Government Affairs Associate

Reports To: Sr. Manager, Utility & Government Affairs

This role requires a full-time onsite presence in Durham, NC with some travel required

Target Base Range: $90k-$100k

Please note: We are only able to consider candidates who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents (green card holders) and who do not require current or future visa sponsorship of any sort.

Job Summary: The Government Affairs Associate on the Strategic Partnerships team advances relationships with cities, counties, and states to accelerate the deployment of our EV charging network. The key priority for this role is to drive actions that improve our average permit timeline. This position will work closely with the design and deployment team to support coordination with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) throughout the life of each project. This requires clear, proactive communication, including regular status updates, documentation of decisions, and effective information sharing between IONNA teams and public agencies. The role involves strategic coordination and ability to build relationships to drive actions that ensure successful collaboration between IONNA and public partners. Strong written and verbal communication skills, along with a high level of organization and comfort working with metrics and KPIs, are essential to building trust, aligning expectations, and driving timely, efficient outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

Build and Manage AHJ Partner Relationships:

Manage relationships with City/County Offices of Economic Development and Mayoral Offices to share growth plans and drive development timelines.
Build relationships with relevant state organizations (DOTs, Energy Offices) to share growth plans and navigate permitting policy development.
Coordinate meetings, presentations, and follow-ups with municipal and state stakeholders.

Project Tracking

Monitor, check, and drive accelerated permit timelines, ensuring development milestones are met.
Update AHJ partners as projects move through each phase of design and construction. Use regular touchpoints to highlight risks, delays, and achievements to keep all parties aligned on project timelines.

Reporting:

Maintain databases of AHJ contacts and City-specific processes.
Generate reports and dashboards on permit timelines by phase and communicate the findings to internal and external stakeholders to drive strategic actions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Work closely with internal teams (Deployment, Operations, Communications, Marketing) to provide points of contact for AHJ support and drive actions to get sites live.
Provide summaries of legislative and regulatory developments impacting EV charging (e.g., City or State permitting laws, certification requirements, etc.) to cross-functional teams.
Ensure accurate and timely communication across departments.

Mission: Develop relationships with city, county, and state partners to help get sites live

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): Decrease average permit timeline, Sites Live, Decrease number of sites killed in permitting.

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Business, Law or related field.
A minimum of 2 years of experience in government affairs, regulatory policy, public sector engagement, or related roles.
Strong communication and organizational skills are critically important in this role.
Experience working across teams and managing multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Experience with data analysis and communicating results to build a narrative and drive action.

Preferred Qualifications:

Strong understanding of local government and permitting.
Familiarity with EV charging technologies or land development.

IONNA is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices through a competitive base salary, as well as offering bonus programs, comprehensive benefits such as medical, dental, vision, life, 401(K), and paid holidays.

Actual base salaries are based on several factors unique to each candidate, including but not limited to skill set, experience, certifications and specific work location. We are committed to an inclusive and diverse team.

We are committed to an inclusive and diverse team. IONNA is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, disability, veteran status, genetic information, marital status, or any legally protected status.

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What are your salary requirements?

Are you willing to relocate?

What is your earliest start date?

Are you willing to work evenings?

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Which option best describes your current U.S. work authorization status?

Please indicate your awareness of the posted target base range for this role and your willingness to work within this range ($95–110k).

This role is full‑time and on‑site in Durham, NC. Which option best describes your ability to work on‑site?

The role may require national travel as needed. How comfortable are you with periodic work travel?

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Which best reflects your exposure to EV charging technologies or land development?

Which public partners have you engaged with in prior roles?

To what extent have you coordinated directly with AHJs across a project’s lifecycle?

Which cadence best matches your experience organizing meetings, presentations, and follow‑ups with municipal/state stakeholders?

Which statement best describes your experience monitoring and driving permitting timelines?

How have you approached updates to AHJ partners as projects move through design and construction?

What is your comfort level generating reports/dashboards on permit timelines and communicating findings?

Which tools/processes have you used to maintain AHJ contacts and city‑specific processes?

With which internal teams have you most frequently collaborated to get sites live?

To what extent have you summarized legislative and regulatory developments affecting EV charging (e.g., permitting laws, certification requirements) for internal teams?

To what extent have you used data analysis to build a narrative and drive action?