Vice President, Government Relations

Candidate Location: Florida

Territory: Currently Florida, however will eventually be responsible for the South Eastern United States territory.

Travel: 25% - 50% travel; currently mostly intrastate travel within Florida, however, will eventually require regular travel throughout the Southeast.

Manages Others: Currently oversees third party partnerships, will eventually manage and lead a Government Relations team for the Southeast.

Education: Bachelor’s degree is required. MBA/JD is preferred. Majors in Public Policy, Government Relations, Communications, Public Affairs or similar is preferred.

Experience: 8-10 years’ experience working with Florida government agencies, influencing policy and successfully building and providing strategic guidance to further grow business goals. Track record of advocacy including identifying and fostering key relationships with internal and external stakeholders including policy makers, regulators and lobbyists is required.

THE OPPORTUNITY:

BusPatrol is seeking a highly motivated and experienced Government Relations Vice President to join our dynamic team. As the Government Relations Vice President, you will be responsible for establishing, developing, and leading an integrated government relations and public relations team and strategy to support the company's business interests in Florida and eventually the South East US Territory. This role requires someone who can thrive in ambiguity, make decisions with limited information, and take ownership of their actions. If you are a self-driven, results-oriented individual who thrives in a fast-moving environment, excels at relationship building, and is passionate about shaping government policies, we want to hear from you.

Responsibilities:

• Provide updates on policy direction to key internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee state contract lobbyists and outside consultants advocating issues critical to the company's success.
• Establish, develop, and lead an integrated government relations and public relations team and strategy to support the company's business interests in Florida and the South East US Territory.
• Represent the company with local/state elected officials, regulators, government agencies, and multi-stakeholder policy groups.
• Understand, translate, and shape regulations at the state and local levels to inform local requirements and ensure compliance.
• Work cross-functionally with other members of the enterprise, including Communications, Finance, Product, and Operations teams.
• Foster collaborative alliances with key partners, including policymakers and industry associations.
• Deploy stakeholder engagement strategies to inform key constituencies and gain support for policy issues and opportunities.
• Shape the industry through thought leadership activities such as drafting position papers, legislative summaries, and staff educational materials.
• Actively drive business development through in-person meetings and calls, attending conventions, and building relationships that result in mutually beneficial partnerships.

Qualifications:

• Strong contacts and familiarity with in-state and local legislators, law enforcement, and public officials.
• 8-10 years of experience working with state and local government, influencing policy and providing strategic guidance on high profile initiatives.
• Comfortable with networking, attending local functions, and organizing advocacy constituencies.
• Strong experience in solving complex and politically sensitive government-facing issues.
• Spanish/English fluency is a plus.
• Ability to articulate complex policy issues to internal and external stakeholders, including the C-Suite, policy makers, regulators, media, and customers.
• Proven track record of effective communication with the ability to provide clear and concise information.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural awareness.
• Experience with press and media is a plus.
• Preferred experience working with Florida educational K-12 leadership.
• Excellent oral storytelling ability and proficiency in writing complex policies.
• Experience overseeing contract lobbying teams and impacting state and local public affairs strategy.

What We Offer

BusPatrol employees get:

• The occasion to participate in BusPatrol’s culture of safety, learning, and teamwork
• Comprehensive personal time off, including volunteering and birthday days off
• A competitive salary and benefits package
• The chance to join an innovative and dedicated team, focused on leading edge technology
• An opportunity to help build a company dedicated to children’s safety

BusPatrol’s school bus safety programs are violator-funded, meaning that those who break the law pay for the technology that protects children. We build solid partnerships in the communities in which we operate which, coupled with our innovative business model, leads to sustainable efforts to change driver behaviors.

Who we are:

BusPatrol is a technology company with a public safety mission. Through relentless innovation and discovery, we are strengthening trust, safety, and transparency across the student transportation space and making the trip to and from school safer for students. As a leader in smart transportation, BusPatrol brings cutting-edge AI, machine learning and IoT safety tech solutions to school buses across North America. BusPatrol’s technology has been deployed onto more buses and has been used to issue more school bus stop arm citations than any other company in the world.

On our mission to make the journey to and from school safer for children, the way we work together and with our partners is built on foundational cultural pillars.

SAFETY

• Safety is our focus, for the children we protect and for each other. We follow the letter and spirit of occupational safety law, relentlessly employ safety best practices, and foster learning and development on our worksites. We are safe to be ourselves and to make mistakes, and we create safe environments for our teams.

CONNECTION

• We build strong relationships and teams in support of our mission. We promote and provide opportunities for employees to grow together.

EXCELLENCE

• We commit to innovation and quality work in support of our mission and each other. The children we safeguard are at the forefront of our decisions and actions and we excel on their behalf.

IMPACT

• We measure success by fulfilling our mission and keeping the company strong. We invest our time and energy in the actions that deliver results for students and for their communities.

We are looking for a valued member of the BusPatrol team to assist us in our quest to improve children’s safety. This is an important role for us and a great opportunity for the right candidate. Our environment is inclusive, diverse, ignited, built on integrity, and deeply committed.