Government Affairs Manager Jobs in USA with Visa Sponsorship
Government Affairs Manager roles attract H-1B visa sponsorship from trade associations, lobbying firms, and large corporations with public policy teams. Most employers require a degree in political science, public policy, or law, and USCIS classifies the role as a specialty occupation. For detailed occupation requirements, see the O*NET profile.
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Get Access To All JobsCompany Overview: Beam Therapeutics is a biotechnology company committed to establishing the leading, fully integrated platform for precision genetic medicines. To achieve this vision, Beam has assembled a platform with integrated gene editing, delivery and internal manufacturing capabilities. Beam’s suite of gene editing technologies is anchored by base editing, a proprietary technology that is designed to enable precise, predictable and efficient single base changes, at targeted genomic sequences, without making double-stranded breaks in the DNA. This has the potential to enable a wide range of therapeutic editing strategies that Beam is using to advance a diversified portfolio of base editing programs. Beam is a values-driven organization committed to its people, cutting-edge science, and a vision of providing life-long cures to patients suffering from serious diseases.
Position Overview: The Senior Director, State Government Affairs will help advocate for Beam’s legislative efforts and execute strategies aligned with legislative and executive branch priorities. This individual will be a key internal expert on the external policy environment. The role will provide strategic, actionable insights about government-related threats and opportunities relevant to Beam’s portfolio. This individual will collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to advance good policy and mitigate against harmful ones, ensuring policy alignment with Beam’s business objectives. This individual will be responsible for building a variety of strong, meaningful networks at the state level (including State Medicaid officials, state legislators and state policy stakeholders) and staying current on critical policy issues. The individual will also assist, as necessary, in Beam’s federal government affairs strategy execution. This role reports to the Vice-President, Market Access & Government Affairs.
Responsibilities:
- Support the development and implementation of strategies and tactical plans to influence governors, state legislators, state Medicaid officials, state patient and provider organizations and other stakeholders.
- Assist in building professional networks with elected leaders and key stakeholders to promote access to innovative gene therapies.
- Collaborate on external meetings and advocacy efforts that strengthen Beam’s federal and state legislative and executive branch relationships.
- Develop and coordinate Beam’s lobbying strategy in targeted states.
- Provide input into lobbying efforts with Members of Congress, executive branch officials, and federal agencies including executive engagement.
- Provide insights and recommendations on federal and state legislative, executive, and regulatory activities and policies.
- Collaborate internally with relevant Beam teams, including (but not limited to) market access, Regulatory, and Patient Advocacy.
- Enhance Beam’s visibility in state capitols, state agencies and in Washington, D.C.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- 12+ years of experience working directly in a health / pharma / biotech government affairs, advocacy or policy-related role.
- Demonstrated experience working with state Medicaid agencies to ensure access to innovative therapies.
- Existing network of state government affairs officials.
- Competence in understanding and influencing government policies with proven track record in developing and influencing policy solutions.
- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across functions.
- Travel up to 40%.
- Onsite requirements: Candidates are expected to come onsite 1-3 days per week.
Company Overview: Beam Therapeutics is a biotechnology company committed to establishing the leading, fully integrated platform for precision genetic medicines. To achieve this vision, Beam has assembled a platform with integrated gene editing, delivery and internal manufacturing capabilities. Beam’s suite of gene editing technologies is anchored by base editing, a proprietary technology that is designed to enable precise, predictable and efficient single base changes, at targeted genomic sequences, without making double-stranded breaks in the DNA. This has the potential to enable a wide range of therapeutic editing strategies that Beam is using to advance a diversified portfolio of base editing programs. Beam is a values-driven organization committed to its people, cutting-edge science, and a vision of providing life-long cures to patients suffering from serious diseases.
Position Overview: The Senior Director, State Government Affairs will help advocate for Beam’s legislative efforts and execute strategies aligned with legislative and executive branch priorities. This individual will be a key internal expert on the external policy environment. The role will provide strategic, actionable insights about government-related threats and opportunities relevant to Beam’s portfolio. This individual will collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders to advance good policy and mitigate against harmful ones, ensuring policy alignment with Beam’s business objectives. This individual will be responsible for building a variety of strong, meaningful networks at the state level (including State Medicaid officials, state legislators and state policy stakeholders) and staying current on critical policy issues. The individual will also assist, as necessary, in Beam’s federal government affairs strategy execution. This role reports to the Vice-President, Market Access & Government Affairs.
Responsibilities:
- Support the development and implementation of strategies and tactical plans to influence governors, state legislators, state Medicaid officials, state patient and provider organizations and other stakeholders.
- Assist in building professional networks with elected leaders and key stakeholders to promote access to innovative gene therapies.
- Collaborate on external meetings and advocacy efforts that strengthen Beam’s federal and state legislative and executive branch relationships.
- Develop and coordinate Beam’s lobbying strategy in targeted states.
- Provide input into lobbying efforts with Members of Congress, executive branch officials, and federal agencies including executive engagement.
