Senior Government Relations Manager - Uruguay

About the role

Oceyon, a recovery company focused on recovering historical assets at sea and on land through a compliance-first, technology-driven approach, is looking for a Senior Government Relations Manager for Uruguay. This is a mandate-based or part-time advisory role (indicatively 20-60% time, flexible depending on opportunities), based in Uruguay with travel within the country and occasional international travel. The role opens doors at the highest levels of the Uruguayan government and supports access to permits, authorisations and strategic partnerships for maritime shipwreck recovery and on-land archaeological sites.

Key responsibilities

• Use existing relationships to introduce Oceyon to ministers, undersecretaries and heads of relevant agencies
• Maintain dialogue with the Ministry of Education and Culture and its Comisión del Patrimonio Cultural de la Nación, the Prefectura Nacional Naval and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for maritime projects, and with departmental governments and other authorities for on-land projects, as well as parliamentary committees
• Help build and run a Uruguay-specific government engagement strategy
• Advise on regulatory positioning, stakeholder mapping and access pathways under Uruguayan law
• Identify opportunities for permits, authorisations and public-private cooperation with the State, academic and heritage institutions
• Act as a trusted advisor on political, regulatory and cultural dynamics in Uruguay
• Represent Oceyon in meetings with Uruguayan officials in Spanish and support Spanish-language correspondence and submissions
• Work closely with the Head of Regulatory & Government Affairs and the leadership team

Required profile

• Uruguayan nationality (essential)
• Native Spanish speaker with fluent spoken and written English (essential)
• Direct, established and verifiable connections to the Uruguayan government at ministerial or senior level (essential)
• 10+ years of experience in government, diplomacy, public affairs, law or business development in Uruguay
• Experience in maritime, port, offshore, mining, land exploration, archaeology or cultural heritage is a strong plus
• Track record of opening doors and influencing decision-making in Uruguay
• Deep understanding of Uruguayan government structures, permitting processes and stakeholder management; experience with international companies or investors is a plus

Required skills

• Excellent communication and negotiation
• Highly autonomous, entrepreneurial and results-driven

What we offer

• A success-based reward model (strongly preferred), with incentives linked to outcomes such as government access, permits or partnerships
• A fixed retainer or fee (optional, depending on profile)
• Flexible, entrepreneurial working model compatible with other professional activities