Lead European Institutions and French Public Affairs

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About the role

Here at The Exploration Company, we are building spacecrafts for humanity. The Lead – European Institutions & French Public Affairs is responsible for designing and executing the company’s public affairs strategy at EU and French levels , in close coordination with the Chief Government Officer In a fast-growing startup environment, this role combines strategic policy leadership , direct institutional engagement , and hands-on execution . The position requires strong autonomy, political judgement, and the ability to translate complex regulatory developments into clear business and strategic implications for executive leadership.   Key Responsibilities Strategy & Executive Advisory • Co-define EU and French public affairs strategy with the CGO, aligned with the company’s growth, funding, and market-access objectives. • Act as a trusted advisor to the CEO and executive team on political, regulatory, and institutional matters. • Identify policy-driven risks and opportunities (regulation, funding, industrial policy, sovereignty, public procurement). • Anticipate regulatory roadmaps and translate them into actionable business recommendations. European Institutions Leadership • Lead engagement with EU institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, Council of the EU) and key ecosystem stakeholders. • Own priority EU policy files end-to-end: monitoring, analysis, positioning, and advocacy execution. • Draft and validate position papers, consultation responses, and strategic briefings for senior leadership. • Represent the company in EU forums, industry coalitions, and strategic alliances. French Public Affairs Leadership • Lead relationships with French ministries, Parliament, regulators, agencies, and institutional partners. • Drive French public affairs actions in close alignment with EU-level strategy. • Support CEO and CGO in high-level French institutional meetings, including preparation of messaging and briefings. Hands-On Execution in a Startup Context • Personally execute key public affairs actions (no large team or heavy hierarchy). • Build lightweight but effective public affairs processes adapted to a startup environment. • Contribute to funding-related policy work (EU programs, national schemes, public support mechanisms). Internal Alignment & Communication • Work closely with future projects, legal, business development, and communications teams. • Ensure consistent messaging across EU and French public affairs activities. • Provide concise, decision-ready updates to leadership (CEO, CGO, ExCom when relevant).   Required Experience & Profile • Master’s degree in European Studies, Political Science, Law, Public Policy, or equivalent. • 5-7+ years of experience in EU and/or French public affairs, ideally with exposure to startups, scale-ups, or fast-moving regulated sectors. • Proven experience engaging directly with EU institutions and French public authorities at senior level. • Track record of advising executives and operating in politically sensitive, ambiguous environments. • Strong understanding of how public policy impacts business models, funding, and market access.   Key Skills & Mindset • Strategic thinker with a builder’s mindset: comfortable creating structure from scratch. • Highly autonomous, pragmatic, and execution-oriented. • Excellent political judgement and stakeholder management skills. • Clear, concise communicator able to brief effectively. • Comfortable switching between big-picture strategy and detailed policy work.   Languages • French : native or fluent • English : fluent • Additional EU languages are a plus   Why Join Us • Direct impact on the company’s strategic positioning and growth • High visibility role with the CEO and leadership team • Opportun

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