Vice President, Government Affairs

# The Opportunity

## Position
Vice President, Government Affairs

## Location
Washington, DC

## Reporting Relationship
Executive Director

## About the Organization
A new national policy advocacy organization is being established to strengthen the United States’ ability to prevent, detect, prepare for, and respond to biological threats. Advances in biotechnology and artificial intelligence are creating extraordinary opportunities for scientific and societal progress while also introducing new and increasingly complex threats. At the same time, the nation’s systems for anticipating and responding to emerging biological threats remain fragmented.

The organization will advance a comprehensive policy agenda spanning prevention, detection, preparedness, and response, working directly with Congress and the executive branch to translate policy priorities into enacted law. Its work will also support a strong biotechnology and scientific enterprise that advances U.S. competitiveness and national security while bolstering public trust.

The organization is being built with a distinctly bipartisan approach and will draw upon expertise spanning government, Congress, industry, public health, science, technology, and national security. By partnering with the broader biodefense community and developing the political momentum and rapid-response capacity required to meet emerging threats, the organization intends to help close critical gaps before the next crisis.

## Role Overview
The Organization is seeking an accomplished Vice President of Government Affairs to build and lead its congressional engagement strategy at a consequential moment for U.S. national security and biological preparedness.

The Vice President will bring deep relationships, credibility, and political fluency within either the Democratic or Republican congressional ecosystem, while demonstrating the ability to operate effectively in a bipartisan environment. This leader will be responsible for translating the Organization’s policy priorities into meaningful legislative and executive action, cultivating relationships with Members of Congress, senior Congressional staff, and key Executive Branch officials, identifying pathways for advancing priorities across Congress and the Executive Branch, building coalitions around key priorities, and establishing the Organization as a trusted resource with policymakers across the federal government.

This is a ground-floor opportunity to build a sophisticated government affairs capability. The Vice President will have meaningful influence over congressional strategy, stakeholder engagement, team development, and how the organization positions complex and evolving issues for policymakers.

The successful candidate will combine deep Congressional experience, sophisticated political judgment, and a strong understanding of how policy moves from idea to enactment. While previous biosecurity expertise would be valuable, it is not required; equally important will be intellectual agility and the ability to quickly master complex scientific and technical issues and translate them into pragmatic, politically viable legislative strategies.

## Key Responsibilities

### Government Affairs Strategy & Engagement
– Develop and execute a comprehensive Congressional engagement strategy, leveraging deep relationships and credibility within either the Democratic or Republican caucus while building support across party lines; deep relationships with Republican and Democratic committee leadership, leadership offices, and key personal offices would be particularly valuable.
– Develop and support an Executive Branch engagement strategy, in close coordination with the policy team and organizational leadership, to advance priorities requiring action by the White House, federal departments, agencies, and other executive branch actors.
– Build and maintain trusted relationships with Members of Congress, Chiefs of Staff, Legislative Directors, senior personal-office staff, and relevant committee leadership and staff.
– Identify legislative opportunities and pathways for advancing the Organization’s priorities through authorizing legislation, appropriations, hearings, amendments, and other legislative vehicles.
– Establish the Organization as a credible, responsive resource for policymakers navigating complex biological, scientific, technological, and national security issues.

### Legislative Advocacy & Policy Translation
– Partner closely with the policy team to translate substantive priorities into actionable legislative strategies.
– Shape legislative asks, contribute to legislative language, and develop briefing materials and other resources for Congressional engagement.
– Distill sophisticated scientific and technical analysis into clear, compelling arguments that resonate with policymakers.
– Bring political and legislative perspective to the development and prioritization of the Organization’s broader policy agenda.

### Bipartisan Coalition Building
– Build durable support for the Organization’s policy priorities across party lines while leveraging established credibility within the candidate’s respective political ecosystem.
– Identify opportunities to create alignment among policymakers with different perspectives around shared national security, preparedness, and competitiveness priorities.
– Develop relationships with external organizations and stakeholders that can strengthen coalitions and advance legislative objectives.

