Director of Government Affairs

planetlabs

Arlington, VA · Arlington · United States

Posted Aug 19, 2026

Full-time
Hybrid
Global Communications and Government Affairs (Global Communications and Government Affairs)

Apply on company site

Job description

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

We are seeking a Director for Government Affairs based in Washington, D.C. who can successfully engage in U.S. national security policy, budget, and legislative advocacy. The Director of Government Affairs will execute Planet’s government affairs strategy with Congress and U.S. national security agencies (including the Department of War, the National Reconnaissance Office and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency). The role is responsible for shaping engagement with legislative and executive branch agencies to advance Planet’s policy and business priorities. The Director of Government Affairs will work with the Global Government Affairs team, Planet’s Business Development and Sales teams, and Planet leadership to develop Planet’s strategic positions and priorities.

The position will interact directly with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and national security policy leadership at the White House and relevant federal agencies. The position will attend conferences and symposia and engage in relevant meetings with stakeholders and government officials. The right person for Planet knows how to navigate the complex relationships of the U.S. Federal Government, including Congress and relevant Federal agencies (including the Department of War, NRO, and NGA); has professional experience working with these institutions and detailed knowledge of their processes; and knows how Planet’s unique capabilities - our agile approach to space technology and our delivery of first-of-its-kind data and analytics - meet the requirements and needs of the U.S. National Security sector.

This position requires close coordination with both internal and external constituencies, and the ability to communicate and collaborate effectively with Planet’s customers, federal agencies, NGOs, technical partners and team members around the world, in a highly-dynamic, high-growth commercial company. Planet’s services are novel, and thus we are looking for someone to simultaneously educate stakeholders on the broader context of commercial aerospace opportunities while also specifically advancing short-term opportunities for Planet.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Arlington, VA office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own:

Demonstrate thought leadership in the U.S. National Security policy community
Lead national security engagements with Congress to shape policy and funding opportunities in key Appropriations and Authorization legislation
Communicate Planet’s unique value proposition to the U.S. national security audience in terms of greatest relevance to that audience, with the ability to design and synthesize new analysis and approaches
Communicate and collaborate with Planet’s executive, government affairs, business development, and sales teams to develop approaches to capture new opportunities in the national security ecosystem
Act as a strategic advisor and execution partner to sales and customer success teams
Success in this role will result in (and be measured against) increased trust and credibility with key U.S. national security stakeholders, early identification of political and programmatic risk before it impacts Planet’s business, and maintaining, shaping, and growing key U.S. government programs that leverage Planet capabilities

What You Bring:

8+ years of relevant experience, including 6+ years of supervisory or leadership experience.
Holds an active U.S. security clearance / is able to receive a U.S. Security Clearance (TS-SCI)
Direct and recent experience in U.S. national security policy with Congress and relevant federal agencies
Excellent project, time, and budget management skills, and being able to handle multiple tasks simultaneously without sacrificing attention to detail
Outstanding communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
Excellent presentation skills
Ability to work both collaboratively and independently in a high-growth, commercial company
Ability to work closely with organizations in a wide variety of sectors
Experience with lobbying or industry association advocacy
Ability to meet with members of Government in Washington, D.C. up to 5 days per week

What Makes You Stand Out:

Direct and recent experience working on space/data policy and/or national security technology policy
Experience succeeding in the private and public sector
Experience in drafting position papers
Direct and recent experience in forming partnerships within the space and defense industry to advance shared priorities

Application Deadline:

November 18, 2026 at 11:59p PT

Benefits While Working at Planet:

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
Volunteering Paid Time Off

Compensation:

The US base salary range for this full-time position at the commencement of employment is listed below. Additionally, this role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity). The final salary range is determined by job related experience, skills and location. The range displays our typical hiring range for new hire salaries in US locations only. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process.

US National Salary Range

$180,700—$225,900 USD

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Why we care so much about Belonging.
We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO statement:
Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations:
Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to accommodations@planet.com or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

Privacy Policy: By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

AI in Our Interviewing Process: Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy: Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact accommodations@planet.com with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.