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Salary: USD 224,000 - 260,000 / annual
Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America, combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing to help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost. The company recently closed a $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation and is rapidly expanding manufacturing capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, and additive manufacturing.
This role owns Hadrian's relationship with Congress, managing engagement with committees, members, and staff whose decisions shape defense policy, program funding, and the operating environment. The position sits within the Government Relations pillar alongside Executive Branch and State & Local functions, working closely with the Chief of Staff's office and Strategic Engagement Partnerships to align congressional engagement, budget strategy, and outside validation.
The role is explicitly nonpartisan, requiring durable relationships with policymakers across the political spectrum and accountability for building trust on both sides of the aisle. It starts with one direct report and is expected to grow the Legislative Branch team as Hadrian's congressional footprint expands. The Managing Director receives dotted-line support from the Principal, Government Relations — Defense Budget & Resourcing on budget and NDAA matters, and coordinates with the Head of Government Relations, Executive Branch as needed.
Key responsibilities include: building and maintaining relationships with congressional leadership, Armed Services and Appropriations Committees, Rules Committee, and relevant oversight committees; setting legislative strategy for Hadrian's priorities and translating company needs into legislative language; owning day-to-day congressional outreach including relationship prioritization and political dynamics tracking; partnering with defense budget expertise to inform Hill strategy; managing external lobbying consultants and firms to extend congressional reach; building credibility across the political spectrum through nonpartisan relationship-building; representing Hadrian at congressional hearings, briefings, and member/staff meetings; developing congressional engagement strategy that anticipates and manages political risk; managing and developing the Legislative Branch team; and coordinating with Public Policy leadership to ensure consistent messaging.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Career spanning both congressional staff experience (e.g., senior national security advisor for a member of Congress or defense committee staffer) and corporate government affairs leadership
- Track record of translating policy priorities into legislative language and outcomes, including experience getting specific provisions included in enacted defense authorization and appropriations bills
- Demonstrated ability to build and sustain relationships with congressional offices across the political spectrum, grounded in trust rather than partisan alignment
- Experience designing structured outreach efforts (stakeholder engagement plans, political giving strategies, or similar) to match a changing Congress
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including experience with speechwriting, public statements, or testimony preparation
- Comfortable managing and developing a small but growing team
- Prior military service is a meaningful plus
- Relentless, genuine focus on Hadrian's mission: rebuilding American industrial capacity and workforce
- Proactive and collaborative with a sense of levity
- Currently practicing as a registered federal lobbyist, or immediately eligible to register
- Holds or can obtain a national security clearance
- Must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, protected individual, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State (ITAR requirement)
