Director of Government Affairs

Role summary

Director of Government Affairs is a role at Young Community Developers in Fairfax, Virginia, United States (remote). Posted 2026-08-05. Experience level: 5-10.

Job title

Director of Government Affairs

Company

Young Community Developers

Location

Fairfax, Virginia, United States

Work arrangement

remote

Category

Software Engineering

Experience level

5-10

Date posted

2026-08-05

Job description

About DZYNE

DZYNE Technologies is leading the future of autonomous defense. Based in Irvine, California, we develop and manufacture advanced airborne and ground-based defense solutions deployed in over 50 countries. Backed by U.S. Government Programs of Record, our technologies are field-proven, scalable, and production-ready.

We’re growing fast and looking for innovators ready to make an impact. At DZYNE, you’ll join a culture built on collaboration, integrity, and purpose. We celebrate wins, value diverse perspectives, and support every team member’s success.

Ready to do work that matters? Join us.

Position Title: Director of Government Affairs

Location: Washington, D.C./Fairfax, VA

Work Arrangement: remote

Position Summary:

The Director of Government Affairs leads Ondas Sentinel's engagement with the United States Congress across the annual defense authorization and appropriations cycles. This position owns the company's legislative calendar end to end: developing policy and engagement strategy aligned with Ondas Sentinel equities, submitting programmatic and appropriations requests, drafting supporting white paper and technical justifications, and building durable relationships with the defense committees and with member offices representing districts and states where Sentinel facilities and workforce are located.

In concert with the VP of Washington Operations, the Director serves as the company's primary interface with professional staff on the defense subcommittees and personal office staff, translating Sentinel's counter-UAS, autonomous systems, and stratospheric ISR portfolio into actionable legislative outcomes - funding lines, authorization language, and report direction that advance company programs.

Required Duties and Responsibilities:

Appropriations and Authorization Cycle Leadership:

Own the annual legislative battle rhythm across the NDAA and defense appropriations cycles, including member request windows, subcommittee and full committee markups, floor action, and conference.

Develop, draft, and submit appropriations requests and NDAA legislative proposals, including programmatic increases, new-start justifications, and report language aligned to company program elements and procurement lines.

Analyze funding and policy trends within the USG. Author white papers, one-pagers, and technical justification packages tailored to professional staff members and member offices, collaborating with program management and engineering leadership to ensure technical accuracy.

Track marks, report language, and bill text across House and Senate vehicles; identify deltas between chamber positions and develop conference strategy to protect and advance company priorities.

Monitor and engage on supplemental appropriations, reconciliation vehicles, and continuing resolution dynamics affecting company funding lines.

Committee and Member Office Relationships:

Build and maintain relationships with professional staff on the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Defense (HAC-D, SAC-D) and the House and Senate Armed Services Committees (HASC, SASC), including relevant subcommittees with jurisdiction over tactical air and land forces, intelligence and special operations, and emerging threats.

Develop and sustain relationships with member offices representing states and districts where Sentinel maintains facilities, workforce, or significant supplier presence, positioning the company as a constituent employer and technology partner.

Arrange and staff congressional engagements including member and staff briefings, facility visits, technology demonstrations, and testimony preparation for company executives.

Coordinate delegation visits to company sites and support district-level engagement in partnership with facility leadership.

Strategy and Internal Coordination:

Provide legislative intelligence and analysis to the CEO, CTO, and Government Affairs leadership, including assessments of budget posture, committee dynamics, and legislative risk to company programs.

Coordinate legislative strategy with the company's USG program engagement, regulatory affairs, and international efforts to ensure unified messaging across the government customer set.

Collaborate with outside consultants and lobbying firms supporting the legislative portfolio; coordinate with Ondas Sentinel compliance adherence to the Lobbying Disclosure Act, gift and ethics rules, and company policy.

Maintain the company's legislative tracking system covering bill status, funding lines, report language, and member correspondence.

Required Skills/Qualifications:

6+ years of progressively responsible experience in congressional affairs, with direct experience on or with the defense committees (HAC-D, SAC-D, HASC, SASC) as professional staff, personal office staff handling defense portfolios, or in a corporate/association legislative role focused on defense.

Demonstrated record of securing appropriations adds, authorization language, or report direction for defense programs.

Fluency in the DoD budget justification process, including R-1/R-2 and P-1 exhibit structures, program element architecture, and the relationship between the President's Budget request and congressional action.

Working knowledge of the defense acquisition landscape, including rapid acquisition pathways, other transaction authorities, and the interplay between authorization and appropriation.

Strong writing ability, with a portfolio of white papers, request justifications, or similar legislative work products.

Preferred Skills/Qualifications:

Subject-matter familiarity with counter-UAS, unmanned systems, ISR, or electromagnetic spectrum policy.

Established relationships with defense subcommittee professional staff and with delegations relevant to company facil