VP, US Government Relations

About us

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we're on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We're looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

What you'll do

The Vice President, US Government Relations will lead Viasat's engagement strategy across Congress, the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the Department of State, and other priority US government stakeholders. This role is responsible for advancing Viasat's policy, funding, and mission priorities by shaping and executing a coordinated government relations strategy that supports growth, protects strategic equities, and strengthens Viasat's position as a trusted national security partner.

The VP will serve as a senior representative of Viasat in Washington, DC, with a particular focus on defense appropriations, authorization priorities, congressional engagement, executive branch engagement, and agency-level advocacy. The role requires deep understanding of the US national security ecosystem, including the defense budget process, congressional committee dynamics, appropriations and authorization cycles, and the policy priorities shaping the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, and US foreign policy apparatus.

This leader will work closely with Viasat's Market Entry, Business Development, Strategy, Legal, Communications, and business area teams to ensure government relations activities are directly aligned to priority campaigns, customer requirements, policy developments, and long-term growth objectives.

The day-to-day

US Government Relations Strategy

• Develop and execute a comprehensive US Government Relations strategy for Viasat, aligned to the company's national security, defense, intelligence, and international government priorities. Translate business objectives into actionable engagement plans across Congress, the Department of Defense, the Intelligence Community, the Department of State, and other relevant federal agencies.
• Identify policy, funding, and legislative opportunities that support Viasat's strategic priorities, including resilient satellite communications, multi-orbit and multi-band architectures, tactical networking, secure mobility, sovereign communications, government aviation, cybersecurity, and mission-enabling connectivity capabilities.
• Provide senior-level counsel to Viasat leadership on congressional dynamics, defense policy trends, appropriations strategy, agency priorities, stakeholder positioning, and emerging risks or opportunities across the federal landscape.

Defense Appropriations and Authorization

• Lead Viasat's engagement strategy for the defense appropriations and authorization processes, including the development of annual funding priorities, congressional asks, explanatory materials, and stakeholder engagement plans.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key members, professional staff, and personal office staff across relevant congressional committees, including Defense Appropriations, Armed Services, Intelligence, Foreign Relations, Homeland Security, and other committees with jurisdiction over Viasat priorities.
• Track, analyze, and influence relevant legislative activity, budget submissions, markups, report language, hearings, member priorities, and appropriations outcomes. Ensure Viasat is well positioned throughout the congressional budget cycle and that internal teams understand timing, opportunities, risks, and decision points.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to identify programs, technologies, and mission areas that could benefit from congressional support, funding alignment, or policy engagement.

Congressional and Hill Engagement

• Serve as a senior Viasat interface with Congress and congressional staff. Develop and manage a disciplined Hill engagement plan that supports both near-term business objectives and long-term strategic positioning.
• Prepare senior executives for congressional meetings, hearings, briefings, member engagements, staff-level discussions, and external policy forums. Develop talking points, briefing materials, policy narratives, and leave-behinds that clearly communicate Viasat's value to national security customers.
• Create opportunities for Viasat to educate congressional stakeholders on mission needs, technology trends, industrial base considerations, and the role of commercial innovation in strengthening US and allied defense capabilities.
• Maintain a strong understanding of congressional priorities across defense, intelligence, foreign military sales, allied interoperability, commercial space, spectrum, cyber, and resilient communications.

Department of Defense and Agency Engagement

• Lead and coordinate strategic engagement with the Department of Defense, including OSD, the military services, combatant commands, acquisition organizations, policy offices, and mission owners relevant to Viasat's portfolio.
• Support agency-level engagement across the Intelligence Community, the Department of State, and other federal stakeholders where Viasat capabilities intersect with national security, foreign policy, allied capacity-building, and mission operations.
• Partner with Business Development, Capture, Strategy, and business area leaders to ensure agency engagement is informed by customer priorities, program opportunities, competitive dynamics, and Viasat's broader market entry objectives.
• Help position Viasat as a mission-focused partner capable of supporting priority US government needs in resilient communications, mobility, tactical edge connectivity, allied interoperability, and secure global mission operations.

Policy, Market and Stakeholder Intelligence

• Monitor and assess policy developments, legislative activity, budget trends, agency priorities, geopolitical developments, and national security strategies that could affect Viasat's business.
• Provide timely analysis and actionable recommendations to senior leadership on issues affecting defense communications, commercial space, spectrum, cyber, acquisition reform, defense innovation, foreign military sales, allied interoperability, and government use of commercial capabilities.
• Develop internal briefings, executive updates, and strategic recommendations that connect external policy developments to business priorities and customer opportunities.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Monitor and assess policy developments, legislative activity, budget trends, agency priorities, geopolitical developments, and national security strategies that could affect Viasat's business.
• Provide timely analysis and actionable recommendations to senior leadership on issues affecting defense communications, commercial space, spectrum, cyber, acquisition reform, defense innovation, foreign military sales, allied interoperability, and government use of commercial capabilities.
• Develop internal briefings, executive updates, and strategic recommendations that connect external policy developments to business priorities and customer opportunities.

What you'll need

• Significant experience in U.S. Government relations, congressional affairs, defense appropriations, national security policy, or federal agency engagement.
• Deep understanding of the congressional defense budget process, including appropriations, authorization, report language, hearings, markups, and annual legislative cycles.
• Strong relationships across Congress, particularly with committees and staff relevant to defense, intelligence, foreign policy, homeland security, space, cyber, and national security.
• Demonstrated experience engaging with senior stakeholders across the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, Department of State, or other national security agencies.
• Strong knowledge of the U.S. defense and national security market, including acquisition dynamics, mission priorities, policy trends, and budget drivers.
• Ability to translate complex technical and mission concepts into clear, compelling policy and funding narratives.
• Experience advising senior executives and preparing leadership for congressional, agency, and external stakeholder engagements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to develop briefing materials, policy papers, talking points, and executive-level recommendations.
• High judgment, discretion, and credibility in sensitive government, policy, and business environments.
• Ability to operate across a matrixed organization and coordinate effectively with business, technical, legal, communications, and strategy teams.

What will help you on the job

• Experience working on Capitol Hill, in the Department of Defense, within the Intelligence Community, at the Department of State, or in a senior government relations role supporting a defense, aerospace, space, satellite communications, or national security technology company.
• Direct experience with defense appropriations and authorization committees.
• Familiarity with satellite communications, commercial space, defense networking, tactical communications, resilient communications architectures, cyber, spectrum, or government mobility solutions.
• Experience supporting foreign military sales, allied interoperability, international security cooperation, or U.S. Government engagement with partner nations.
• Existing relationships across relevant congressional offices, defense agencies, military services, and national security stakeholders.

Salary range

$271,000.00 - $428,000.00 / annually. For specific work locations within San Jose, the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, the base pay range for this role is $336,500.00- $504,500.00/ annually

At Viasat, we consider many factors when it comes to compensation, including the scope of the position as well as your background and experience. Base pay may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Additional cash or stock incentives may be provided as part of the compensation package, in addition to a range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position offered. Learn more about Viasat's comprehensive benefit offerings that are focused on your holistic health and wellness at https://careers.viasat.com/benefits.

EEO Statement

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.