Vice President, Head of Government Partnerships

Your Impact at LILA   Lila Sciences is  seeking  a Head of Government Partnerships to build and lead our federal  partnership  strategy  and execution  at the most senior level. This role is the connective tissue between Lila's scientific mission and the agencies, networks, and funding architectures that can accelerate it. You will own our  revenue-generating  government relationships end-to-end ,  from shaping opportunities before  they're  announced to closing partnerships to building the institutional infrastructure that makes our federal engagement systematic and durable.   Reporting to the Chief Revenue & Product Officer, y ou will manage a  small but  growing team, represent Lila at the highest levels of agency and interagency engagement, and serve as a key member of the company's leadership team.  You will set  the   high level  strategy and also be hands on . We are expected to  won  and close opportunities yourself.   What You'll Be Building   Federal Strategy & Account Leadership:   Own Lila's senior relationships across DOE, ARPA-E, NIH, DARPA, BARDA, DoD, and adjacent mission agencies. Set the strategy for how we prioritize, sequence, and deepen those relationships over time.   Opportunity Shaping & Pipeline Development :  Lead pre-solicitation engagement to  influence how  funding opportunities are scoped and structured. Ensure Lila is in the room and shaping the conversation before RFPs are published.   Deliver Impact : Y ou will be accountable for revenue targets . You will own opportunities from identification through award and execution handoff, partnering with Product Managers  and  Princip al  Investigators  to convert meetings into pilots, CRADAs, and major procurements.   Cross-Agency Narrative & Policy Positioning :   Connect Lila's portfolio to national priorities in bioeconomy, biosecurity, energy, and materials.  Build a compelling, differentiated government narrative that resonates at the agency, interagency, and Congressional level.   Team & Function Building :   Hire, develop, and lead the Government Partnerships team. Build the systems, processes, and culture that allow us to scale our federal engagement as Lila grows.   Executive Partnership :   Serve as the primary interface between Lila's senior leadership and our federal partners.  You report to the Chief Revenue and Product Officer, lead the Government Partnerships team, and are our senior voice with federal partners. You brief the CEO on the federal developments that affect our path.   What You'll Need to Succeed   You already know the people who run the programs we care about, from program directors to senior agency leadership, and you have  a track  record  of winning major  awards (FOAs, BAAs, NOFOs, CRADAs).   You have built a BD or partnerships function from scratch and are comfortable working without  established  process or infrastructure   Track record  of building and managing high - performing teams   The judgment and presence to  represent  Lila at the highest levels of government and industry   Experience translating complex science and AI into clear, credible narratives for non-technical, senior, and policy-facing government audiences.   Strong cross-functional leadership: comfort partnering with scientists, product managers, communications, policy, and legal  to drive  aligned outcomes under tight timelines.   Excellent written communication; comfort  operating  with ambiguity in a founding-team environment.   Willingness to travel regularly to build the relationships required for Lila to succeed.   Bonus Points For   Advanced degree in a relevant scientific discipline   Experience  at a venture-backed startup   Experience standing up a government affairs or business development function from scratch   Experience selling SaaS   Active U.S. security clearance         Compensation We offer competitive base compensation with bonus potential and generous early-stage equity. Your final offer will reflect your background, expertise, and expected impact. U.S. Benefits. Full-time U.S. employees receive a comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer-paid life and disability insurance; flexible time off with generous company wide holidays; paid parental leave; an educational assistance program; commuter benefits, including bike share memberships for office based employees; and a company subsidized lunch program. International Benefits. Full-time employees outside the U.S. receive a comprehensive benefits program tailored to their region. USD salary ranges apply only to U.S.-based positions; international salaries are set to local market. Expected Base Salary Range $300,000 — $330,000 USD About LILA Lila Sciences is building Scientific Superintelligence™ to solve humankind's greatest cha