### Crisis Preparedness & Rapid Response
– Contribute to the development of a comprehensive legislative framework designed to enable rapid Congressional action following a catalyzing event.
– Anticipate emerging legislative and political developments and position the Organization to respond quickly when windows for policy action arise.
– Help ensure policymakers have actionable solutions available before moments of crisis create an urgent need for them.

### Government Affairs Leadership
– Build and lead a high-performing government affairs function, including recruiting and managing in-house professionals and external lobbying resources.
– Establish systems and operating rhythms for Congressional outreach, relationship management, legislative tracking, and coordination with the policy team.
– Serve as a senior external representative with policymakers, partners, and other influential stakeholders.
– Contribute as a senior leader to building a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and impact-oriented organization.

## Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished government affairs and Congressional leader who combines deep political relationships, sophisticated legislative expertise, and exceptional strategic judgment. They will understand both the formal legislative process and the political dynamics that determine whether and how complex policy priorities gain traction on Capitol Hill. Relevant experience in the Executive Branch is a strong asset. Candidates whose expertise comes exclusively from the Executive Branch are also encouraged to apply.

The successful candidate will bring credibility with senior policymakers, the ability to navigate complex and evolving issues, and a track record of translating substantive policy ideas into pragmatic legislative strategies. They will be equally comfortable engaging Members, senior Congressional staff, political appointees, and civil servants, partnering closely with policy experts, and building and leading a high-performing government affairs team.

### Candidates should bring:
– 10–15+ years of relevant experience, including significant experience working at senior levels on Capitol Hill, either within a Member’s personal office or in a Congressional committee role, or equivalent experience in the executive branch.
– Experience working with or building relationships across committees relevant to the Organization’s agenda would be particularly valuable, including the Senate and House Appropriations Committees; Senate HELP and House Energy and Commerce; the Senate and House Armed Services Committees; Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and House Homeland Security; the Senate and House Intelligence Committees; Senate Foreign Relations and House Foreign Affairs; the House and Senate Agriculture Committees; and committees overseeing science, technology, biotechnology, and U.S. competitiveness, including Senate Commerce and House Science, Space, and Technology.
– Prior service as a Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, senior committee staff member, or in a comparably senior Congressional role is highly preferred; experience with a key committee would be particularly valuable.
– Deep relationships, credibility, and political fluency within either the Democratic or Republican Congressional ecosystem.
– A sophisticated understanding of Congressional strategy, legislative processes, and the political dynamics required to move complex policy priorities from concept toward legislative action.
– Demonstrated experience building, managing, and developing high-performing teams, with the leadership capability to oversee both in-house government affairs professionals and external lobbying resources.
– Exceptional communication and policy translation skills, with the ability to distill complex technical and policy analysis into clear, pragmatic legislative strategies and compelling arguments for political audiences.
– Strong political judgment and an ability to identify opportunities, anticipate challenges, and adapt strategy as the legislative and political environment evolves.
– The ability to build support across party lines, combining strong relationships within one political ecosystem with the credibility and collaborative orientation necessary to advance a bipartisan policy agenda.
– Passion for joining the leadership of a new organization and driving a policy agenda to advance national security, health security, economic security, and strategic competitiveness through improved biodefense.
– The intellectual curiosity and agility to quickly develop command of complex scientific, technological, and national security issues and effectively communicate their implications to policymakers.
– A builder mentality and comfort operating in an entrepreneurial environment, with enthusiasm for creating a government affairs function and helping shape the strategy and infrastructure of a new organization.

## Education
The ideal candidate will hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. An advanced degree is preferred.

## Contact
Beth Fowler
Senior Client Partner, Global Corporate Affairs
E. [email protected]

Dayna Keene
Principal, Global Corporate Affairs
E. [email protected]

Email [email protected] for more information on how to apply.