Vice President, Government Relations

Merlin Labs

Vice President of Government Relations leading government relations strategy at aerospace startup Merlin Labs. Building relationships with U.S.

Posted 5/18/2026full-timeRemote • Washington • 🇺🇸 United StatesLeadWebsite

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Develop and lead Merlin’s government relations strategy, aligned with revenue and growth objectives
Build and maintain senior-level relationships across U.S. government agencies, including defense, aviation, and related stakeholders
Partner closely with the Chief Revenue Officer and Business Development teams to identify, shape, and advance opportunities within government channels
Support the development and positioning of Merlin’s capabilities in alignment with government priorities, missions, and funding pathways
Navigate and influence procurement processes, including traditional and non-traditional acquisition pathways
Collaborate cross-functionally with Strategy, Programs, Engineering, and Policy to ensure alignment between government engagement and product direction
Provide insights into budget cycles, policy developments, and funding opportunities that impact revenue strategy
Represent Merlin in meetings, briefings, and industry forums to strengthen credibility and visibility within the government ecosystem
Help drive capture strategy and deal progression for key government programs
Develop clear internal reporting and external-facing materials to support executive and Board-level visibility

Requirements

What you’ll need

12-15+ years of experience in government relations, defense programs, or public sector business development
Deep understanding of U.S. government structure, procurement processes, and funding mechanisms
Experience engaging with Dod, FAA, DHS, or related agencies
Proven ability to build relationships that lead to programmatic outcomes or revenue generation
Strong understanding of mission-driven technologies, ideally in aerospace, autonomy, or defense
Experience operating in complex, regulated environments
Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence senior leaders internally and externally

Benefits

Comp & perks

health, dental, life insurance
unlimited vacation
401k with match

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills & Tools

government relationsdefense programspublic sector business developmentprocurement processesfunding mechanismsmission-driven technologiesaerospaceautonomystakeholder managementprogrammatic outcomes

Soft Skills

relationship buildingcommunicationinfluencecollaborationstrategic thinkingreportingvisibilityinsight generationcross-functional teamworkleadership