Director/Senior Manager - Government Affairs

About the Role

Verkada’s legal team is looking for a government and policy advocate to help build our Government Affairs and Public Policy functions from the ground up. You will work hand-in-hand with internal leadership to set our overall public policy strategy—establishing our presence across state, local, and federal governments to lay the groundwork for Verkada’s first entree into policy and legislative engagement. You will also support our federal and state public sector go-to-market teams, by leveraging your networks, relationships, and policy engagements to open doors and create opportunities.

As the company’s primary policy representative, you will blend strategic foresight with hands-on execution: building relationships with key decision-makers, leading legislative advocacy, and developing high-impact partnerships with industry associations, trade groups, and peer organizations. The ideal candidate brings 10–15 years of policy experience, strong relationship-building capabilities, and a proven track record of connecting policy strategy directly to business growth. This position reports directly to the company’s Chief Privacy Officer, who heads our policy and government affairs functions.There is no existing team or playbook. You will help build both, starting with your own relationships, experience, and credibility.

We are committed to a thriving in-office culture but this role can be remote for the right candidates, so long as you are willing to regularly travel to key areas, such as San Mateo, California (our headquarters), Washington, DC, and state and local government hubs to meet with key stakeholders and constituents.

What You'll Do

• Framework & Strategy: Help design and execute our first Government Affairs framework, defining company policy priorities, legislative tracking systems, and political governance across local, state, and emerging federal levels.
• Policy Roadmapping: Develop, execute, and refine a scalable 50-state policy strategy, categorizing target jurisdictions by legislative risk, market opportunity, and regulatory complexity.
• Lobbyist Management: Recruit, direct, and actively manage external state and local contract lobbyists and political consultants across priority target states to ensure accountability and measurable outcomes.
• Public Sector Business Development: Partner directly with go-to-market teams to unlock procurement pathways and develop a practical, ground-level government playbook, navigating agency requirements and supporting active deals to accelerate time-to-close.
• Funding & Procurement Strategy: Shape policy and public sector funding and appropriations conversations—including school safety and infrastructure grants—that favor modern, cloud-based public sector infrastructure.
• Cross-Functional Alignment: Work closely with Legal, Product, Public Relations, and Public Sector Sales Teams to align policy strategies with commercial revenue goals and procurement opportunities.

What You Bring

• Education: Must have a Bachelor’s degree; Master’s or J.D. helpful but not required.
• Experience: 8+ years of progressive experience in government relations, public policy, legislative staff roles, or corporate advocacy, with deep state and local expertise and familiarity with federal policy processes.
• 50-State & Lobbyist Management Expertise: Proven track record of designing multi-state policy strategies and effectively directing state and local contract lobbyists across multiple jurisdictions.
• Commercial & Sales Alignment: Demonstrated experience partnering closely with public sector sales and business leads to align policy initiatives with state/local government procurement and revenue growth.
• Partnership Mindset: Ability to partner effectively with senior executive leadership to shape policy priorities.
• Relationship & Network Capabilities: Proven ability to build meaningful networks, open doors with senior officials, and earn credibility across diverse political environments.
• Coalition & Trade Expertise: Track record of actively working within trade associations, leading industry committees, and building multi-stakeholder coalitions.
• Skills:  Exceptional written and oral communication skills; ability to translate complex technical or business models into clear, compelling policy narratives for lawmakers, regulators, and internal leadership; strong political acumen and cross-functional alignment skills to gain consensus across internal teams.
• Travel: Willingness to regularly travel (aligned with state legislative sessions, municipal council calendars, and industry conferences).

Employee Benefits

Verkada is committed to fostering a workplace environment that prioritizes the holistic health and wellbeing of our employees and their families by offering comprehensive wellness perks, benefits, and resources. Our benefits and perks programs include, but are not limited to:

• Healthcare programs that can be tailored to meet the personal health and financial well-being needs - Premiums are 100% covered for the employee under at least one plan and 80% for family premiums under all plans
• Nationwide medical, vision and dental coverage
• Starting January 2027, Verkada will match a portion of an employee’s 401(k) contributions based on eligible earnings. Match vests on 2 year anniversary
• Health Saving Account (HSA) with annual employer contributions and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) with tax saving options
• Expanded mental health support
• Paid parental leave policy & fertility benefits
• Time off to relax and recharge through our paid holidays, firmwide extended holidays, flexible PTO and personal sick time
• Professional development stipend
• Wellness/fitness benefits
• Healthy lunches provided daily
• Commuter benefits

Additional Information

You must be independently authorized to work in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa for this role, at this time.

Estimated Annual Pay Range 205000 - 265000 USD