Director, Government Affairs & Policy Intelligence

Travel Tech Association; Alexandria (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical and dental insurance

Flexible Spending Account

Short-term and long-term disability

Paid time off (3 weeks) + federal Hs

Eight weeks of paid parental leave

Monthly cell phone stipend

Home internet stipend

Job summary

Travel Technology Association is seeking a Director of Government Affairs & Policy Intelligence to shape advocacy strategy and advise members navigating complex public policy. The role partners with the President & CEO and State Policy head to identify issues, develop advocacy plans, and build relationships with policymakers and industry partners.

The position emphasizes strategic thinking, superb writing, and consensus-building across companies with varied business models, including Start-Ups

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in government affairs, public policy, legislative affairs, or a related field.
• Experience working for a trade association or representing multiple organizations with differing policy priorities.
• Experience with Congress and federal agencies; state government experience is appreciated but not required.
• Outstanding writing, research, analytical, and communication/presentation skills.
• Experience drafting testimony, regulatory comments, policy papers, legislative language, and executive briefing materials.
• Experience facilitating collaboration among sophisticated stakeholders with competing interests.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience with ecommerce, digital marketplaces, competition policy, platform regulation, pro-innovation public policy, artificial intelligence, privacy, consumer protection, or other technology policy issues is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Help develop and execute Travel Tech's federal government affairs strategy and support the organization's state work.
• Build and maintain relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, federal policymakers, regulators, and coalition partners.
• Draft high-quality testimony, regulatory comments, coalition letters, legislative proposals, policy analyses, and executive briefing materials.
• Prepare and lead meetings with congressional staff and member companies, ensuring thoughtful preparation, clear communication, and consistent follow-through.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and recommend advocacy strategies that advance Travel Tech's priorities.

Skills

Policy drafting

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic thinking

Outstanding writing

Public policy

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

The Travel Technology Association (Travel Tech) is the unified voice for the technology-powered travel industry. Our members range from global industry leaders to growth-stage companies and emerging start-up innovators offering or developing technologies that help travelers discover, compare, book, manage, and experience travel — while helping travel service providers reach customers, improve operations, and innovate.

Through policy intelligence, coordinated advocacy, and cross-sector collaboration, Travel Tech helps members navigate an increasingly complex tech policy environment while advancing public policies that support innovation, competition, traveler choice, and responsible growth.

The Opportunity

The Director, Government Affairs & Policy Intelligence will play a central role in shaping Travel Tech's advocacy strategy while serving as a trusted advisor to members navigating an increasingly complex public policy environment.

Working closely with the President & CEO and the head of State Policy, this role identifies emerging policy issues, develops advocacy strategies, produces policy intelligence, and strengthens Travel Tech's relationships with policymakers, member companies, industry stakeholders, and coalition partners.

This role requires someone who enjoys understanding how businesses, technologies, and markets work before developing policy recommendations. The strongest candidates combine strategic thinking, intellectual curiosity, sound judgment, exceptional writing, and the ability to build consensus among companies with different business models and competing commercial interests.

Location

The position is remote, but the candidate must live in the DC Metro area to attend Capitol Hill meetings and regularly scheduled in-person team meetings and events.

Key Responsibilities

• Help develop and execute Travel Tech's federal government affairs strategy and support the organization's state work.
• Build and maintain relationships with Members of Congress, congressional staff, federal policymakers, regulators, and coalition partners.
• Draft high-quality testimony, regulatory comments, coalition letters, legislative proposals, policy analyses, and executive briefing materials.
• Prepare and lead meetings with congressional staff and member companies, ensuring thoughtful preparation, clear communication, and consistent follow-through.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments and recommend advocacy strategies that advance Travel Tech's priorities.

Travel Tech's members rely on the association not simply to report what government is doing, but to explain what it means for their businesses.

• Translate legislative, regulatory, and political developments into practical, actionable intelligence for Enterprise, Growth, and Start-Up members through policy briefs, newsletters, presentations, working groups, and member discussions.
• Develop a deep understanding of how members create value for travelers and travel service providers, and translate that understanding into credible, persuasive public policy narratives.

Travel Tech represents companies with different business models, competitive relationships, and policy priorities.

• Bring exceptional listening skills and the ability to build trusted relationships across the membership.
• Engage members one-on-one to understand each perspective, identify underlying objectives, and help develop positions that advance shared industry interests while respecting legitimate differences.
• Facilitate member working groups, help companies find common ground, and build consensus through trust, preparation, and sound judgment.

Innovation & Communications

• Ensure Travel Tech's advocacy reflects the needs of companies across every stage of growth — from Start-Up innovators to global industry leaders.
• Work closely with the communications and marketing teams to develop compelling policy narratives and produce exceptional written work, including testimony, issue briefs, newsletters, presentations, speeches, and member communications.

Qualifications

The strongest candidates will bring:

• Approximately 8–12 years of experience in government affairs, public policy, legislative affairs, or a related field.
• Experience working for a trade association or representing multiple organizations with differing policy priorities.
• Experience working with Congress and federal agencies; state government experience is appreciated but not required.
• Outstanding writing, research, analytical, and communication/presentation skills.
• Experience drafting testimony, regulatory comments, policy papers, legislative language, and executive briefing materials.
• Experience facilitating collaboration among sophisticated stakeholders with competing interests.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Experience with e-commerce, digital marketplaces, competition policy, platform regulation, pro-innovation public policy, artificial intelligence, privacy, consumer protection, or other technology policy issues is highly desirable.

Who Thrives at Travel Tech?

We're looking for someone who:

• Is genuinely curious and enjoys understanding how businesses, technologies, and markets work — and is effective in conveying this knowledge to key stakeholders.
• Writes clearly, persuasively, and accurately for a variety of audiences.
• Takes initiative by identifying strategic opportunities and moving projects forward while keeping leadership informed.
• Builds trust through preparation, credibility, diplomacy, and exceptional listening skills.
• Is comfortable working with sophisticated stakeholders who don't always agree.

Why Join Travel Tech?

Travel technology is transforming one of the world's largest industries, and public policy is evolving just as quickly.

This is an opportunity to work on issues at the intersection of technology, travel, artificial intelligence, digital commerce, consumer protection, competition, and innovation — while collaborating with companies ranging from emerging Start-Up innovators to global industry leaders.

If you're energized by complex policy challenges, collaborative problem-solving, and helping shape the future of the technology-powered travel industry, we'd love to hear from you.

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical and dental insurance
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Three (3) weeks of paid time off, plus all federal holidays
• Eight (8) weeks of paid parental leave
• Monthly cell phone and home internet stipend