Director, Global Government Affairs (SLED) - Cybersecurity

Tenable, Inc.; Washington, Columbia (District of Columbia, MD); Hybrid; USD 188,000 - 251,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision, disability & 

Life insurance

401(k) with company match

Employee stock purchase plan

Employee referral program

Flexible spending accounts

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Education assistance

Parental leave

Paid time off (PTO)

Company-paid holidays

Health and wellness events

Community programs

Job summary

Tenable, Inc. is seeking a Director of Global Government Affairs (SLED) to lead state and local advocacy and coordinate with sales leadership across priority jurisdictions.

You will monitor policy developments, manage external lobbyists, and translate intelligence into growth strategies for field teams. The role requires deep relationships with state CIOs/CISOs, procurement officials, and trade associations, with a focus on cybersecurity policy and ethics compliance.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years in state and local government affairs or SLED business development.
• Proven credibility with state CIOs, CISOs, IT procurement officials, and legislative staff.
• Experience managing external government affairs consultants and contract lobbyists.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute state and local advocacy strategies aligned with SLED sales leadership.
• Monitor state policy developments and manage contract lobbyists in key states.
• Translate association and legislative intelligence into growth strategies for field sales teams.
• Cultivate relationships with state CIOs, CISOs, and procurement decision-makers.
• Track and influence state/local legislation and executive policies affecting cybersecurity and AI policy.
• Ensure compliance with lobbying rules and disclosures in coordination with legal/compliance teams.
• Develop understanding of Tenable’s exposure management platform and advocacy orientation.
• Align government affairs with product marketing and executive leadership priorities.

Skills

Public policy leadership

State & local government relations

Executive communication

Stakeholder management

Relationship building with CIOs/CISOs

Travel readiness

Education

Advanced degree in Public Policy/Administration/Law

Job description

US - Remote - DC, US - Remote - Virginia , US - Headquarters - Maryland - Columbia

Who is Tenable?

Tenable® is the Exposure Management company. Over 40,000 organizations around the globe rely on Tenable to understand and reduce cyber risk. Our global employees support 65 percent of the Fortune 500, 50 percent of the Global 2000, and large government agencies. Come be part of our journey!

What makes Tenable such a great place to work?

Ask a member of our team and they’ll answer, “Our people!” We work together to build and innovate best-in-class cybersecurity solutions for our customers; all while creating a culture of belonging, respect, and excellence where we can be our best selves. When you’re part of our #OneTenable team, you can expect to partner with some of the most talented and passionate people in the industry, and have the support and resources you need to do work that truly matters. We deliver results that exceed expectations and we win together!

Your Role:

Tenable’s Director, Global Government Affairs (SLED) represents Tenable before state and local legislators, Chief Information Officers (CIOs), Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs), procurement officials, and education leaders, as well as across national SLED organizations, trade associations, and coalitions.

This position develops and executes comprehensive state and local advocacy strategies in tight alignment with Tenable’s SLED sales and business development leadership. A core element of the role involves monitoring state policy developments, managing contract lobbyists in target jurisdictions, and turning association and legislative intelligence into actionable growth strategies for field sales teams.

• Public Sector Business Enablement: Partner closely with SLED territory sales teams and sales leadership to open doors, navigate procurement cycles, and highlight the operational value of exposure management solutions to state and local leaders.
• Consultant & Lobbyist Management: Directly direct and manage outside government relations consultants and contract lobbyists in key priority states (including California, Texas, New York, and Florida), setting priorities and ensuring measurable results.
• Trade Association & Coalition Leadership: Represent Tenable within key technology associations and national SLED bodies (e.g., NASCIO, NGA). Actively monitor state legislative trends and translate association briefings into timely, actionable commercial intelligence for regional sales teams.
• Executive Relationship Building: Cultivate and sustain deep, credible relationships with state CIOs, CISOs, state agency technology leaders, and key procurement decision-makers nationwide.
• Policy Strategy & Legislative Tracking: Track, evaluate, and influence state and local legislation and executive policies impacting cybersecurity standards, AI adoption, and public sector risk management.
• Ethics & Lobbying Compliance: Navigate state-specific lobbying rules, gift restrictions, and disclosure requirements in close coordination with Tenable legal and compliance teams.
• Solution Advocacy: Develop and maintain a thorough understanding of Tenable’s exposure management platform and its application to state, local, and higher education operational resilience.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Align government affairs strategies with product marketing, corporate communications, and executive leadership priorities.

What You’ll Need:

• Minimum of 7+ years of relevant experience in state and local government affairs, public policy, state agency administration, or SLED business development, with demonstrated leadership experience.
• Proven track record establishing credibility and working relationships with state and local CIOs, CISOs, IT procurement officials, and legislative staff.
• Demonstrated experience managing external government affairs consultants and contract lobbyists to achieve targeted policy and business outcomes.
• Strong working knowledge of state legislative processes, budget appropriation cycles, and public sector acquisition vehicles.
• Demonstrated success leveraging national intergovernmental organizations and trade associations to represent company priorities.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and executive presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex policy topics to commercial sales teams and government executives alike.
• Travel: Domestic travel required, typically monthly to quarterly depending on state legislative calendars, major SLED conferences, and jurisdictional priorities.
• Availability: Planned position start date of March 2027.

And Ideally:

• Working familiarity with cybersecurity principles, IT infrastructure, enterprise software, or AI policy (formal cybersecurity industry experience is not required; domain-specific exposure management solutions can be learned on the job).
• Prior service as a state Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), Deputy CIO/CISO, or senior state technology leader.
• Direct experience overseeing legislative or consulting engagements in including California, Texas, New York, or Florida.
• Experience serving as an intelligence bridge between public sector associations and quota-carrying sales representatives to accelerate pipeline generation.
• Advanced degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Law, or a related field.

US Pay Range

$188,000 - $250,666.67 USD

This is the base pay range for this position. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including the candidate's qualifications, skills, competencies, location and experience, and may fall outside of the range shown. Employees are also eligible for variable compensation in addition to base pay (commission for sales roles, bonus for non-sales roles), depending on company and individual performance.

This is a hybrid position that requires you to work from either our Headquarters in Columbia, MD or be located in the DC/Northern Virginia area.

• medical, dental, vision, disability and life insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings with company match
• an employee stock purchase plan
• an employee referral program
• flexible spending accounts
• an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• education assistance
• parental leave
• paid time off (PTO)
• company-paid holidays
• health and wellness events
• community programs

We’re committed to promoting Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) at Tenable - through all equal employment opportunity laws and regulations at the international, federal, state and local levels. If you need a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or recruiting process, please contact [e-mail] for further assistance.

#LI-Hybrid #LI-LP1