State Government Affairs Manager (Illinois)

Base Power; Austin (TX); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Base, a startup building a more reliable grid, seeks a seasoned state government affairs leader to advance Illinois policy and market access for our energy technology. You’ll advocate at the Illinois State Capitol, translate complex grid concepts for legislators, and build coalitions with industry peers.

You’ll split time between Austin and Chicago, with a strong presence in both markets; travel and adaptability to fast-changing priorities are essential to shape national policy priorities.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in state government affairs, with emphasis on the Illinois market.
• Proven success lobbying and negotiating with members of the Illinois General Assembly.
• Ability to translate technical energy and grid concepts for non-technical legislators and staff.
• A strong presence and exceptional public-speaking skills.
• Ability to run independently to further a surging business.
• Comfort with challenging the status quo and preconceived notions.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to distill complex concepts into clear advice.
• An entrepreneurial mindset that thrives in ambiguity and moves fast.
• Passion for fueling American innovation and a reliable grid.

Responsibilities

• Act as the company's advocate at the Illinois State Capitol, building and maintaining relationships with legislators and staff.
• Monitor, analyze, and advocate for legislation impacting Base's business in Illinois.
• Draft testimony and written comments for legislative hearings to protect market access and tech-forward policy.
• Deploy data-driven arguments to persuade legislators to adopt flexible standards.
• Distill legislative shifts into actionable business intelligence for leadership.
• Identify and partner with trade associations and NGOs to amplify Base's legislative voice.
• Coordinate with the policy team to align Illinois strategy with national priorities.

Skills

State government affairs

Illinois energy regulatory

Lobbying

Public speaking

Independent work

Challenging the status quo

Policy communication

Coalition building

Job description

About Base

Base is America’s next-generation power company. We’re rebuilding the foundation of modern civilization–electricity–by deploying a vast network of distributed batteries that is transforming today’s fragile, centralized grid into a resilient and abundant system. We are engineers, operators, and creatives solving some of the most complex, interdisciplinary challenges of our time.

About the Role

As Base’s on-the-ground representative in Illinois, you will be the tactical architect of our legislative strategy in the State. You will serve as a high-impact advocate who can navigate the Illinois General Assembly and build relationships with legislators and their staff. You will bridge the gap between our innovative energy technology and state lawmakers, ensuring that legislation shapes a future grid that welcomes our tech and retail electricity solutions.

This will be a hybrid role between Austin and Chicago. At Base, our culture is the heartbeat of our success. We are a tight-knit team that thrives on the energy, spontaneous collaboration, and shared purpose that comes from working side-by-side in Austin. For this role, however, we recognize the unique need to be in Illinois. We will therefore look for a candidate who is committed to having a strong presence both in Austin and in Chicago. If based in Chicago, we will ask you to spend your first four to six weeks in Austin and then approximately one week per month thereafter.

What You’ll Do

• Act as the company's advocate at the Illinois State Capitol, building and maintaining relationships with legislators, committee staff, and legislative leadership.
• Monitor, analyze, and advocate for legislation that impacts our business, tracking bills from introduction through committee and floor action.
• Draft testimony and written comments for legislative committee hearings that protect our market access and promote tech-forward energy policy.
• Deploy data-driven arguments to persuade legislators to adopt flexible, technology-friendly standards.
• Distill legislative shifts into actionable business intelligence for executive leadership.
• Identify and partner with trade associations, NGOs, and industry peers to amplify our legislative voice and build coalitions around priority bills.
• Work with the broader policy team to align Illinois legislative strategy with our national policy priorities.

What You'll Bring

• Significant experience in state government affairs, with a heavy emphasis on the Illinois market; experience in energy regulatory affairs is a plus.
• Proven success lobbying and negotiating with members of the Illinois General Assembly and strong familiarity with how bills move through the statehouse.
• Ability to translate technical energy and grid concepts into clear, actionable terms for non-technical legislators and staff.
• A strong presence and exceptional public-speaking skills.
• Ability to run independently to further a surging business.
• Comfort with challenging the status quo and preconceived notions of what is possible.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to distill complex concepts into clear, actionable advice.
• An entrepreneurial mindset that thrives in ambiguity, moves fast, and prioritizes impact.
• Passion for our work and a commitment to fueling American innovation, security, and prosperity through a more reliable grid for all.

About the Team

Base's legal, regulatory, and policy team supports the company's ability to build, sell, and operate across the country, covering corporate and commercial legal work, utility regulatory strategy, and state and federal government affairs. Within that team, government affairs focuses on the legislature: shaping and passing the laws that allow a battery company to participate in the market, interconnect with the grid, and get projects permitted. That work happens state by state, through drafting bills, briefing lawmakers, and building coalitions, with the goal of making regulatory approval and local permitting more predictable once the underlying law is in place. The legislation this team pursues often shapes whether and how quickly Base can enter and scale in a given market.

Please note: Base is a startup, which means priorities shift and evolve quickly. Your role may expand or change based on the needs of the business at any given time, so the responsibilities listed may not be exhaustive.

Our Values

• First Principles Thinking: Question assumptions. Principles > rules.
• Operate at Base Pace: Focus on what matters, act quickly, and learn by doing.
• Give & Get Feedback: Be direct, be humble, and maintain a growth mindset.
• Everyone’s an Owner: Follow through on commitments and own results.
• Strong Opinions, Loosely Held: Drive clarity and make calls with imperfect information.
• Committed to the Mission: Rebuilding the grid is a big challenge. We work hard because we care deeply about the impact we’re creating. We work in-person. It’s not a 9-to-5. We are all-in.
• Fun & Optimism Coexist with Grit: Collaboration and celebration coincide with the intensity of building real things.

Do the best work of your life at Base.