Manager, Government Affairs

The role

The Manager, Government Affairs will lead and expand engagement across Congress, industry associations, and national security communities. This role drives policy, partnership, and congressional advocacy strategies to support business development with the U.S. Department of Defense.

What you will do

• Support the development and execution of Vast's government affairs strategy focused on national security space.
• Collaborate across Legal, Programs, Engineering, Business Development, and executive leadership.
• Build and maintain relationships with relevant Congressional offices, committees, and staff.
• Support Business Development engagement with USG agencies and the executive branch.
• Coordinate briefing materials, meeting preparation, follow-ups, and stakeholder tracking.
• Monitor, analyze, and summarize U.S. defense policy, legislation, appropriations, and NDAA developments.
• Prepare policy briefs, talking points, legislative summaries, and advocacy materials.
• Support written submissions for defense-related RFIs, trade reports, industry engagements, and legislative opportunities.
• Register or maintain registration as a lobbyist, as required.
• Partner with Business Development to support DoD-related contracting opportunities and strategic partnerships.

Required qualifications

• 3-5+ years of professional experience in government affairs, defense policy, congressional affairs, or national security space.
• Experience engaging Congress on defense, national security, or space-related policy and funding priorities.
• Experience working with or around the Pentagon, U.S. Space Force, or other national security stakeholders.
• Current registered lobbyist or willingness and ability to register as a lobbyist, as required.
• Understanding of congressional processes, including authorization, appropriations, and the NDAA.
• Excellent communication, analytical, collaboration, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to travel up to 25% of the time.
• Ability to obtain appropriate security clearance to support national security space programs.

Nice to have

• Experience working on DoD space programs and policies.
• Experience with government contracting or government procurement.
• Relationships with relevant armed services, defense appropriations, space, and national security offices or committees.
• Ability to simplify complex concepts into straightforward and concise explanations.
• Comfortable operating outside areas of expertise and in new territory.
• Ability to adapt to rapidly changing priorities and schedules with professionalism.
• Self-starter with strong time-management and prioritization skills.
• Experience in commercial space, aerospace, defense technology, or national security innovation.

Benefits

• company equity
• medical, dental, and vision coverage for employees and dependents
• generous paid time off
• up to 20+ days of vacation for exempt staff
• up to 10+ days of vacation for non-exempt staff with the ability to cash-out unused vacation annually
• paid parental leave
• short and long term disability insurance
• life insurance
• access to a 401(k) retirement plan
• ClassPass credits
• personalized mental healthcare through Spring Health
• snacks, drip coffee & onsite barista, cold drinks, and dinner meals remaining free of charge, and lunch subsidized

About the company

Vast is developing next-generation space stations and space infrastructure. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, the company has more than 1,000 employees and over a billion dollars in private capital.