Head of Public Affairs

BUILD A SAFER WORLD. TRM Labs provides AI-powered intelligence solutions that help public and private sector agencies investigate and disrupt crime. TRM's platforms enable investigators to trace illicit activity, build cases, and construct operating pictures of threat networks. Leading agencies and businesses worldwide rely on TRM to make the world safer and more secure. TRM Labs is hiring a Head of Public Affairs to lead external communications and public affairs for our government programs. You'll own publicity, announcements, and message coordination with federal and executive-branch communications stakeholders — translating complex, sensitive program work into accurate, approved public narratives. THE IMPACT YOU WILL HAVE: - Lead public affairs for TRM's government programs — own the external narrative and drive publicity that creates clarity, credibility and engagement around the missions we are supporting, - Own government and agency media relations — build relationships, navigate review and approval cycles, and maintain message discipline across stakeholders. - Position TRM and program leaders as credible voices in public moments where appropriate, with sound judgment about what is said, when, and by whom. - Lead rapid response during reputational, regulatory, or program-related events — drafting statements and coordinating with agency comms leads and TRM Policy/Legal before anything goes public. - Operate with discretion inside approval-gated, confidentiality-heavy environments. WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR: - 8–12+ years in strategic communications / public affairs, with meaningful experience in or alongside government (federal agency, Capitol Hill, or a public-affairs firm serving government clients). - Proven ownership of high-stakes external communications and senior/principal-level positioning — not just supporting a senior leader. - Comfort inside government review, message-clearance, and approval cycles, with strict confidentiality on sensitive work. - Exceptional writing and message framing, and sound judgment in fast-moving, high-sensitivity public moments. - AI-fluent in how modern communications work gets done, with a proactive experimentation mindset. - Based in (or able to be highly present in) Washington, DC. About the Team: - Our core mission is to drive revenue growth by shaping market perception and activating demand through strategic storytelling across and visibility across earned and owned channels. - You will partner closely with Insights, Brand & Content, Demand Generation, Product Marketing, Regional Marketing, and the Executive Team. - Core collaboration overlap with ET; flexible hours with expectation of responsiveness to media inquiries THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS THE EXPECTED RANGE OF COMPENSATION FOR THIS ROLE: - Individual pay is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. The compensation details listed in this posting reflect the US base salary only. - The estimated base salary range for this role is $150,000 - $210,000. - Additionally, this role may be eligible to participate in TRM’s equity plan. - Please note – we factor in the different costs for geographies outside the United States. LIFE AT TRM We are building a safer world. That promise shows up in how we work every day. TRM moves quickly. We are a high velocity, high ownership team that expects clarity, follow-through, and impact. People who thrive here are energized by hard problems, experimentation, and continuous feedback. If something takes months elsewhere, it will ship here in days. Our work sits at the intersection of AI, national security, and fighting crime. The problems are complex, the stakes are real, and the environment evolves quickly. The pace and intensity of the work reflect the importance of the mission. As a result, the way we operate requires a high level of ownership, adaptability, collaboration, and creative problem-solving. At TRM, you should expect: - Priorities and targets to change quickly as we experiment and iterate - Work that often requires operating with a high degree of ambiguity - A high level of personal ownership and accountability - Close collaboration across teams and functions - Frequent, high-touch communication - Creative problem solving and out-of-the-box thinking - A pace that rewards urgency, adaptability, and outcomes This environment is energizing for people who enjoy building, solving hard problems, and making progress in situations that are not always fully defined. It also requires comfort navigating ambiguity, adjusting course as new information emerges, and maintaining focus and positivity in a fast-moving and intense environment. We also recognize that this style of operating is not for everyone. If you are primarily optimizing for predictability or a consistently balanced workload, we encourage you to use the interview process to pressure test whether this environment is truly the right fit. We want teammates who thrive here, not just survive here. At the same time, many people find this work deeply rewarding. If you are excited by meaningful problems, motivated by ambitious goals, and energized by working alongside mission-driven colleagues, there is a good chance you will find TRM to be an exceptional place to grow and contribute. Learn more: Interviewing at TRM: How We Hire and What Success Looks Like https://www.trmlabs.com/resources/blog/interviewing-at-trm-how-we-hire-and-what-success-looks-like   AI FLUENCY AT TRM AI fluency is a baseline expectation at TRM. We believe AI meaningfully changes how top performers operate. We expect every team member to use AI to accelerate and reimagine their craft, not just automate surface tasks. At TRM, AI fluency means you are among the top 10 percent of operators in your function in how you apply AI to: - Accelerate repeatable workflows - Structure and solve problems - Improve output quality - Increase speed and leverage You will be evaluated on applied AI fluency during the interview process. LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES We hire and grow against three leadership principles. They’re the standards for how we operate, treat each other, and make decisions. - Impact-Oriented Trailblazer: We put customers first and move with speed, focus, and adaptability. We treat every plan like an experiment – test, ship, measure, and iterate quickly. - Master Craftsperson: We care deeply about our craft. We balance speed with high standards, own outcomes end‑to‑end, and invest in getting better everyday. - Inspiring Colleague: We add clarity and energy, not noise. We bring humility, candor, and a one‑team mindset — giving and receiving feedback to make the team stronger. JOIN OUR MISSION At TRM we care deeply about our craft. We are looking for individuals who want their work to matter, who experiment with speed and rigor, and who take pride in building a safer world for billions of people. If you’re excited by TRM’s mission but don’t check every box, we encourage you to apply — we hire for slope, judgment, and the will to learn fast. TRM is a Series C company with $220M in total funding, backed by Goldman Sachs, Bessemer, Y Combinator, Thoma Bravo, and others. Headquartered in San Francisco, TRM operates as a distributed-first company with hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington D.C., London, and Singapore. PRIVACY POLICY AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION By submitting your application, you agree to allow TRM Labs to process your personal information in accordance with our Privacy Policy https://www.trmlabs.com/policies/privacy-policy. We collect the information you provide (such as your resume, work history, and contact details) solely for the purpose of evaluating your candidacy for current and future roles at TRM. Because our hiring cycles for certain positions may span 24 to 36 months, we retain your personal information for up to 36 months from the date of your application. After that period, your data is deleted unless a different retention period is required or permitted by law. If you are located in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with applicable data protection laws, you have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your personal data at any time before that period ends. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@trmlabs.com. To notify TRM Labs that you believe this job posting is non-compliant, please submit a report through this form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc6e8jRCl2cQwgIzXLpIGQXtwvMQh__TcokvO2toAAkT44A6Q/viewform?usp=dialog. No response will be provided to inquiries unrelated to job posting compliance. The use of AI tools of any kind (including but not limited to notetakers, interview assistants, and real-time coaching tools such as Otter.ai, Fireflies, Fathom, Cluey, or similar) during TRM interviews is not permitted without prior approval from TRM. TRM uses its own internal tools for note-taking to ensure a consistent and confidential experience for all candidates. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, and requests can be made via this form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevmAzPxWOYm_7kMHb9lEJlX3tpdBeHvvvNWjsI_6xhUfnXjw/viewform?usp=dialog. RECRUITMENT AGENCIES TRM Labs does not accept unsolicited agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to TRM employees. TRM Labs is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes and will not pay fees to any third-party agency or company without a signed agreement. LEARN MORE: COMPANY VALUES https://www.trmlabs.com/culture | INTERVIEWING https://www.trmlabs.com/interviewing | FAQS https://www.trmlabs.com/faq