Director of Government Affairs

The Company

At GridMatrix, we are the market-leading builders of next-generation digital infrastructure. We're a fast growing startup working with cities globally, making them more efficient, safer, and sustainable. You can read more about our recent work in Bloomberg, the Associated Press, and Government Technology.

The Role

Reporting to the COO, The Vice President/Director of Government Affairs will be a leader in GridMatrix's Government Affairs Organization and coordinate its daily operations. As the VP/Director of Government Affairs, you will be responsible for crafting and communicating the impact a GridMatrix deployment can have in a community and how this impact supports each of these goals within the context of broader state, local, national, and global regulatory frameworks.

This is a hybrid remote/in-person role based in Austin, Texas. Relocation assistance is available for the right candidate.

Key Responsibilities:

Public Outreach & Representation, Partner Relationship Management, and Media Engagement

• Grow GridMatrix's relationships with organizational leaders and stakeholders at state, local, national, and international public agencies/private policy organizations
• Manage GridMatrix's state/local/national government relations partners, translating networking opportunities into commercial impact
• Coordinate across multiple Government Affairs teams at GridMatrix's private partners, including enterprise cloud/transportation data/LiDAR OEM companies
• Become a trusted advisor to GridMatrix's public sector customers on the impact of available state and federal government grant funding
• Represent GridMatrix at industry trade shows and conferences, speak on panels, and be a highly visible senior representative that is strongly associated with GridMatrix's solutions

Strategy & Thought Leadership

• Design, direct, and execute GridMatrix's overall government affairs strategy
• Look around corners and identify how government affairs strategy impacts commercial and engineering direction/execution
• Proactively surface and brief policy changes as they pertain to commercial opportunities to executive leadership
• Proactively identify relevant grants, RFPs, accelerators, and test-bed opportunities
• Be GridMatrix's expert on the Infrastructure and Investment Jobs Act (IIJA) as well as competitive and formula grant funding
• Map how GridMatrix's products and features support IIJA funding opportunities and communicate this support to public stakeholders
• Coordinate with GridMatrix's executive team and engineering leadership, translating RFPs into new product features

Grant/Trade Missions/Accelerator Applications, RFPs Submission

• Drive GridMatrix's applications for grants, to RFPs, Trade Missions, and accelerators, coordinating the process from origination to submission and leading a cross functional team of customers, partners, government relations firms, policy organizations, GridMatrix government affairs, and engineering contributors

Own Compliance for Transportation, Privacy Policy, Export, and Cybersecurity

• Understand latest developments in the US & EU with respect to transportation policy and potential to impact core business revenue channels and product
• Privacy policy monitoring and compliance by operation region (e.g. GDPR, domestic state level policies), translating into back-end architecture

Own Special Business Operations/Licenses/Designtations

• Small business, women-owned business, veteran-owned business, etc. where applicable to enhance grant and RFP applications

Project Management

• Bias for action
• Deadlines matter
• Reporting and communication matter

People Management

• Experience growing an organization, hiring, motivating, and retaining highly specialized individuals
• Cross-functional support and interface

X-Factor

• Is a leader, high EQ, great communicator
• Wants to build a market leading product
• Results orientation - can always answer “so what” when they're done
• Mission driven for impact, cares about building something that can touch everyone
• Lifelong learning mentality
• Teamplayer
• Strong critical thinking skills

Minimum Qualifications

• BA/BS in relevant field
• MA/JD/PhD
• 5+ relevant YOE
• Previous experience leading and growing a high impact government affairs team
• Deeply motivated to help revitalize American infrastructure, enhance public safety and equity, and reduce emissions

Desirable Qualifications

• Experience in transportation
• Experience at a public agency
• Experience presenting and speaking to large audiences
• Demonstrated personal brand, with a track record of positions on matters of public policy/interest
• Experience at a product-focused technology company

Position Description

• Position Type: Full-time, salaried
• Location: Hybrid, based in Austin, Texas
• Sponsored: No
• Equity: Eligible
• Benefits: Unlimited PTO, 401K matching, medical, dental, vision, life insurance
• Travel: Domestic & International 0-25%

GridMatrix provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.