Federal Growth Lead

WHO ARE WE? Government technology has failed the public for decades, and Americans have been conditioned to expect websites from the 90s for essential public services. Kaizen exists to strengthen trust in American public services by building technology that residents and public servants are proud to use. We partner with local, state, and federal agencies to replace legacy systems with modern, AI-native software that is worthy of the people they serve. We started in outdoor recreation, and now we're building toward something much larger — the software layer that powers how Americans access any government service. Our platform already reaches 40 million residents across 50+ agencies in 17 states. Founded in 2022 and based in New York City, Kaizen has raised $35 million from NEA, a16z, Accel, 776, and Carpenter Capital. We're builders, designers, and operators who believe that beautifully designed software shouldn’t be a luxury in government. It’s how you earn trust back. BEFORE YOU APPLY... This role is part of Kaizen’s strategic expansion into federal markets. It requires an entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to operate with high independence in a complex, highly regulated environment. You will help open new agency relationships, navigate procurement channels, and shape Kaizen’s federal go-to-market strategy. We have tremendous respect for public servants and empathize with their pain points, so low ego and high EQ go a long way. Some experience in federal sales or growth is required. LOCATION Strong preference for individuals based in the DMV area. Expect 30–40% travel for visits to DC, conferences, and in-person time with the team. WHO YOU ARE - You have full-cycle enterprise sales experience, with a track record of closing multi-stakeholder deals - You have meaningful experience selling into or working with U.S. federal agencies (civilian and/or DoD) - You’re energized by in-person relationship building, demos, workshops, and agency engagement - You understand that federal growth is bigger than pipeline. You've partnered with lobbying firms, government affairs teams, or Hill staff to advance a company's position, and you're comfortable being the internal point person for appropriations strategy, event planning, and federal ecosystem positioning - You’re excited by the challenge of breaking into new programs and contracts, including environments with legacy tools and complex procurement pathways - You thrive in scrappy, ambiguous environments and can self-generate pipeline creatively - You can articulate a product that’s evolving - balancing current capabilities with a forward-looking vision - You’re AI-pilled and default to these tools in your daily workflows - You’re emotionally intelligent, thoughtful, and empathetic toward public sector missions WHAT YOU’LL DO - Own the full federal sales cycle from outbound prospecting and discovery through demos, proposals, negotiations, and closing - Build and execute Kaizen’s federal GTM strategy, developing a repeatable approach to reach federal agencies - Serve as Kaizen's federal point person for government affairs coordination, including partnering with lobbying firms, supporting appropriations strategy, and leading event and conference strategy to build Kaizen's presence across the federal ecosystem - Navigate federal procurement processes such as GSA MAS, IDIQs, BPAs, agency-specific task orders, and multi-year modernization efforts - Work closely with program offices, IT stakeholders, contracting officers, and installation staff to align Kaizen’s capabilities with agency needs - Lead discovery sessions and tailored product demos, often onsite and in-person, to understand legacy workflows, pain points, mission priorities, and opportunities for modernization - Work closely with operations, partnerships, and other GTM teammates to share insights and align on outbound strategy - Partner with Proposal & Capture and Design to support solicitation response efforts, including posi