Vice President, Government Relations and Public Policy

BusPatrol is seeking an agile Policy Leader with distinct expertise in both Public Policy and Government Relations (GR) to serve as our Vice President of Public Policy and Government Relations. This senior role requires a leader with a proven track record of successfully lobbying multi-state legislation on controversial political issues and managing at scale (people, process, and systems).

About the role

You will navigate a unique and highly complex political environment, designing and executing complex political strategies. This position emphasizes Government Relations and Policy work necessary to manage and build political strategies, lead pioneering legislative enablement, and drive enterprise decision-making. The role is responsible for continuing our success in defending and authorizing automated enforcement laws by balancing direct advocacy, building complex strategies, and coordinating subject matter experts.

Responsibilities

• Lead BusPatrol's public policy development, GR strategies, and pioneering legislative enablement efforts, focusing on managing both offensive legislation and critical glitch bills/defense bills to protect and expand automated school bus stop-arm enforcement, Speed Zone Safety (SZS), and related legislative efforts at state and municipal levels.
• Manage policy and GR at scale on behalf of the enterprise, directing and executing complex political and advocacy strategies in highly complex political environments while coordinating internal subject matter experts.
• Supervise a high-functioning internal government relations team and manage a diverse network of external contract lobbyists and outside counsel, including Business Development (BD) consultants, ensuring alignment with the company’s complex political strategies.
• Develop tactics and strategy for state-by-state policy initiatives, working closely with BusPatrol’s Growth, Legal, and Communications teams to ensure compliance and market readiness.
• Work with partner municipalities and school districts across the U.S. to prepare policies for emerging technological innovations in traffic safety, automated enforcement, and smart city data platforms.
• Build the capacity of local champions and partners to effectively engage with state and local leaders on shared child safety and traffic enforcement policy agendas.
• In target growth states, work directly with local partners to promote violator-funded safety programs and secure necessary legislative and regulatory frameworks for new deployments.
• Represent BusPatrol and its safety coalition by traveling, speaking at legislative hearings, participating in industry workshops and conferences, and engaging in media interviews.
• Support established coalition-building functions, working alongside the Gov Ops team to leverage these groups for targeted policy and legislative initiatives.

Requirements

• Minimum of 10+ years of leadership experience, including a mix of state and local in-government experience (e.g., state legislature or Executive branch) followed by advocacy or government relations (GR) roles.
• State lobbying experience is an absolute must; federal experience is not relevant for this role.
• Proven track record of successfully lobbying multi-state legislation into existence on contentious political issues.
• Experience operating as the #1 leader of a policy or government relations function, managing policy and GR at scale for an enterprise within highly complex political environments.
• Deep knowledge of the legislative process at the state and local level, including legislative defense, navigating glitch bills, and executing complex political strategies.
• Proven staff and project management skills, including experience managing remote teams and contract lobbyists.
• Excellent time management, organizational, and research skills, with the ability to strategically prioritize workload in a fast-paced, hyper-growth environment.
• Superb written and verbal communication skills, with a high degree of accuracy, attention to detail, and the ability to draft legislation and policy memos.
• Proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite and comfort working with CRM and legislative tracking software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Deep knowledge, experience, and interest in traffic safety policy development.
• A Juris Doctorate (JD) or an advanced degree in public policy, public administration, political science, planning, or a related field.
• Experience working within or closely with a state or local transportation agency, department of education, or law enforcement agency.
• Subject matter expertise in camera-based traffic enforcement, transportation policy, education policy, or GovTech/B2G sales environments.

About BusPatrol

At BusPatrol, safety isn’t just a priority — it’s our mission. As the nation’s most trusted school bus stop-arm technology solution, we serve over 350 school districts, protecting nearly 2 million students across 30,000 buses. Our technology uses cutting-edge AI, machine learning, and telematics to improve school bus safety through AI-powered cameras, cloud-based data management, and an integrated software platform to capture and process stop-arm violations. By partnering with school districts, municipalities, and law enforcement, we make safety solutions more accessible and effective, ensuring every child’s journey to and from school is as safe as possible.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Unlimited PTO
• A purpose-driven career focused on protecting children and improving public safety
• Opportunities to participate in BusPatrol’s culture of safety, learning, and teamwork
• Work with a team of innovators committed to leveraging AI and smart technology for social good

Pay

The US salary range for this position reflects the minimum and maximum target for salaries across all US locations. Individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.