[Hiring] VP, Corporate Affairs @Identity Digital

Role Description

Build Known's reputation and market leadership while establishing durable, verifiable identity as foundational infrastructure for AI agents and autonomous systems. Lead an integrated communications and public policy strategy that shapes the conversation, influences emerging requirements, and accelerates adoption.

AI agents and autonomous systems are rapidly entering government missions, enterprise operations, and critical infrastructure, yet a fundamental trust gap remains: there is no universally adopted, interoperable way to establish persistent identity and independently verify organizational accountability across platforms and trust boundaries.

Known is working to close that gap. The narratives, policies, and technical frameworks governing autonomous systems are being defined now, and this role has an opportunity to shape them before architectures and requirements become entrenched.

Build and lead Known’s corporate affairs function from the ground up with budget for agency support and future hires, set the strategy, and drive execution across strategic communications and public policy.

What You'll Do

• Strategic Communications and Reputation
  • Own Known’s Narrative: Develop and lead the corporate positioning, messaging, and communications strategy that establishes Known as a leader in agent identity, accountability, and trust infrastructure for the open internet.
  • Build Visibility: Drive proactive media relations, thought leadership, speaking opportunities, strategic announcements, executive communications, and industry engagement to elevate Known’s profile.
  • Lead the Market Conversation: Identify and influence the debates, trends, and industry narratives that will define agent identity and trustworthy AI, positioning Known and its leadership as authoritative voices.
  • Protect and Strengthen Reputation: Lead issues management and communications around major company milestones, partnerships, and emerging policy developments.
  • Build and Lead the Team: Recruit, onboard, coach, and develop communications talent, set a high bar for performance, and model the collaboration and accountability that define Known’s culture.
• Public Policy and Ecosystem Engagement
  • Advance Policy and Architecture: Lead engagement across Washington to advance durable agent identity within emerging federal priorities in AI, cybersecurity, Zero Trust, identity, credential, and access management (ICAM), and digital modernization.
  • Build Strategic Relationships: Develop relationships across DHS/CISA, Commerce/NIST, the Department of Defense, Treasury, the Executive Office of the President, standards organizations, think tanks, and influential policy organizations.
  • Create Opportunity: Proactively pursue policy engagement, technical briefings, pilots, strategic partnerships, coalitions, and other initiatives that accelerate institutional recognition and adoption.
• Leadership and Execution
  • Lead an Integrated Strategy: Ensure communications and public policy reinforce one another, translating technical progress and policy developments into market momentum and opportunity.
  • Build and Run the Function: Establish priorities, operating cadence, external partnerships, agency support, and measurable objectives across both disciplines.
  • Mobilize the Organization: Coordinate Known’s executive leadership, technical teams, Washington policy counsel, Advisory Council, and external advisors around a unified corporate affairs agenda.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in corporate communications, corporate affairs, public policy, government relations, strategic partnerships, or related leadership roles.
• Proven ability to hire, retain, and develop diverse talent while cultivating an inclusive, positive culture of excellence.
• Experienced in managing, leading, and developing diverse teams while promoting a collaborative and supportive work environment.
• Demonstrated success building corporate reputation, leading industry narratives, securing influential media coverage, and elevating executive visibility.
• Experience engaging government, industry, policy, or standards stakeholders to advance strategic priorities.
• Strong understanding of the intersection of technology, public policy, communications, and market development.
• Proven ability to develop and execute integrated communications and external affairs strategies with measurable outcomes.
• Experience building and leading a function, managing external agencies and advisors, and operating independently in a fast-moving environment.
• Exceptional writing, executive communication, strategic judgment, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience operating within fast-paced technology startups or emerging tech environments focused on AI, cybersecurity, or identity infrastructure.
• Established network of relationships across federal agencies (e.g., CISA, NIST, DoD), tech policy think tanks, and standards bodies.
• Background working closely with external legal/policy counsel and board-level advisory councils.

Location

• Remote within the US from any of the following states: AZ, CA, CO, DE, MD, MA, MO, NJ, NV, NY, NC, OR, OK, PA, SC, TX, UT, VA, and WA.
• Preferably in Washington DC area.

Salary Range

The U.S. base salary range for this full-time position is $250,000 - $325,000 (flexibility based on experience) plus benefits as described below. In addition, the successful candidate will be eligible to receive other compensation from time to time in the form of discretionary and/or nondiscretionary bonuses and long-term incentive plan. Actual compensation will be influenced by a candidate’s qualifications, internal employee equity considerations, and location. We will not ask for information about a candidate's current or past compensation for purposes of developing an offer of employment.

Benefits

• Generously subsidized medical, dental, and vision insurance which includes company contributions to a Health Savings Accounts.
• Company-paid life and disability insurance.
• Option of participating in employee-paid supplemental life, accidental death and dismemberment, critical illness, and accident insurance.
• Enrollment in the company's 401(k) plan with up to a 5% match.
• 15 days of paid vacation yearly, increasing to 20 days after one year.
• 5 days of paid sick leave.
• 13 paid holidays.
• 20 weeks of paid parental leave for birthing parents, 12 weeks for others.
• Opportunity for tuition reimbursement for qualifying expenses.