State Government Affairs Manager

Zipline•South San Francisco, CA

12h•$140,000 - $175,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service, on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. Zipline designs, builds, and operates the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. The company operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries. Zipline's customers include healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses. The company is seeking a seasoned State Government Affairs Manager to guide its efforts at the state level of government across multiple states. The ideal candidate has real-world experience impacting state government processes and politics, excellent communication and organization skills, is capable of managing competing priorities with extreme ownership, and thrives in a fast-paced and evolving regulatory environment. This position may be remote or based at Zipline's South San Francisco HQ.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
4+ years of experience working in government affairs at the state or local level, with an emphasis on the intersection of public policy, innovation, and new technology
Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% of the time
Confidence in presenting new and complex technology in a way that inspires your audience, shapes public perception, and addresses common areas of concern
Ability to build trust quickly because you are authentic, direct, and care about the communities where you work
Passion for new technology and the benefits it can provide to people and communities
Excellent communication (verbal and written), advocacy, and interpersonal skills
Enjoyment of working in high-stakes and time-sensitive situations, and enthusiasm for securing business-critical regulatory approvals alongside the business

Nice To Haves

Relevant experience working on technology policy issues within state and local government (ideally autonomy, robotics, transportation, or related fields)

Responsibilities

Implement the team’s overall Government Affairs strategy in assigned states.
Serve as an important public face for Zipline, managing state-level government relationships including governors, state legislators, state agencies, and associated staff in a portfolio of states.
Oversee all public policy functions in assigned states including tracking bills and agency rules, proposing specific offensive and defensive solutions, and advocating publicly and privately on Zipline’s behalf.
Engage and maintain relationships with aligned interest groups including industry, business, and other public-policy focused organizations to create coalitions around shared priorities.
Serve as a trusted expert on key issues related to operating an autonomous drone delivery network, including site infrastructure needed to scale; trust in our approach to safety, sound, and privacy; and the value and impact our service can have for people and communities where we operate.
Oversee lobbyists and consultants in assigned states, recommending and interviewing individuals and firms when needed.
Conduct and track routine outreach to state officials including email, in-person meetings, Zipline site visits, and through attendance at state and national conferences.
Collaborate cross-functionally with multiple teams to ensure operational consistency.