Head of State & Local Government Affairs and Public Affairs

About Zipline

Zipline is the world’s largest and most experienced drone delivery service. We are on a mission to serve all humans equally by ensuring access to food, medicine and essential goods anytime, anywhere. We design, build, and operate the world’s largest autonomous logistics system, delivering critical supplies quickly and reliably. Today, Zipline operates on four continents, makes a delivery somewhere in the world every 30 seconds, and has completed millions of deliveries to date, including blood, vaccines, medical supplies, food, and retail products.

Our customers include the world’s largest and most prominent healthcare systems, governments, retailers, restaurants and global businesses who rely on us to save lives, reduce emissions, increase economic opportunity, and provide delivery from point A to point B as fast as possible. The drone is only 15% of what we’ve built to enable seamless, reliable, global operations.

Our system strengthens supply chains, reduces congestion, and gives people time back. With more than 140 million commercial autonomous miles safely flown, Zipline is redefining access to healthcare, consumer products, and food across the globe.

We operate at a global scale and are looking for practical problem solvers who thrive on real-world challenges and rapid growth. Our team is motivated by building systems that have a direct, meaningful impact on people’s lives and by scaling the future of logistics. We are seeking people who sculpt from first principles, enjoy facing adversity, and can do the impossible at record breaking speeds.

ABOUT YOU AND THE ROLE

Zipline is building the future, and as Head of State & Local Government Affairs and Public Affairs you will build and lead the function that ensures our transformational technology can launch, scale, and deliver incredible outcomes for people and communities across the United States.

Reporting to Zipline’s Chief Legal Officer, you will design and lead the government affairs and public affairs strategy that will drive Zipline’s rapid expansion across the United States. Your key responsibilities will be to:

• Serve as a senior public face for Zipline with state and local elected officials, regulators, community leaders, and aligned interest groups.
• Build strong, trusted, long-term relationships with state and local policymakers
• Advance state and local legislation and regulations that advance Zipline’s business across the United States.
• Lead and collaborate with industry trade associations to achieve Zipline’s goals.
• Build and lead Zipline’s state and local public affairs strategy to develop the external support, trusted relationships, coalitions, and community-level advocacy needed to help Zipline scale rapidly across the United States.
• Lead a growing team of world-class state & local government affairs and public affairs professionals.

This role is based in our South San Francisco office and includes substantial travel across the continental U.S. to engage policymakers and build relationships in the communities we serve.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Build and lead Zipline’s state and local government affairs and public affairs functions, including hiring, developing, and managing a growing team of professionals
• Design and drive a comprehensive state and local strategy that enables Zipline to launch new markets on schedule and scale operations across the United States
• Design and drive a comprehensive state and local public affairs strategy, including cultivating relationships with aligned interest groups, and executing coalition-building, grasstops engagement, community education, stakeholder briefings, site visits, public testimony, letters of support, and other advocacy efforts.
• Build strong, trusted, long-term relationships with governors, mayors, legislators, regulators, and other state and city policymakers in markets Zipline serves and plans to serve.
• Advocate for state and local legislation, regulations, and ordinances that advance Zipline’s business, and lead engagement on rulemaking and policy proposals that affect drone delivery.
• Lead and work successfully with trade associations, coalitions, aligned interest groups and other allies to achieve shared policy goals; represent Zipline in industry forums, in-person campaigns, and policy convenings.
• Serve as a senior public face of Zipline with state and local officials, communicating our vision, safety record, and value to communities in a way that inspires trust and builds support.
• Partner closely with Zipline’s Head of Federal and International Regulatory & Government Affairs to ensure a coordinated, coherent policy strategy across all levels of government.
• Lead and contribute to cross-functional working groups with communications, product marketing, community engagement, land use and permitting, and operations teams to deliver business-critical outcomes.
• Develop the processes, metrics, and reporting that bring rigor to these functions, including engagement tracking, policy monitoring, and prioritization across multiple metros and states.
• Manage lobbyists, and consultants as needed, and own the function’s budget and resourcing decisions.
• Anticipate and address headwinds and threats raised by opponents and detractors, including developing rapid-response strategies and durable narratives that shape public perception.
• Lead a growing team of world-class government affairs and public affairs professionals.
• Brief and advise Zipline’s executive team on state and local policy risks, opportunities, and strategic decisions

WHAT YOU’LL BRING

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• 10+ years of experience in state and local government affairs, with a track record of advancing policy outcomes at the intersection of public policy, innovation, and new technology
• Demonstrated experience building and leading high-performing teams, including hiring, developing, and scaling a function in a fast-growing organization
• Excitement for Zipline’s transformational technology and mission, and the ability to communicate our vision and value for communities with authenticity and conviction
• Persuasive communicator (verbal and written) who can simplify complex technology, shape public perception, and address common areas of concern with credibility
• Creative, first-principles thinker who can build strategy from scratch in an emerging regulatory space rather than relying on existing playbooks
• Fast-moving and nimble, able to react quickly to changing circumstances in a dynamic legislative and regulatory environment, and comfortable operating in high-stakes, time-sensitive situations
• Established relationships with state and local policymakers, and the ability to build trusted new relationships quickly
• Experience leading or working closely with trade associations, coalitions, and industry allies to advance shared policy goals
• Ability to translate business goals into public affairs strategies that build trust, reduce friction, strengthen Zipline’s reputation, and support rapid growth across diverse communities and political environments.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills, with experience partnering with communications, public affairs, product marketing, community engagement, legal, and operations teams
• Ability and willingness to travel within the United States.
• Bonus points for relevant experience working on technology policy issues within state and local government (ideally autonomy, robotics, drones, aviation, transportation, or related fields)

What Else You Need to Know

The starting cash range for this role is $230,000 - $270,000. Please note that this is a target starting cash range for a candidate who meets the minimum qualifications for this role. The final cash payment for this role will depend on various factors, including a specific candidate's experience, qualifications, skills, working location, and projected impact. The total compensation package for this role may include equity compensation; discretionary annual or performance bonuses; sales incentives; benefits such as medical, dental, and vision insurance; paid time off; and more.