Head of Government Relations & Partnerships

Sandboxx builds consumer technology that supports service members and their families across the full military life cycle. We operate at national scale, work closely with the Department of War and the broader military ecosystem, and serve millions of users each year. We are looking for driven, curious people who take ownership of their work, move quickly, and want to build products that have real impact for the military community.

Head of Government Relations & Partnerships

• Reports to: CEO
• Location: Middleburg, VA

Sandboxx is a full life cycle platform serving the military community from the beginning of the military journey through service and beyond. Our work supports service members, their families, and the commands and institutions that surround them. We operate at a national scale, serve millions of users each year, and sit at the intersection of military life, technology, media, and community.

Our most valuable strategic asset is access to the military community at the moment of accession into service. That access drives early and significant revenue and creates the foundation for the products and services we deliver across every phase of military life.

We are hiring a Head of Government Relations & Partnerships to lead Sandboxx's external engagement strategy across government, military, and nonprofit stakeholders. This is both a growth role and a durability role. We need a hunter who can open new doors across the services, the Department of War, and Congress, and an institutional operator who can protect and expand the relationships that already power the business.

About the Role

We are hiring a Head of Government Relations & Partnerships to lead Sandboxx's external engagement strategy across government, military, nonprofit, and community stakeholders.

Reporting directly to the CEO, you'll serve as the company's lead for government relations, public affairs, partnerships with the non-commercial military ecosystem, and external engagement.

This role sits at the intersection of policy, business development, partnerships, and ecosystem strategy.

You'll build relationships with congressional offices, Department of War stakeholders, military and veteran service organizations, military family advocacy groups, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations that share our mission of supporting service members and their families.

Success in this role is measured by outcomes, not activity. We are looking for someone who can translate relationships into partnerships, partnerships into tangible opportunities, and opportunities into measurable impact for the business and the military community we serve.

Why We Are Hiring For This Role Now

Sandboxx has grown from a single-product company into a multi-product platform serving the military-connected community across communications, media, readiness, and community engagement.

As we continue to scale, we see significant opportunities to deepen our relationships with:

Congressional and government stakeholders

Department of War and military commands

Military family readiness organizations

Veteran service organizations

Recruiting and personnel-focused organizations

Military-focused nonprofits and advocacy groups

Educational institutions serving the military community

We need a dedicated leader who can identify those opportunities, build trust with key stakeholders, and position Sandboxx as a trusted partner within the broader military ecosystem.

Scope of Responsibility

This role owns all government relations and strategic partnership activities across the non-commercial military ecosystem, including:

Government relations (congressional, DoW, VA, military commands)

Partnerships with nonprofits, VSOs, advocacy organizations, and educational institutions

Public affairs and thought leadership

Strategic intelligence on policy, landscape, and ecosystem trends

Note: Commercial partnerships (paying brands, sponsorships, integrated programs) are owned by the Brand Partnerships Manager role and carry a separate revenue number and pipeline.

What You'll Own

Government Relations

Develop and maintain relationships with congressional offices, committee staff, Department of War stakeholders, military commands, Veterans Affairs, and other government entities relevant to Sandboxx's mission

Monitor legislative, regulatory, and policy developments affecting military families, recruiting, retention, quality of life, military spouse employment, veteran transition, and related issues

Represent Sandboxx in discussions with policymakers, government officials, and military stakeholders

Identify opportunities for Sandboxx to participate in policy conversations and initiatives that align with our mission and values

Prepare leadership for meetings with government officials and external stakeholders through briefing materials, talking points, strategic recommendations, and stakeholder intelligence

Strategic Partnerships (Non-Commercial)

Develop and manage partnerships with military nonprofits, veteran service organizations, advocacy groups, educational institutions, and other organizations serving military-connected audiences

Identify partnership opportunities that expand Sandboxx's reach, strengthen our products, increase user engagement, or support our strategic mission

Build repeatable partnership frameworks that create long-term value and measurable impact rather than one-off sponsorships or transactional relationships

Partner closely with Product, Marketing, Community, and News teams to ensure strategic partnerships support broader company objectives and drive product adoption or user engagement

External Affairs & Thought Leadership

Help position Sandboxx as a leading voice in conversations surrounding military families, recruiting, readiness, retention, military quality of life, and veteran transition

Identify speaking opportunities, conferences, working groups, and industry forums where Sandboxx should have a presence

Represent the company at key military, nonprofit, government, and advocacy events

Build relationships with influential leaders and organizations across the military ecosystem

Strategic Intelligence

Serve as Sandboxx's eyes and ears across the military, government, and veteran landscape

Identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities that may impact our users, products, or strategic direction

Provide leadership with actionable insights on developments across Congress, the Department of War, military family organizations, and the broader military ecosystem

Help translate external developments into internal business opportunities

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 90 days, you'll:

Build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders

Assess Sandboxx's existing government and partnership landscape

Identify priority opportunities across government relations and strategic partnerships

Deliver a prioritized stakeholder map with a 12-month engagement plan and clear success metrics (this will tell us early if the fit is working)

Within your first 6 months, you'll:

Launch multiple strategic partnerships that support growth, engagement, or product adoption

Build a durable network of relationships across government, military, nonprofit, and advocacy stakeholders

Establish Sandboxx as an active participant in key conversations affecting military-connected audiences

Deliver actionable intelligence and recommendations that influence company strategy, measured by decisions made or partnerships activated

Within your first year, you'll:

Develop a repeatable external engagement strategy that supports long-term company growth

Create measurable business impact: partnerships that drove product adoption, user reach, retention, or revenue

Expand Sandboxx's visibility and credibility among policymakers, military leaders, and nonprofits, measured by meaningful mee