Government Affairs Associate

Location: HALO USA, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

Salary: $65,000

Position available: February 2026, exact start date negotiable

Status: Full-time, exempt

About The HALO Trust (USA)
The HALO Trust (USA), Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. that raises funds and advocates to protect lives and restore livelihoods for those affected by conflict. The HALO Trust employs nearly 10,000 people in more than 30 countries, working to create safe and secure environments in conflict-affected communities by clearing landmines, bombs, and other explosive remnants of war; educating affected communities about the risks of unexploded ordnance; and assisting in securing and disposing of surplus and obsolete weapons and ammunition.

HALO USA is governed by a board of directors and works under its President, who is also CEO of the UK-based organization, The HALO Trust. HALO USA makes grants to The HALO Trust for the implementation of overseas projects.

Position Overview
The HALO Trust (USA) Government Affairs Associate is a position that supports HALO USA's Government Affairs team with their interaction with the US Government—primarily the State Department—and the wider HALO team spanning our UK and US headquarters and all our field programs worldwide.

The Government Affairs Associate position is an excellent opportunity for an early-career professional interested in global affairs, humanitarian work, international development, arms control, and related issues to gain practical experience with federal grants management and contribute to an international organization's humanitarian mission.

HALO USA currently follows a hybrid work policy of a minimum three days per week in-person attendance at HALO USA's office in Washington, DC, with this policy subject to change. The successful candidate will also be expected to be available for occasional in-person attendance at meetings and events.

Description
HALO USA manages about 20 concurrent US Federal grants and cooperative agreements. The Government Affairs Associate will be involved in liaising between the Executive Branch of the US Government and our international programs, helping craft proposals, monitoring work progress, and ensuring that all HALO programs comply with various US laws and regulations. Additionally, there will be opportunities to support efforts to build new relationships with other US Government offices.

This role reports to the Head of Government Affairs and the Government Affairs Officer and works within the broader HALO USA team. The role requires attention to detail, organization, critical thinking, and a willingness to enforce standards and best practices. The Government Affairs Associate will be exposed to the granular details of US Federal grant management and will gain experience working within a large, international team.

Responsibilities include:

• Supporting with administration for the full life cycle of HALO's US Government awards. This includes preparing materials for proposals, tracking progress, providing quality assurance of documents, meeting administrative and legal requirements, reporting, and closeout actions
• Liaising with the State Department and other agencies to receive guidance on award activities and share with HALO's international country programs
• Performing sanctions monitoring and tracking for all of HALO's international programs
• Maintaining clean and comprehensive administrative files and assisting with yearly audits of HALO's accounts and awards
• Providing training support for HALO program and HQ staff on key compliance matters

This job description is intended to summarize the main duties and responsibilities of the role, and it is not intended to be a full and exhaustive list of tasks. All HALO staff are expected to demonstrate flexibility and willingness to perform appropriate tasks when the need arises.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree
• Prefer prior experience in field related to international affairs, grant management, office management, or client or constituent services
• Strong proofreading, editing, and writing skills, as well as excellent attention to detail
• Experience reviewing and checking numerical products like budgets, financial transaction sheets, or cost analyses
• Ability to prepare and maintain detailed reports in an accurate, complete, and timely manner
• Ability to plan and manage workflow and deadlines on multiple projects simultaneously
• Possess interpersonal and intercultural skills to interact with internationally based staff across multiple time zones
• Proficiency in Microsoft 365 products and apps; experience working with data is a plus
• Willingness to be flexible and maintain a strong work ethic through varied work requirements
• As this role may require occasional travel to HALO field programs, a willingness to travel internationally and work in challenging environments is a must
• Knowledge of any language spoken in HALO program countries is a plus

Benefits

• The HALO Trust USA employee benefits for full-time employees include:
• Vacation Time: 25 days (5 weeks) paid vacation (PTO) accrued at hours per month
• Sick Leave: 5 days (1 week) paid Sick Leave. Sick Leave cannot be carried over to the next year
• Holidays: HALO USA observes all US Federal holidays
• Savings Plan: A 401(k) retirement savings plan is offered to our employees, but managed entirely through our Payroll provider, Insperity. HALO USA will match up to 5% of an employee's contributed monthly savings to their 401(k) account
• Health Insurance: Health Insurance benefits are offered to employees through HALO's payroll provider, Insperity. HALO pays a portion of the employee's monthly health insurance premium. (Applies only to employees who choose to partake in the health insurance plan.)
• Dental Insurance: Dental Insurance benefits are offered to employees through HALO's payroll provider, Insperity. HALO pays a portion of the employee's monthly dental insurance premium. (Applies only to employees who choose to partake in the dental insurance plan.)
• The HALO Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation

To apply for this role please submit your resume (no more than 2 pages) and a cover letter (no more than 1 page). Closing date for applications is Monday, December 15.
Applications without a cover letter tailored to the position will not be considered.
If there is a sufficient caliber of applicants, we reserve the right to close the role earlier than the date noted.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States.