Government Relations Manager, Defense

## At REGENT
At REGENT, we’re on a mission to revolutionize regional transportation between coastal cities. We’re not just building vehicles, we’re creating a new category of transportation: the Seaglider. These groundbreaking wing‑in‑ground‑effect craft travel just above the water’s surface, combining the speed of an airplane with the low operating costs of a boat. Capable of 180 miles at 180 mph on today’s battery tech (and up to 400 miles with next‑gen batteries), Seagliders will unlock fast, affordable, and sustainable coastal transit for passengers and cargo — connecting cities, islands, and communities like never before.

Backed by leading investors and powered by a team of passionate, forward‑thinking engineers, builders, and operators, we’re now scaling from a breakthrough prototype to full production — and building the team to make it happen.

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## Role Overview
REGENT Craft is seeking a Government Relations Specialist with a defense focus to advance the company’s priorities on Capitol Hill and across key U.S. Government and allied government customers. This role is built for someone who knows the Hill inside and out and is equally comfortable in customer‑facing settings — Pentagon meetings, program office engagements, defense trade shows, and other forums where government relations and defense business development converge.

Sitting at the intersection of policy, government relations, and defense business development, the right candidate combines Hill fluency with the operational instincts to engage program offices, requirements communities, and senior defense stakeholders. You will translate REGENT’s mission, technology, and program portfolio into clear, persuasive narratives for congressional, executive branch, and operational audiences — and will help shape the strategies, materials, and relationships that move priorities forward.

This role reports to a member of REGENT’s senior government affairs and strategy team and works closely with growth, engineering, mission, product, finance, legal, and executive leadership.

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## What You’ll Do
– **Advance REGENT’s priorities** — Work directly with personal office and committee staff on technical and program matters, coordinating with REGENT’s external lobbying firm on appropriations and authorization asks.
– **Develop engagement strategies** — Build and execute plans across House and Senate Armed Services, Defense Appropriations, Homeland Security, and other relevant committees and member offices.
– **Support customer engagement** — Engage DoD, DHS, and allied government stakeholders, including Pentagon meetings, program office reviews, requirements discussions, and senior leader briefings.
– **Translate mission needs** — Turn procurement signals, policy dynamics, and competitive context into clear positioning, win themes, and engagement strategies.
– **Lead strategic writing** — Produce Hill one‑pagers, position papers, briefing memos, testimony prep, white papers, RFI/RFP responses, capture plans, technical narratives, and presentations.
– **Manage proposals** — Serve as primary author and project manager for proposals and capture deliverables, coordinating inputs across BD, engineering, product, mission, legal, finance, and leadership.
– **Drive timelines** — Oversee content integration, reviews, and final deliverables across multiple simultaneous pursuits.
– **Build reusable content** — Create playbooks, templates, and infrastructure that improve quality and speed.
– **Represent REGENT** — Attend defense trade shows, industry conferences, and customer events domestically and internationally.
– **Track policy developments** — Synthesize policy, budget, and acquisition updates into actionable guidance for leadership.

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## What You’ll Bring
– **2–5 years Congressional experience** with fluency in defense policy, authorization/appropriations cycles, and Hill operations.
– **Defense BD or capture familiarity** — Experience supporting RFIs, RFPs, white papers, presentations, or strategic documents.
– **Exceptional communication skills** — Ability to translate complex technical concepts for congressional, executive, and operational audiences.
– **In‑person DC presence** — Minimum 3 days per week.
– **Willingness to travel** — Up to 25%, including occasional international travel.
– **U.S. citizenship** with ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.

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## Bonus Experience
– **Existing Hill relationships**
– **Capture/proposal experience** for U.S. Government customers
– **Allied/international engagement**
– **Familiarity with acquisition processes**
– **Technical writing experience** in maritime, autonomy, defense‑tech, or related fields
– **Startup experience**
– **Strong organizational skills**
– **Bias for action** and comfort with autonomy

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## Who We’re Looking For

### Collaborative Team Player
You believe great things happen when teams work together. You communicate effectively across Hill staff, program offices, engineers, BD leads, and executives — building internal consensus around shared strategies and ensuring everyone from proposal coordinators to senior leadership is working from the same playbook.

### Creative Problem Solver
You thrive in ambiguous, high‑stakes environments where the path from policy signal to program win is rarely straightforward. Whether you’re untangling a shifting appropriations landscape, repositioning a pursuit after an RFP surprise, or synthesizing competing internal inputs into a coherent narrative, you bring structured thinking and sound judgment — and you build reusable tools and playbooks that make the next effort faster.

### Adaptable & Agile
In a fast‑paced, ever‑evolving startup environment, you quickly adapt to changing priorities and requirements. You approach challenges with a calm, resilient mindset and know how to pivot as needed to keep progress moving.

### Innovative Mindset
You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You embrace new methodologies and tools to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance.

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## What We Offer
– **Competitive compensation** including a robust equity incentive plan
– **Comprehensive health benefits** — 100% employer‑paid medical, dental, and vision
– **401(k) with matching**
– **Flexible time off**, paid parental leave, and company‑wide holiday breaks
– **Relocation packages**
– **Daily free lunches**
– **Learning & development** opportunities

If you’re ready to take on an exciting challenge, grow with us, and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, but you see yourself contributing to our mission, we encourage you to apply! We value diverse skillsets and experiences and believe in the potential of passionate individuals to make a big impact.

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## Equal Opportunity Employer
REGENT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive work environment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Apply here