Government Relations & Partnership Specialist

About this role

The Government Relations & Partnerships Specialist serves as a key connector between STATION Austin and government, defense, and national security innovation partners.
This role is responsible for developing and maintaining strong relationships with government partners, understanding their priorities and objectives, and translating those needs into meaningful engagement across the STATION Austin ecosystem.
You’ll work closely with government innovation organizations, founders, mentors, investors, industry partners, and the broader STATION Austin team to create opportunities for collaboration—from curated introductions and roundtables to office hours, programming, events, and strategic partnerships.
Success in this role means our government partners see STATION Austin not simply as a place to attend events, but as a year-round resource for accessing founders, technology, expertise, capital, and the broader innovation ecosystem.
STATION Austin’s Community Engagement Team connects the defense innovation ecosystem in Texas (and beyond) to the most innovative startups and technology in Texas. Defense Secretaries, Four-Star Generals, Presidents, and delegations from other countries regularly interact with members of our Federal team. Notable government partners include Army Applications Laboratory, AFWERX and DIU.

What you will do…
Government Partner Engagement

• Serve as a primary relationship manager for assigned government and defense innovation partners.

• Establish recurring touchpoints with partners to understand their priorities, problem sets, upcoming initiatives, and engagement needs.

• Develop strong relationships across organizations such as DIU, AFWERX, Army Applications Laboratory, SOFWERX, Marine Innovation Unit, and other federal, state, and local government entities.

• Identify opportunities to deepen partner engagement with STATION Austin throughout the year.

• Maintain a clear understanding of partner agreements, deliverables, timelines, and expectations.

• Ensure partners consistently experience STATION Austin as responsive, organized, and easy to work with.
Ecosystem Activation

• Translate government partner needs into opportunities for engagement with STATION Austin founders, member companies, mentors, investors, and other partners.

• Work across the STATION Austin team to identify and curate the right people for government partners to meet.

• Facilitate targeted introductions between government stakeholders and relevant startups, subject-matter experts, investors, and ecosystem leaders.

• Help government partners navigate STATION Austin's broader network and identify resources that can advance their objectives.

• Track connections and outcomes to understand where STATION Austin is creating meaningful value.
Programming & Convening

• Help develop a consistent cadence of government-focused programming, including roundtables, happy hours, speaker sessions, office hours, working sessions, and other targeted gatherings.

• Support the activation of STATION Austin's government and defense-focused spaces by bringing the right people into the room, rather than measuring success solely through attendance.

• Work with partners to identify relevant topics, problem sets, speakers, founders, and participants.

• Coordinate with the Events and Community Engagement teams to execute partner programming.

• Support major STATION Austin programs and events, including Fed Supernova and other defense and national security innovation initiatives.
Partnership Growth & Strategy

• Identify opportunities to expand existing government relationships and develop new strategic partnerships.

• Monitor government funding, grant, and partnership opportunities relevant to STATION Austin and its mission.

• Support the development of proposals, presentations, partnership materials, and other strategic documents.

• Surface government priorities and ecosystem trends internally so they can inform STATION Austin programming and strategy.

• Help leadership understand where STATION Austin can uniquely add value within the Texas and national defense innovation ecosystems.
Operations & Accountability

• Document partner meetings, priorities, commitments, introductions, and next steps.

• Maintain accurate partner information and engagement activity within STATION Austin's systems.

• Track contractual obligations and coordinate internally to ensure commitments are delivered.

• Develop reporting around partner engagement, ecosystem connections, programming participation, and outcomes.
You'll know you're successful if....

• Government partners are regularly present and engaged at STATION Austin—not only during major events.

• Assigned partners have an established cadence of meaningful touchpoints with the STATION Austin team.

• Government partners are consistently connected with relevant founders, member companies, mentors, investors, and ecosystem partners.

• Partner needs and problem sets lead to measurable ecosystem activity, including curated introductions, working sessions, founder engagements, and programming.

• Government-focused programming brings together the right participants and produces meaningful follow-up.

• Partners view STATION Austin as a trusted entry point into the Texas innovation ecosystem.

• Contractual commitments and partnership deliverables are completed accurately and on time.

• Existing government relationships deepen and create opportunities for expanded programming, funding, or partnership.

• Government partners renew and expand their relationships with STATION Austin.

• Internal teams have clear visibility into government partner priorities, activities, and upcoming opportunities.
About our team...

• We have a passion for startups and technology.

• We are transparent and we over-communicate.

• We have excellent written and verbal communication skills.

• We communicate when we are not able to meet a deadline and suggest a solution.

• We are…