- Provide insights and recommendations on federal and state legislative, executive, and regulatory activities and policies.
- Collaborate internally with relevant Beam teams, including (but not limited to) market access, Regulatory, and Patient Advocacy.
- Enhance Beam’s visibility in state capitols, state agencies and in Washington, D.C.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required.
- 12+ years of experience working directly in a health / pharma / biotech government affairs, advocacy or policy-related role.
- Demonstrated experience working with state Medicaid agencies to ensure access to innovative therapies.
- Existing network of state government affairs officials.
- Competence in understanding and influencing government policies with proven track record in developing and influencing policy solutions.
- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively across functions.
- Travel up to 40%.
- Onsite requirements: Candidates are expected to come onsite 1-3 days per week.
See all 75+ Government Affairs Manager Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding Visa Sponsorship as a Government Affairs Manager
Target employers with established government relations teams
Large corporations, industry associations, and consulting firms with dedicated government affairs divisions sponsor visas most consistently. These employers have immigration counsel on retainer and understand the H-1B process, making sponsorship decisions faster and less uncertain.
Align your degree with the policy function
USCIS expects a direct connection between your degree and the role. Political science, public policy, law, and international relations degrees map cleanly to government affairs work. An unrelated degree can create specialty occupation issues during adjudication, so address the connection explicitly.
Emphasize federal or state policy experience in your application
Employers sponsoring government affairs managers want demonstrated knowledge of legislative processes, regulatory frameworks, or agency rulemaking. Candidates with Capitol Hill experience, agency backgrounds, or policy internships are prioritized because they reduce employer onboarding time significantly.
Understand that lobbying registration limits certain visa holders
Registered lobbyists must comply with disclosure requirements that can complicate nonimmigrant status in some contexts. Clarify with your employer whether the role involves formal lobbying registration, as this affects how the position is structured and described in your visa petition.
Ask about the employer's existing immigration infrastructure early
Employers who have previously sponsored government affairs professionals have precedent on their side during USCIS adjudication. Ask during interviews whether the company has sponsored this role before, and whether they work with outside immigration counsel or handle petitions in-house.
Use Migrate Mate to find verified sponsoring employers
Not every government affairs job listing will state visa sponsorship upfront. Migrate Mate filters specifically for employers who have sponsored work visas, saving you from applying to roles where sponsorship was never on the table and helping you prioritize your outreach effectively.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the Government Affairs Manager role qualify as an H-1B specialty occupation?
Yes, Government Affairs Manager generally qualifies as a specialty occupation when the role requires a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific field such as political science, public policy, law, or international relations. USCIS scrutinizes the job description closely, so petitions that demonstrate the degree requirement is standard for the industry and genuinely necessary for the position have the strongest approval odds. Vague job descriptions that could apply to any generalist manager are more likely to receive a Request for Evidence.
Which types of employers most commonly sponsor government affairs managers?
The most active sponsors are large corporations with federal or state lobbying programs, trade associations, policy consulting firms, and defense contractors. Technology companies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and financial institutions with active regulatory affairs teams also sponsor frequently. These employers typically have immigration infrastructure already in place. You can browse verified sponsoring employers for this role on Migrate Mate, which filters job listings specifically by visa sponsorship history.
Does a law degree improve sponsorship prospects for this role?
A JD or LLM strengthens a government affairs petition because it maps directly to regulatory analysis, legislative drafting, and compliance work that defines senior policy roles. It also gives USCIS a clear degree-to-job connection, which reduces the risk of a specialty occupation challenge. That said, a JD is not required if your bachelor's degree is in a directly related policy field and the job description reflects that connection.
Can government affairs managers on H-1B change employers mid-visa period?
Yes. H-1B visa portability allows you to start working for a new employer once they file an H-1B transfer petition, without waiting for approval, as long as your prior H-1B was approved and you have maintained status. For government affairs roles, the new employer must file a fresh Labor Condition Application with the Department of Labor and submit an H-1B amendment if the role's duties, location, or level changes materially from the original petition.
Is the O-1A visa a realistic alternative for experienced government affairs professionals?
It can be, for candidates with a documented record of extraordinary achievement in public policy, such as senior agency appointments, published policy work with measurable national impact, high-profile speaking roles, or awards recognized in the field. The O-1A has no annual cap and no lottery, which makes it attractive for applicants who missed the H-1B selection. However, it requires substantial evidence and is not appropriate for early- to mid-career professionals without a strong external record of distinction.
What is the prevailing wage requirement for sponsored Government Affairs Manager jobs?
U.S. employers sponsoring a visa must pay at least the prevailing wage, which is what workers in the same role, area, and experience level typically earn. The Department of Labor sets this rate to make sure companies aren't hiring foreign workers simply because they'd accept lower pay than a U.S. worker. It varies by job title, location, and experience. You can look up current prevailing wage rates for any occupation and location using the OFLC Wage Search page.