Vice President of Federal Policy

Location: Washington, DC

Reports to: Chief Executive Officer

About Fathom

Fathom is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to find, build, and scale AI governance solutions that foster public trust in this fast-developing technology. Everyone, from businesses and NGOs to everyday people, must have a say in co-designing a better AI future. We work toward that future by advancing smart policy, building robust, action-oriented coalitions, and leading research and polling.

Fathom developed independent verification organizations (IVOs), a safety evaluation framework now at the heart of AI governance legislation advancing across the country and at the center of the national AI policy debate. Learn more about Fathom and our legislative successes: fathom.org

We’ve grown rapidly over the past two years, more than doubling our team and significantly expanding our base of support. That growth has been driven by policymakers, industry leaders, and the public increasingly recognizing that fair, robust AI governance is what allows AI to develop and scale.

About the Role

Fathom is hiring a Vice President of Federal Policy to lead our engagement with Congress and the Executive Branch.

The VP of Federal Policy owns and executes Fathom’s federal agenda. That means setting and driving legislative and regulatory priorities, building bipartisan relationships across both chambers, and representing Fathom with Members, committee staff, and agencies. The VP serves as Fathom’s primary voice in Washington: representing the organization at convenings, engaging with the press, and serving as the point of contact for coalition partners, industry, and other key stakeholders. The ideal candidate is a trusted authority rather than a partisan tactician. Members and staff in both parties seek them out for their policy depth, their clarity on hard issues, and their read of the politics. This is a senior role on Fathom’s leadership team, reporting to the CEO and working closely with the broader policy team.

Federal AI policy is unsettled and moving quickly. The next two years will determine a great deal, and this role will be key to keeping thoughtful, effective policy at the center of the debate. We’re looking for someone with deep relationships across Washington who can put them to work from day one and keep building Fathom’s federal program into one of the most trusted in AI governance.

Key Responsibilities

Legislative & Executive Branch Strategy

• Own Fathom's federal legislative and regulatory strategy: set priorities, sequence the work, and be accountable for outcomes. Position Fathom's priorities where they can advance and have the greatest impact.
• Identify and develop champions in both chambers and both parties, and build durable relationships with Members, senior committee and personal office staff, leadership offices, and agency officials.
• Represent Fathom in hearings, briefings, agency meetings, and stakeholder convenings.
• Build and maintain relationships across the Executive Branch, including the White House, OSTP, OMB, and the agencies with jurisdiction over AI, and position Fathom to inform executive orders, agency guidance, and rulemaking as they take shape.

Policy Development & Written Advocacy

• Develop federal policy positions, draft and negotiate legislative text, and produce testimony, comment letters, and technical assistance for offices and agencies.
• Translate complex AI governance concepts into clear, actionable guidance for congressional and agency staff.
• Track and analyze federal legislative and regulatory activity, and recommend where to engage.
• Support implementation of enacted policy through rulemaking, agency guidance, and sustained follow-through.

Relationships & Coalitions

• Engage credibly across the political spectrum and maintain standing with offices whose positions differ from Fathom's.
• Cultivate strategic partnerships with industry and trade associations, civil society, labor, academic institutions, and public-sector partners, and build them into coalitions that show up publicly through hearing witnesses, sign-on letters, endorsements, and joint events.

Vendor & Budget Management

• Manage federal contract lobbyists and consultants, setting clear objectives and holding them to deliverables.
• Own federal budget and resource planning, and build out the federal team as the portfolio grows.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work hand in hand with Fathom's existing federally focused staff and the broader state policy team.
• Partner with the communications team on press engagement, messaging, and packaging Fathom's federal work for broader audiences.

Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience (12+ preferred) in federal government affairs, senior congressional staff work (Legislative Director, Staff Director, Chief of Staff, or senior committee counsel), Executive Branch policy roles, or federal advocacy.
• Direct experience carrying federal legislation: you have negotiated text and moved a bill through committee and to the floor.
• Existing bipartisan relationships with Members and senior staff on the committees with jurisdiction over AI and technology policy, as well as with relevant Administration and agency officials, and a track record of building new ones.
• Fluency in AI or technology policy, or a demonstrated ability to rapidly master complex technical subject matter.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with direct experience drafting testimony, filing regulatory comments, producing memos and talking points for principals, and serving as an on-record spokesperson.
• Experience managing outside lobbyists, consultants, or agencies against clear deliverables.
• A track record of leading effectively through shifting priorities, taking on new issues and standing up new lines of work as the organization requires.
• Political savvy and a clear understanding of how politics and policy interact.
• Must be based in Washington, DC, and willing to travel as the work requires.

Compensation & Benefits

• Annual salary: $290,000-$340,000, depending on experience.
• This is a full-time position with comprehensive benefits, including medical, dental, and vision coverage, a 401(k) with employer match, and other benefits.