Head of Regulatory and External Affairs (San Francisco)

Vaulted Deep Head of Regulatory and External Affairs Houston, TXSan Francisco, CARemoteFull time Apply for Head of Regulatory and External Affairs

The Head of Regulatory and External Affairs, you will be responsible for leading Vaulteds regulatory, government affairs and community engagement work.

About Vaulted Deep

Vaulted is a waste management company that removes carbon. We take organic waste that can pollute our environment above ground and safely inject it ultra deep undergroundpermanently removing carbon from the atmosphere while protecting local land, air, and water. Vaulted is based in Houston, San Francisco, and Kansas.With a growing team of 70+ people across the country, Vaulted signed the second largest carbon removal offtake ever with Microsoft in July 2025 and is rapidly expanding to new sites. Vaulted's proprietary technology builds on decades of expertise to deliver safe, durable carbon and waste management solutions now, at scale.

Description

About the Role

At Vaulted, we have an aggressive plan to rapidly grow our team and subsequent climate impact. As the Head of Regulatory and External Affairs, you will be responsible for leading Vaulteds regulatory, government affairs and community engagement work. In short, you are responsible for our licenses to operate - ensuring we have the permits, policy, and community support needed to grow. This position will manage an existing small and growing team. Responsibilities include:

• Leading our work and relationships with regulators: Build and maintain strong relationships with key regulatory stakeholders, including federal and state EPA, and relevant parties.
• Policy Advocacy & Government Affairs: Represent Vaulteds interests to government officials, policymakers, and regulatory agencies through various channels, including lobbying, advocacy campaigns and public relations .
• Community Engagement: Oversee our community engagement activities at existing and new sites.
• Relationship Management: Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, legislators, and regulatory bodies.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the organization adheres to all applicable laws, regulations, lobbying and reporting requirements related to the permitting process for organic waste injection projects.
• Monitoring and Analysis: Track legislative and regulatory developments at the local, state, and federal levels, and assessing their potential impact on the organization .
• Strategic Planning: Develop long-term strategies for navigating the regulatory and political landscape.
• Communication: Effectively communicate the organization's positions and priorities to internal and external stakeholders.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate potential regulatory and reputational risks.
• Leadership: Manage our External Affairs team, and continue to build your broader team to align withgrowth objectives.

What You Will Bring

To succeed in this role, and to help the company to succeed in our mission, the Head of Regulatory and External Affairs must possess strong regulatory expertise, exceptional communication and negotiation skills, and strategic foresight in navigating complex policy landscapes. They must also thrive in a fast-paced startup environment with a growing team of ever-changing needs. In addition, we seek a candidate with:

• Bachelors or Advanced Degree in Political Science, Public Policy, Regulatory Affairs, Law or related field
• 10 + years of experience in government relations, regulatory compliance or related area of expertise; preference given to candidates with experience specific to site development and community engagement Deep understanding of the legislative and administrative rulemaking processes, and land use regulations
• Ability to analyze complex policy issues and communicate them clearly and persuasively
• Exceptional relationship-building and interpersonal skills
• Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with key internal and external stakeholders
• Proven ability to develop and maintain community relationships throughout the life of a project
• Passion for and commitment to sustainability and the work of climate change mitigation. Knowledge of carbon removal is helpful, but not necessary

This is a unique opportunity to work in a fast-paced and rewarding environment where your contributions will directly lead to mitigating, and eventually reversing, the worst impacts of climate change.