Manager, Government and Community Affairs, Project Ranger

Castelion; Rio Rancho (NM); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Manager, Government and Community Affairs, Project Ranger in New Mexico to lead local and regional engagement strategy and build trusted relationships with officials, educational institutions, and community groups.

The role requires coordinating with recruiting and operations, supporting workforce development, and guiding site visits and media engagement to strengthen Castelion's regional footprint and defense-focused mission.

Qualifications

• Develop and execute a regional external affairs strategy for Project Ranger across Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, Albuquerque, and the broader New Mexico stakeholder community.
• Build and maintain relationships with local and state elected officials, county and municipal leaders, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, civic organizations, and community groups.
• Serve as a local ambassador for Castelion and Project Ranger, helping explain the company's mission, the facility's economic impact, and its role in strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a regional external affairs strategy for Project Ranger across Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, Albuquerque, and the broader New Mexico stakeholder community.
• Build and maintain relationships with local and state elected officials, county and municipal leaders, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, civic organizations, and community groups.
• Serve as a local ambassador for Castelion and Project Ranger, helping explain the company's mission, the facility's economic impact, and its role in strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base.
• Identify and lead partnerships with workforce development organizations, technical schools, community colleges, universities, veteran transition programs, and training providers to support hiring and long-term workforce needs.
• Work closely with Castelion's Recruiting and Operations teams to support local recruiting, workforce pipeline development, employee onboarding, and community integration.
• Plan and execute site visits, briefings, community events, ribbon cuttings, facility tours, and stakeholder engagements related to Project Ranger.

Job description

Why Castelion, Why Now

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability.

Why Castelion, Why Now

Castelion is moving incredibly fast to develop and deliver advanced defense systems at a time when execution matters more than ever. We believe focus, ownership, and excellence are decisive advantages - and we're building a world-class team to turn bold ideas into real capability. This is a rare opportunity to join at an early stage, where you'll have significant ownership, collaborate with exceptional teammates, and make a direct, measurable impact on our mission and the future of the company - regardless of your function.

Manager, Government and Community Affairs, Project Ranger

In this role, the Manager, Government and Community Affairs, Project Ranger will lead Castelion's local and regional engagement strategy in New Mexico. This person will be responsible for building and maintaining trusted relationships with community leaders, local and state officials, workforce development partners, educational institutions, business groups, and other key stakeholders.

This role is both strategic and operational. The right candidate will be able to represent Castelion externally, manage community-facing priorities, anticipate reputational risks, support local media and site-visit opportunities, and help ensure Project Ranger is understood as a major economic development and national security asset for New Mexico. This is not a pure communications role or a purely government relations role. It requires someone who can operate across public affairs, community engagement, economic development, workforce development, local government relations, and site-level reputation management.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a regional external affairs strategy for Project Ranger across Rio Rancho, Sandoval County, Albuquerque, and the broader New Mexico stakeholder community.
• Build and maintain relationships with local and state elected officials, county and municipal leaders, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, business associations, civic organizations, and community groups.
• Serve as a local ambassador for Castelion and Project Ranger, helping explain the company's mission, the facility's economic impact, and its role in strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base.
• Identify and lead partnerships with workforce development organizations, technical schools, community colleges, universities, veteran transition programs, and training providers to support hiring and long-term workforce needs.
• Work closely with Castelion's Recruiting and Operations teams to support local recruiting, workforce pipeline development, employee onboarding, and community integration.
• Plan and execute site visits, briefings, community events, ribbon cuttings, facility tours, and stakeholder engagements related to Project Ranger.
• Support local and regional media engagement in coordination with Castelion's Communications team, including proactive storytelling around construction milestones, hiring, workforce development, and economic impact.
• Monitor local sentiment, media coverage, community concerns, and political developments that could affect Project Ranger's reputation, operations, or long-term growth.
• Help manage community investment, sponsorship, philanthropic, and civic partnership opportunities aligned with Castelion's business and community priorities.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure external messaging is accurate, consistent, and aligned with operational realities at the site.
• Prepare briefing materials, talking points, stakeholder maps, engagement plans, and readouts for senior leadership.
• Support engagement with local military, veteran, STEM, education, and manufacturing communities.
• Serve as an early-warning system for local issues that could create reputational, political, workforce, or operational challenges.

Castelion offers a generous benefits package. Please refer to the bottom of our Careers page for more details.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Additional Eligibility Requirements

This position may require access to classified information or restricted U.S. Government sites, systems, or information, as determined by the Company and/or applicable U.S. Government requirements. If the position is so designated, your employment in the role may be contingent upon your ability to obtain and maintain the required U.S. Government security clearance or other government authorization, and to satisfy any citizenship or other eligibility requirements imposed by applicable law, regulation, executive order, or government contract requirements. You will be notified if and when such requirements apply.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Castelion is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Castelion is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and hiring process. If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete an application, participate in the interview process, or otherwise participate in the hiring process, please contact [e-mail]. Requests for accommodation will be considered on an individual basis and handled in accordance with applicable law.

Castelion is committed to fostering a workplace where employment decisions are based on qualifications, business needs, and the ability to perform the essential functions of the role, with or without reasonable accommodation.

EAR/ITAR Requirements

This position requires access to export-controlled information, and as such, employment (or hiring of a contractor) is contingent upon the candidate’s ability to access all applicable export-controlled information without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls.