Director, Government Affairs

POSITION: Director. Government Affairs

REPORTS TO: Chief Government Affairs Officer

LOCATION: Remote; DC-Metro Area Preferred; domestic travel required (up to 35–50%)

$100,000 - $120,000

POSITION OVERVIEW

A Director of Government Affairs supports and advances the state and federal government relations priorities of Combined Arms by executing the strategy established by the Chief Government Affairs Officer (CGAO). This role functions as a senior implementer and trusted advisor who helps carry out key initiatives, represent the organization externally when delegated, and ensure timely progress across multiple government-facing efforts.

A Director will represent Combined Arms across multiple states and in Washington, DC, conducting high-level engagements with government officials, monitoring and analyzing legislation and regulation, supporting pursuit of government contracts and partnerships, and contributing operational leadership to expand the Combined Arms Platform nationwide.

This is a hands-on, execution-focused leadership role blending strategic input with day-to-day operational responsibilities. While the CGAO retains ownership of overall strategy and direction, a Director plays a critical role in advancing that strategy by managing detailed follow-through, preparing briefs and policy materials, maintaining stakeholder relationships, and coordinating cross-departmental work.

The ideal candidate is politically savvy, highly organized, and comfortable handling both high-visibility engagements and the behind-the-scenes work required to make them successful.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

State Government Affairs Execution (40%)

• Implement state engagement strategies developed by the CGAO.
• Represent Combined Arms at state-level meetings, hearings, briefings, and conferences, as delegated.
• Build and maintain relationships with state legislators, governors’ offices, and key state agencies.
• Identify potential state-level policy or partnership opportunities and provide recommendations to the CGAO.
• Track state legislation and regulatory changes affecting veterans, military families, workforce development, and digital government.
• Support the expansion of the Combined Arms Platform through research, logistical planning, meeting preparation, and follow-up activities.
• Carry out detailed operational tasks such as scheduling, drafting summaries, preparing materials, and managing legislative intelligence.

Federal Affairs Support (25%)

• Execute federal engagement activities under the direction of the CGAO.
• Maintain relationships with congressional offices, committee staff, and federal agencies (e.g., VA, DoD, DOL), as assigned.
• Attend federal events, hearings, coalition meetings, and briefings as delegated.
• Prepare briefing documents, policy memos, talking points, and testimony drafts for federal engagement.
• Monitor federal legislation, regulatory developments, and grant opportunities and prepare summaries for CGAO review.

Government Contracts & Partnerships (20%)

• Support pursuit and development of government contracts, funding opportunities, MOUs, and partnerships.
• Conduct research, draft scopes of work, and manage documentation necessary for contract advancement.
• Coordinate with internal teams (Growth, Technology, Development, Programs) to advance government-facing opportunities.
• Prepare materials, manage timelines, organize information, and ensure follow-through on partnership-related tasks.
• Maintain relationships with VSOs, coalitions, research organizations, and public-sector partners.

Policy, Writing & Research (10%)

• Draft policy briefs, legislative summaries, memos, and analytical reports that support CGAO-led strategy.
• Conduct research on state and federal policy issues, best practices, and legislative trends.
• Assist with the creation of talking points, presentations, remarks, and external communications.
• Produce high-quality written materials for internal and external audiences, including stakeholders and policymakers.

Internal Coordination & Execution Support (5%)

• Maintain trackers, dashboards, calendars, and legislative intelligence tools.
• Manage follow-ups, communications, and deliverables to ensure progress on CGAO priorities.
• Surface issues, opportunities, and risks to the CGAO promptly for direction.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to support program implementation and state/federal alignment.
• Prepare the CGAO for meetings through briefing prep, materials creation, and logistical coordination.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 7+ years of experience in government affairs, public policy, legislative relations, or intergovernmental affairs.
• Demonstrated experience working with state and/or federal government leaders, agencies, and legislative bodies.
• Ability to execute complex assignments, manage competing deadlines, and handle high-level and detailed tasks.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including briefing materials and policy writing.
• Proven ability to build and manage bipartisan relationships.
• Experience supporting or pursuing government contracts, grants, or appropriations.
• Ability to travel nationally up to 35–50%.
• Experience with veterans, military family services, workforce development, or human services policy preferred.

Preferred

• Military service or significant experience with military and veteran communities.
• Familiarity with government procurement processes or digital government adoption.
• Experience supporting advocacy campaigns or intergovernmental initiatives.
• Experience with thought leadership, content creation, or strategic communications.

COMPETENCIES

• Politically savvy and capable in both state and federal environments
• Strong executor with excellent follow-through
• Highly organized and detail-oriented
• Low-ego, trustworthy, and professional
• Strong judgment, discretion, and communication skills
• Able to work both independently and collaboratively
• Comfortable traveling, multitasking, and adapting to shifting priorities

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

A Director strengthens Combined Arms’ ability to engage with government partners across the country and ensures the CGAO’s strategy is executed with precision, consistency, and professionalism. Your contributions will directly support the organization’s national expansion and improve outcomes for veterans, service members, and military families.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Salary: $100,000-120,000
• Performance bonus potential up to 10% of base salary
• Comprehensive benefits package including:
• Unlimited PTO
• Generous company holiday schedule (28-32 paid days off per year)
• Maternity/Paternity Leave
• Professional development opportunities
• 100% company-paid health benefits for employees and 50% for dependents
• Matching 401k contributions up to 3%
• Flexible work environment with DC office presence required

LOCATION: Flexible, with the Washington, DC area preferred. Regular travel for in-person meetings is required.

APPLY: Through Daybook

• Resume
• Responses to any two of the following questions (no more than 5 sentences each):
• Describe a concrete experience engaging with a state or federal government stakeholder. Walk me through how you prepared for the meeting, what you did during and after the engagement, and what the outcome was.
• Share one government affairs accomplishment you directly led or supported that best reflects your skill set. What was your role and what impact did it have?
• Most people have a ‘rule’ they follow at work that isn’t written anywhere. What’s one of yours, and where did it come from?
• Optional: Upload a previously created policy memo, briefing note, talking points, or legislative summary.