[Hiring] Director of Government Affairs & Policy @MagicSchool AI

Role Description

We are looking for a Director of Government Affairs & Policy to lead MagicSchool's government affairs function. You will own our federal and state-level strategy and execution, decide where we invest and what we advocate for, and represent the company directly with legislators, agencies, and our contracted lobbyists. You will lead our Government Affairs team and build the function as the company grows.

This seat is for someone who has achieved government affairs outcomes before, ideally securing state dollars, and can use that experience to shape our state-by-state playbook. You will often walk into capitol offices alongside lobbyists as the AI industry and MagicSchool expert, and you will work hand in hand with our revenue teams, because in education, policy and procurement are tightly linked.

What You'll Do

• State/Federal strategy and prioritization
  • Build and own MagicSchool's state-by-state government affairs strategy, using your track record of what has and has not worked to decide where to focus.
  • Identify state funding opportunities (appropriations, grants, state programs) and build the plan to pursue them.
  • Track and analyze education technology, AI, and student privacy legislation and regulation, and advise leadership on the impact to MagicSchool and the broader EdTech landscape.
• Legislative and agency engagement
  • Represent MagicSchool in meetings with legislators, committee staff, state education agencies, and other stakeholders, in person and virtually.
  • Deliver legislative testimony and recommend specific bill language, amendments, and edits that ensure legislation reflects the realities of responsible AI use in schools.
  • Tailor messaging across political landscapes while remaining authentic and credible.
• Lobbyist management
  • Manage MagicSchool's contracted state lobbyists: equip them with product knowledge, talking points, and strategic context, and hold them accountable to company priorities and results.
  • Evaluate lobbyist performance and advise on engagement scope and spend.
• Deal and go-to-market support
  • Partner with Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, and Product so that on-the-ground insight from districts and schools informs our policy work, and policy developments inform our go-to-market.
  • Support active procurement and statewide opportunities by briefing sales on legislative and funding context, contributing policy language and funding guidance to proposals and RFPs, and engaging state officials where it moves a deal forward.
• Team and function building
  • Lead and develop the Government Affairs team, and build the function as MagicSchool grows, including processes, reporting, and future hires.
• Industry presence
  • Represent MagicSchool at state and national conferences and build relationships across the education policy ecosystem.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated results in government affairs, ideally at the state level, including helping an organization secure appropriations, grants, or other state funding.
• Experience delivering legislative testimony.
• Deep knowledge of the legislative process: how bills move through committees, how amendments are introduced, and how to work effectively with legislative staff.
• Experience working with or managing lobbyists.
• Experience in education policy, EdTech, or technology policy, including an understanding of why state education funding works differently than in other industries.
• Sharp political instincts and the ability to adapt messaging across parties and states.
• Ability to become an expert on our product, value proposition, and policy positions quickly.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Comfort operating independently in high-stakes settings and collaborating across teams in a fast-moving startup.

Nice to Have

• Familiarity with K-12 AI policy, student data privacy law, and state education agency guidance.
• Prior experience at an EdTech company, education nonprofit, or state education agency.
• Experience working in or with state legislatures.
• Experience supporting sales or procurement processes.
• Prior experience leading or building a small team.

Benefits

• Work on cutting-edge AI technology that directly impacts educators and students.
• Join a mission-driven team passionate about making education more efficient and equitable.
• Flexibility of working from home, while fostering a unique culture built on relationships, trust, communication, and collaboration with our team - no matter where they live.
• Unlimited time off to empower our employees to manage their work-life balance.
• Choice of employer-paid health insurance plans, including dental and vision at very low premiums.
• Generous stock options, vested over 4 years.
• 401k match & monthly wellness stipend.

Our Values

• Educators are Magic: Trust and empower educators, putting them at the center of leading change.
• Joy and Magic: Bring joy and magic into every learning experience.
• Community: Foster community that supports one another during rapid technological change.
• Innovation: Use AI to bring equity, access, and serve individual student needs.
• Responsibility: Prioritize responsibility and safety in technological change.
• Diversity: Embrace diversity of thought, perspectives, and backgrounds.
• Excellence: Strive for the highest quality in everything we do.