Government Relations Manager, Defense at REGENT in Washington, DC

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. 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. WHAT YOU'LL DO - Advance REGENT's policy and program priorities on Capitol Hill, working directly with personal office and committee staff on technical and program matters, and coordinating with REGENT's external lobbying firm on appropriations and authorization asks. - Develop and execute engagement strategies across House and Senate Armed Services, Defense Appropriations, Homeland Security, and other relevant committees and member offices. - Support customer-facing engagement across DoD, DHS, and allied government stakeholders, including Pentagon meetings, program office reviews, requirements discussions, and senior leader briefings. - Translate mission needs, procurement signals, policy dynamics, and competitive context into clear positioning, win themes, and engagement strategies for priority pursuits. - Lead development of strategic written materials, including Hill one-pagers, position papers, briefing memos, congressional testimony preparation, white papers, RFI and solicitation responses, capture plans, technical narratives, and presentations. - Serve as a primary author and project manager for proposals and capture deliverables, coordinating inputs across business development, engineering, product, mission management, legal, finance, and leadership. - Drive timelines, content integration, reviews, and final deliverables across multiple simultaneous pursuits and engagement workstreams. - Build and maintain reusable content, response playbooks, and engagement infrastructure that improve quality and speed over time. - Represent REGENT at defense trade shows, industry conferences, and customer events in the United States and internationally, supporting product demonstrations, customer meetings, and follow-on engagement. - Track and synthesize relevant policy, budget, and acquisition developments, and translate them into actionable guidance for REGENT leadership. WHAT YOU'LL BRING - 2–5 years of direct Congressional experience preferred (personal office, committee staff, or equivalent), with demonstrated fluency in defense policy, the authorization and appropriations cycles, and the broader Capitol Hill ecosystem. - Experience or strong working knowledge of defense or national security business development, capture, or proposal work, including supporting RFIs, RFPs, white papers, presentations, or other strategic customer-facing documents. - Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, persuasive narratives for congressional, executive branch, and operational audiences. - Ability to work in-person in Washington, DC minimum 3 days per week. - Willingness to travel up to 25%, including occasional international travel. - U.S. citizenship required, with the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance. BONUS EXPERIENCE - Existing relationships with relevant congressional offices, committee staff, and defense executive branch stakeholders. - Experience supporting capture and proposal efforts for U.S. Government customers, including defense, civil, or national security agencies. - Experience with allied government, commercial, or international customer engagement, strategic bids, or partnership materials. - Familiarity with federal acquisition processes, proposal structures, and evaluation criteria. - Experience writing about highly technical products, systems, or mission concepts in maritime, autonomy, defense-tech, or related fields. - Experience at an early-stage startup or other fast-paced, high-growth environment. - Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects, events, and deadlines simultaneously. - A bias for action and comfort operating with a high degree of autonomy. 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 the 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 and adjust your approach as needed, ensuring that progress continues without missing a beat. - Innovative Mindset: You’re driven by curiosity and a passion for technology. You’re passionate about driving continuous improvement, embracing new technologies and methodologies to enhance efficiency, quality, and team performance. WHAT WE OFFER - Competitive compensation including a robust equity incentive plan. - Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance - we cover 100% of your premiums. - 401(k) with company matching, so you can plan for the future. - Generous flexible time off, paid parental leave, and company-wide holiday breaks. - Relocation packages available for those moving to join our team. - Daily, free lunches - Learning & professional 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. 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.