Government Affairs Director

Strategy/Program Management

• Provides strategic vision and leadership for developing and executing top-priority program frameworks for achieving policy and political goals
• . 
• Leads the formation of Microsoft’s policy agenda and positions on a broad range of issues, including designing and executing strategic campaigns, and identifying strategic opportunities for Microsoft to advance its long-term goals.
• Provides advice and counsel to executive management on unusually complex and critical issues or matters of concern to Microsoft and the industry.
• Anticipates and addresses novel issues and opportunities facing Microsoft and the industry in a rapidly changing and ambiguous environment and leads the development of associated strategies.
• Directs strategies to ensure regulations and legislation positively impact Microsoft's products, operations, associates, and customers by collaborating with coalitions and relevant interest groups to achieve desired regulatory or legislative outcomes; negotiates and aligns complex or conflicting policy with Microsoft's goals andstrategy; monitors and responds to complex regulatory issues and new policies.

Subject Matter Expertise and Influence 

• Develops and implements strategies for leveraging partnerships with external partners and key influencers to significantly impact the advancement of Microsoft’s policy and political agenda.
• Maintains relationships with key influencers to gather and apply intelligence findings through a network of key senior executives and external stakeholders regarding highly strategic or sensitive issues affecting Microsoft’s long-term objectives or future issues.
• Advises and partners with senior executives and key/senior-level external stakeholders to gainbuy inon policy positions by providing expertise, strategic vision and anticipating future issues; prepares senior and executive stakeholder for public testimony on complex issues.
• Provides thought leadership and champions cutting-edge initiatives and solutions that significantly impact the advancement of Microsoft’s long-term objectives and priorities.

Representing Microsoft

• Determines strategy for developing internal/external events to drive GovernmentAffairs objectives and social media engagement.
• Drives the communication framework and messaging development for Government Affairs to drive and enhance company reputation.

External Relationships 

• Leads efforts to create strategic partnerships and coalitions with highly complex governmental and non-governmental thought leaders (e.g., peer and industry organizations, think tanks, academics, businesses, community leaders) to align stakeholder interests to Microsoft and optimally position them as advocates for Microsoft policy, political, and business priorities; drives strategic long-term, meaningful relationships with key political leadership and trade/think tanks and looks for opportunities to partner on public policy issues.
• Provides thought leadership for identifying and unblocking potential regulatory issues that prevent access to market opportunities; strategically partners with the Public Sector and other key business/client leads. 

Internal Collaboration 

• Designs, leads, and collaborates on cross-group projects that are of strategic importance to Microsoft, or that involve senior executive participation, to develop scalable and sustainable solutions.
• Leads the resolution of competing policy approaches by collaborating with Microsoft senior executives within legal and non-legal organizations (e.g., how Legal and Engineering would deal with accessibility) to ensure a coordinated approach on issues with Microsoft-wide impact or high external visibility.
• Collaborates with, and influences, executive-level stakeholders across the company to educate on government/regulatory requirements and policy landscape implications, guide business and product strategies, identify partnerships to grow the business and ensure alignment of objectives, priorities, and resources.

Required Qualifications      

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, Technology, Law, Liberal Arts, Engineering or related field
• Relevant work experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, government, or related area

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in public policy, Public Administration, or related field AND experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, or government 
• Significant experience as a government affairs, public affairs or public policy expert. This could be in government, a multinational, a corporate government affairs office or legal department, an industry association or coalition, a policy research institution, a consultancy or a law firm. Experience influencing public policy or political campaigns, and independently leading policy work in a complex environment, is also relevant. Technology-sector and international experience is desirable.
• Strategic relationships and stakeholder influence: Proven ability to build and maintain lasting relationships, coalitions and consensus with many groups inside and outside the organization. This includes having the judgment and credibility to engage senior government stakeholders and advise senior business leaders. It also includes providing excellent service in a highly matrixed organization.
• Familiarity with the policy and regulatory challenges facing the technology industry, especially in Nigeria and across West Africa. The ability to explain complex technical and legal issues clearly to different audiences is also required.
• Ability to design, analyse and carry out medium- to long-term strategies and campaigns on complex technology, policy and legal issues involving many players. Solid organization, planning, project management and resource management skills are needed, along with the ability to run several projects at once.
• Excellent written and spoken advocacy skills in English, along with solid presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to motivate and lead others, including where there is no formal reporting line. Candidates must be able to work on their own and with ambiguity, and adapt quickly as the legal, policy and business landscape changes. They should be detail-oriented and curious to learn, with clear business sense and cross-cultural skills, and embody our culture and values.

This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.