Job Description:
Shield AI is seeking a Government Relations Manager to lead engagement across the UK, Nordics, and Benelux. This role will shape and execute regional government affairs and public policy strategies that support business growth, strategic partnerships, and long-term market access across priority defence and security markets.
The role sits at the intersection of policy, defence capability, and deep technology. It requires a leader who can translate political, regulatory, and institutional developments into practical business insight, while building trusted relationships with government stakeholders, defence customers, trade bodies, and strategic partners.
What you'll do:
- Develop and execute a government relations strategy for the UK, Nordics, and Benelux aligned with Shield AI’s regional growth priorities.
- Build, maintain, and expand trusted relationships with ministries of defence, procurement organisations, parliamentary and civil service contacts, and relevant export-control or regulatory stakeholders.
- Monitor, analyse, and communicate policy, budget, procurement, industrial, and geopolitical developments that could affect Shield AI’s business, market access, and partnerships across the region.
- Advise senior internal stakeholders on political dynamics, public policy shifts, and defence modernisation priorities relevant to autonomous systems, AI, aviation, and defence innovation.
- Support market-entry and capture efforts by helping shape engagement plans for strategic opportunities, customer meetings, visits, and senior-level briefings.
- Coordinate and contribute to responses for public consultations, policy engagements, trade association initiatives, and thought-leadership opportunities.
- Prepare briefing notes, position papers, stakeholder maps, and executive-ready materials for internal leaders and external meetings.
- Represent Shield AI with policymakers, industry groups, think tanks, and trade associations in support of the company’s reputation and regional policy objectives.
- Partner closely with business development, legal, communications, product, and leadership teams to ensure policy positioning supports commercial goals and responsible deployment of autonomy technologies.
- Help identify and manage risks related to regulation, export controls, procurement frameworks, national security review processes, and broader public-affairs issues.
Required qualifications:
- 8 to 10 years of experience in government relations, public affairs, defence policy, parliamentary affairs, strategic communications, business development, or a closely related field.
- Experience in technology, defence, aerospace, security, or dual-use sectors, or in public-sector roles relevant to defence, security, or industrial policy.
- Strong understanding of UK government and parliamentary processes, especially Whitehall and Westminster decision-making relevant to defence and security.
- Demonstrated experience engaging senior stakeholders across government, industry, and trade associations.
- Strong knowledge of legislative, regulatory, and policy processes, with the ability to convert external developments into clear business recommendations.
- Experience drafting high-quality briefings, policy materials, and executive communications for senior audiences.
- Ability to operate across multiple markets and manage competing priorities in a fast-paced, high-growth environment.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience working in or with the UK Ministry of Defence, armed forces, Parliament, defence primes, defence technology companies, trade associations, or relevant think tanks.
- Familiarity with procurement environments and defence-industrial ecosystems across one or more Nordic or Benelux markets.
- Understanding of autonomy, AI, uncrewed systems, aerospace, or defence innovation policy.
- Experience supporting campaigns tied to business opportunities, strategic partnerships, or market-shaping initiatives.
- Degree in politics, international relations, public policy, law, business, security studies, or a related field.
What we're looking for:
The ideal candidate combines policy fluency with commercial judgment. Success in this role requires credibility with public-sector and industry audiences, strong situational awareness, and the ability to work across cultural, political, and institutional environments in the UK and Europe.
This person should be proactive, diplomatic, and highly organised, with the confidence to engage senior leaders while also producing rigorous written analysis and practical execution plans.