role also contributes to rapid response by identifying emerging opportunities for FAS engagement.

The position represents FAS in meetings with policymakers and helps maintain and expand relationships with policy customers, congressional staff, agency officials, collaborators, and external partners. It requires strong writing, relationship management, project management, political and institutional judgment, and the ability to work collaboratively in a fast-moving environment. Candidates should have relevant science policy, government affairs, legislative strategy, or related experience, including engagement with government officials or congressional staff and the ability to produce policy-relevant written work.

The position reports to the Director of Fellowships and Products and offers opportunities to work directly with senior FAS leaders, including the CEO, Director of Policy Entrepreneurship, and/or Director of Government Affairs. It is a hybrid role based in Washington, DC, with generally two to three days per week onsite and two to three days remote; regular in-person presence in DC is expected. This is a twelve-month termed position, with the possibility of extension if additional funding is available. It is included in a union-represented collective bargaining unit, and specific employment terms are subject to collective bargaining.

Requirements

• Manager-level candidates: at least 5 years of experience in science policy, government affairs, legislative strategy, or a closely related field.
• Senior Manager-level candidates: at least 8 years of relevant experience leading in science policy, government affairs, legislative strategy, or a closely related field.
• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to draft concise, persuasive policy memos and briefs.
• Ability to build trust with senior government officials and manage stakeholder relationships with professionalism and judgment.
• Ability to manage multiple projects, identify blockers, and maintain progress independently.
• Understanding of executive and legislative branch processes and the ability to recognize policy windows and read a room.
• Ability to work collaboratively and flexibly in fast-moving, matrixed environments and adjust as priorities shift.
• Direct experience engaging executive branch agencies and officials, such as NSF, DOE, NIH, OMB, OSTP, or similar, and/or congressional staff on science and technology issues.
• Demonstrated ability to produce policy-relevant written products that reach and influence decision-makers.
• Ability to rapidly learn technical issues or unfamiliar domains and translate findings into practical policy recommendations.
• For Senior Manager candidates, ability to identify policy opportunities, assess tradeoffs, set priorities across initiatives with limited oversight, and shape engagement strategies independently.
• For Senior Manager candidates, demonstrated ability to independently manage strategic relationships with executive branch officials and/or congressional staff to advance science and technology policy objectives.
• For Senior Manager candidates, ability to lead complex cross-functional initiatives, coordinate subject-matter expertise, and adapt plans as policy conditions and priorities change.
• Employment is contingent on successful verification of eligibility to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

• Familiarity with federal science funding, research enterprise policy, metascience, and/or technology governance.
• Experience in a policy entrepreneurship, rapid-response, or advocacy environment where speed, judgment, and strategic communication are core to the work.

Responsibilities

• Track, manage, and advance priority projects across FAS’s policy entrepreneurship portfolio, maintaining accountability for next steps, relationships, and timelines.
• Support project leads in preparing for and following up on high-stakes meetings with congressional staff and executive branch officials, including officials at OMB, OSTP, NSF, DOE, and NIH.
• Manage selected timebound projects using agile-based approaches.
• Draft, refine, and coordinate feedback on policy memos, briefs, and other materials translating complex science and technology ideas into actionable recommendations for policy customers.
• Identify and pursue emerging policy windows to support FAS’s rapid-response capacity.
• Represent FAS in meetings with executive and legislative branch policymakers in Washington, DC.
• Expand and maintain relationships with collaborators, policy customers, congressional staff, agency officials, and external partners.
• Monitor policy signals, requests for information, legislative calendars, and budget windows to identify timely opportunities for FAS engagement.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed