Associate Director, Government Relations

Hanbury Strategy; Washington (District of Columbia); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - USD 225,000; Full time

Job summary

A government relations firm in Washington, DC is looking for a professional to lead client advocacy efforts and navigate the political landscape. With a focus on building relationships with policymakers, the ideal candidate will have extensive knowledge of government processes and experience in strategic communication. The role offers a competitive salary ranging from $100,000 to $225,000, along with health benefits and a hybrid work model, making it an excellent opportunity for those passionate about public policy.

Benefits

Competitive base salary

Performance-based bonus opportunities

Health benefits

401(k) retirement savings plan

Generous paid time off

Hybrid work model with flexibility

Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience working in government or government affairs roles.
• Experience navigating Capitol Hill, federal agencies, and the Administration.
• Ability to quickly learn new issues and operate with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day client interactions and coordinate advocacy efforts.
• Identify and monitor legislative and regulatory developments.
• Provide strategic counsel on public policy and reputational issues.

Skills

Expertise in government and politics

Strong organizational skills

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Creative problem-solving

Demonstrated relationship-building skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

About Hanbury Strategy

Hanbury Strategy is a global government relations and strategic communications firm with close to 140 employees in Brussels, London, Sydney, and Washington, DC. Founded in 2016, Hanbury’s bipartisan team of experts use their understanding of policy, politics, and the media to create comprehensive advocacy and communications campaigns that meet clients’ objectives. Hanbury’s work is supported by best-in-class data and research by Hanbury’s sister company, Stack Data Strategy.

Hanbury’s DC Office opened in Fall 2025 to bring its highly successful approach to client service to the U.S. and is in active growth mode in support of Hanbury’s mission: “To build a team of exceptional people, who go the extra mile to help companies with their biggest reputation, policy, and regulatory challenges.”

Key Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day client interactions, serving as the first point of contact for clients, coordinating advocacy efforts, and handling inquiries and requests as they arise.

• Identify and monitor legislative and regulatory developments on behalf of clients, attend and summarize hearings or meetings, and develop policy research as needed on issues of importance.

• Provide trusted strategic counsel on key public policy and reputational issues clients and provide insight on political developments that affect them with support and counsel from senior team members.

• Develop and execute strategies to meet client objectives and advocacy goals with support and counsel from senior team members.

• Develop policy expertise on areas of key importance to clients.

• Represent Hanbury Strategy and clients at events, legislative days, meetings, hearings, and other gatherings of key policy makers.

• Develop and maintain positive working relationships with elected officials, policymakers, and staff.

• Network and develop opportunities for Hanbury to build relationships with potential clients as well as think tanks, coalitions, advocacy groups, and thought leaders throughout DC.

• Effectively delegate and review client deliverables produced by junior colleagues, adding political acumen and strategic counsel, while also coordinating feedback from senior team members.

• Manage junior colleagues with responsibility for their training, growth, and professional development.

• Support senior colleagues in researching and drafting proposals for new business.

Qualifications

• Expertise in government, politics, and the legislative process with the ability to connect political realities to business objectives.

• Experience navigating Capitol Hill, federal agencies, and the Administration with established relationships in Washington, DC.

• Strong organizational skills with a proven ability to coordinate numerous projects at once and a strong ability to adapt to changing circumstances and demands.

• Ability to quickly learn new issues, think strategically, and operate with discretion in external engagement.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with a track record of translating complex policy issues into clear, succinct, and persuasive narratives for diverse audiences.

• Strong collaborator with good interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to work in a team environment and be willing to pitch in and support teammates where needed.

• Creative problem solver with an ability to innovate and think outside the box to meet clients’ needs.

• Entrepreneurial mentality to support a fast-growing firm in a new market.

• Self-motivator that takes initiative and operates with a proactive mindset.

• Demonstrated relationship-building and networking skills.

• Bachelor’s degree with 5-10 years’ experience working in government or government affairs roles; ideally with experience working in both the public and private sector.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary within the range of $100,000–$225,000, based on experience

• Performance-based bonus opportunities

• Health benefits including medical, dental, and vision coverage

• 401(k) retirement savings plan

• Generous paid time off (PTO), including vacation, sick

• Hybrid work model with flexibility for remote work

Hanbury’s growing team is focused on identifying top talent at every level of experience with differing perspectives and backgrounds. We encourage you to apply if you have transferable skills or related experiences.