Tempo is a layer-1 blockchain purpose-built for stablecoins and real-world payments, born from Stripe’s experience in global payments and Paradigm’s expertise in crypto tech. Tempo’s payment-first design provides a scalable, low-cost predictable backbone that meets the needs of high-volume payment use cases. Our goal is to move money reliably, cheaply, and at scale. Our north star is simplicity for users: fintechs, traditional banks, merchants, platforms, and anyone else looking to move their payments into the 21st century. We're building Tempo with design partners who are global leaders in AI, e-commerce, and financial services: Anthropic, Coupang, Deutsche Bank, DoorDash, Mercury, Nubank, OpenAI, Revolut, Shopify, Standard Chartered, Visa, and more. We’re a team of crypto-optimists, building the infrastructure needed to bring real, substantial economic flows onchain. We like to move fast and swing for the fences — join us! The role You will be our first policy and government relations hire. You'll build Tempo's presence in Washington from the ground up. You'll represent us on Capitol Hill, with regulators, and across industry coalitions, and you'll help the company understand and shape the rules that govern stablecoins, digital payments and agentic commerce. We're looking for a seasoned senior leader who is not afraid to roll up their sleeves. As our first policy and government relations hire, you’ll set the strategy and run it yourself. You will be our voice to Congress and regulators. You will also be a strategic partner to Legal, Product, Comms/Marketing, and GTM, shaping how policy factors into product decisions from the earliest stage. Context shifting will be critical to success; the best candidate will understand how to move between strategy and execution hour to hour and day to day. Responsibilities - Build and run Tempo's federal government relations strategy, with a focus on stablecoin, payments, digital assets and agentic commerce legislation and rule making - Develop and maintain relationships with Members, committee staff and relevant regulators - Engage on emerging AI and agentic commerce policy as it intersects with payments - Track and analyze federal and key state policy developments, then turn them into clear guidance for leadership and product teams - Draft comment letters, testimony, white papers, one-pagers, and briefing materials - Build and manage Tempo's presence in trade associations and industry coalitions, and build alliances across the payments, fintech, and AI ecosystems - Support company leadership in DC engagement - Manage outside lobbying and policy consultants as needed - Own the policy function end to end as a hands-on individual contributor Required qualifications - 8+ years of policy or government relations experience - In-house government relations experience at a payments, fintech, financial services, or technology company - Experience with payments policy, including stablecoins, money transmission, BSA/AML, card networks, real-time payments, or fintech regulation - Strong relationships and credibility on both sides of the aisle - Direct experience with digital asset policy, such as stablecoin legislation and implementation, market structure, or tax - Excellent written and oral communication skills: you can turn complex technical and regulatory issues into crisp, persuasive material - A self-starter comfortable working in a fast-moving startup, and quickly toggling between strategy and execution Preferred qualifications - Prior Capitol Hill experience, preferably on financial services, banking, or agriculture issues - Experience with AI or agentic commerce policy - Multi-client experience at a lobbying firm, consultancy, or trade association - Familiarity with federal agency rulemaking and regulatory engagement Attributes - High motor; speed is a cherished attribute at Tempo - Concise, evidence-based communicator - Intense curiosity and open-mindedness - Scrappiness; willingness to roll up sleeves