Director, Government Relations, Bio & Food Security - Washington DC

Position Summary

The role will lead federal advocacy and policy engagement on biomanufacturing and food security issues. This role requires direct lobbying before Congress and federal agencies, as well as strategic alignment with global government relations teams to ensure consistency across international business segments. The Director will monitor U.S. legislative and regulatory developments, shape policy positions, lead advocacy strategies, and cultivate relationships with policymakers, regulators, industry partners, and civil society stakeholders.

This is a U.S.

-focused role with responsibility for coordinating with global counterparts.

• Represent the organization before U.S. Congressional offices, committees, and federal agencies on biomanufacturing, bioeconomy, and food security issues.
• Build and maintain relationships with Members of Congress, staff, and Executive Branch policy leads.
• Prepare and deliver lobbying materials including legislative asks, bill language suggestions, briefings, testimony, and position statements.

• Track, analyze, and influence bills, hearings, amendments, and appropriations relevant to:
  • biomanufacturing incentives, R&D, scale-up
  • bioeconomy infrastructure and standards
  • nutrition programs, affordability initiatives, and food system regulations
  • workforce, supply chain, tax, and trade issues affecting the sector
• Develop legislative strategies that support organizational priorities; manage Hill days, briefings, and targeted advocacy campaigns.
• Provide clear, actionable analyses and recommendations to senior leadership and internal technical teams.

• Monitor and shape rule making, guidance, standards, and regulatory processes at agencies including: FDA, USDA, HHS, DOE, EPA, DOD, NSF, and relevant offices in the White House and others as relevant.
• Draft, coordinate, and submit comments and provide technical input.
• Interface between regulatory/policy staff and internal R&D, science, and commercial teams to ensure accuracy and alignment.

• Represent the organization with U.S. industry associations, think tanks, advocacy groups, academic partners, and NGOs.
• Identify and advance coalition opportunities to strengthen policy influence.
• Organize and lead stakeholder meetings, panels, round tables, and Hill/agency visits.

• Collaborate closely with global government affairs teams to:
  • ensure consistent messaging across countries and regions
  • share intelligence on international standards, global regulatory trends, and multilateral nutrition or bioeconomy initiatives
• Provide U.S. insights to inform global policy planning, particularly where U.S. regulatory, trade, or funding decisions have international implications.

• Prepare executive briefing materials, talking points, stakeholder maps, advocacy strategies, and policy risk assessments in memo and/or power point/slides.
• Support thought-leadership engagements that intersect with policy goals.
• Maintain high standards of accuracy, policy rigor, and organizational representation.

• Ensure all advocacy activities comply with federal lobbying laws, gift rules, conflict-of-interest policies, and internal ethics frameworks.
• Maintain accurate logs of meetings, actions, and outcomes for reporting and compliance.
• Support budgeting and planning for memberships, consultants, events, and travel.

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree (MPA/MPP, JD, MS) strongly preferred.
• 8–12+ years of U.S. federal government relations experience, including direct lobbying.
• Strong working knowledge of Congressional processes, federal rule making, and bioeconomy/nutrition policy landscapes.
• Demonstrated ability to influence policy with Congress and U.S. agencies.
• Excellent communication skills, with ability to translate complex science and technology issues for policymakers.
• Track record of effective coalition building and stakeholder engagement.

• Experience in biomanufacturing,…