Director, Federal Affairs

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) is seeking an experienced and strategic Director of Federal Affairs who is passionate about advancing U.S. manufacturing. In this role, the director will lead policy initiatives, engage directly with lawmakers, and play a key role in shaping the future of the equipment manufacturing industry through effective advocacy and coalition-building. This position is ideal for a proactive, collaborative leader with a deep understanding of the federal legislative process and a proven ability to cultivate bipartisan relations. The Director of Federal Affairs reports to the Vice President, Federal Affairs, and collaborates closely with AEM’s state and grassroots advocacy leads as part of the Advocacy Team. 

The ideal candidate for this position will bring extensive, long‑standing experience in agriculture and rural America policy, along with a deep understanding of the issues shaping the agriculture sector and the communities it supports. They should possess robust, well‑established relationships across the agricultural sector and demonstrate a proven ability to navigate its unique policy landscape. 

Responsibilities:  

• Direct AEM’s engagement on priority legislation, shape advocacy approaches, and provide high level political assessments to senior leadership.  

• Lead collaborative development of policy recommendations across internal teams and member companies, ensuring alignment across sectors.  

• Serve as a senior representative of AEM before Congress, AEM member companies, and external stakeholders.  

• Support multidisciplinary teams, including internal staff, contracted consultants, and cross functional partners, to support major federal initiatives.  

• Lead planning and execution of high-profile federal policy events, including fly-ins, roundtables, advocacy days, and other special events.  

Requirements:  

A successful candidate will hold a bachelor’s degree in a related field and will have 10-12 years of progressively responsible experience working on Capitol Hill and/or in trade association advocacy. The ideal candidate will also demonstrate:  

• Proven ability to shape and influence industry-wide advocacy outcomes. 

• Superior written and verbal communication skills. 

• In-depth knowledge of current political landscape.  

• Robust experience working on Capitol Hill.  

• Ability to travel up to 25%. 

• Advanced skills in public speaking, relationship building, and networking. 

• Experience crafting policy-related materials. 

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and legislative tracking tools. 

Why AEM? 

• Flexible Work Environment: Core hours are 10:00AM- 4:00PM for in-office days (Tuesday-Thursday) with optional teleworking on Mondays and Fridays. General working hours are 9:00AM-5:00PM with the need to perform work outside of regular office hours.  

• Professional Growth: We are committed to the growth and development of our team members and offer many learning opportunities, including an onboarding program, leadership programming, tuition reimbursement, industry on-site and off-site training, and other management and professional development programs. 

About AEM:    

AEM is the leading organization in North America advancing construction and agriculture equipment manufacturers and their value chain partners in the global marketplace. In enabling growth together, AEM and its members build momentum for the equipment manufacturing industry and the markets it serves.