Federal Government Relations Manager - Remote Opportunity!

Futures start here. Where first steps, new friendships, and confident learners are born. At KinderCare Learning Companies, the first and only early childhood education provider recognized with theGallup Exceptional Workplace Award, we offer a variety of early education and child care options for families. Whether it's KinderCare Learning Centers, Champions, or Crème de la Crème, we build confidence for kids, families, and the future we share. And we want you to join us in shaping it-in neighborhoods, at work, and in schools nationwide.

At KinderCare Learning Companies, you'll use your skills and expertise to support the work (and fun) that happens in our sites and centers every day. From marketers and strategists to financial analysts and data engineers, and so much more, we're all passionate about crafting a world where children, families, and organizations can thrive.

The mission of KinderCare's Government Affairs team is to expand opportunities for high-quality, affordable early childhood education to families in the U.S.

To support this effort, we're seeking a Federal Government Relations Manager to support in the execution of our government relations initiatives and public policy strategy in Washington, DC. In this role, you'll strengthen existing policy initiatives, seek new opportunities, and respond to challenges to drive development and execution of advocacy strategies related to public funding and tax policy.

• Serve as the company's principal strategic advisor on Federal policy and advocacy issues: Own the design, execution, and continuous evolution of comprehensive federal advocacy strategies, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Act as a primary liaison between the federal government relations function and executive leadership: Translating policy developments into clear business implications, strategic approach, and recommended actions.
• Lead enterprise-level policy analysis: Monitor legislative, regulatory, and political developments. Proactively assess risk, opportunity, and impacts to the business. Create executive-level materials, including policy memoranda, testimony, legislative language, strategic briefs, and impact analyses.
• Set direction and standards for engagement: With Federal partnerships, external organizations, and coalitions, to ensure consistent, focused, and effective advocacy execution. Cultivate and sustain relationships with policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and advocacy partners; positioning the organization as a trusted and influential voice. Establish and implement communications cadence with internal and external partners to ensure transparency, alignment, and timely action on advocacy priorities.
• Regularly brief and advise executives and enterprise leadership on political trends: Share policy scenarios and recommended strategies to mitigate risk or advance priorities. Serve as a subject-matter authority and mentor, elevating advocacy capability across Government Affairs, Field Leadership, and internal partners.
• Represent KinderCare as a spokesperson in high-impact external forums, coalitions, and policy-setting environments.

• 8+ years in government relations, public policy, advocacy, or related strategic roles operating at an enterprise level.
• Bachelor's degree required; focus on political science, public policy, public administration, communications or public relations preferred.
• Experience managing highly complex, concurrent initiatives with significant business, reputational, or financial impact; often in ambiguous or rapidly evolving environments.
• Expertise in developing and leading legislative and regulatory advocacy strategies at the federal level with measurable policy outcomes, navigating our political landscape to guide executive leadership on related risks and opportunities.
• Ability to influence outcomes through advanced coalition leadership, partner engagement, and direct policymaker relationships. Successful in influencing outcomes through negotiation, coalition leadership, and executive-level partnerships.
• Demonstrated ability to operate with significant autonomy, exercising sound discretion in high-stakes and politically sensitive situations.
• Able to travel up to 20%