Director EU Government Affairs

About the Role

We are looking for a well-connected government affairs and policy professional in Brussels to strengthen our engagement with European institutions, national government representatives to the EU, EU defense stakeholders, and other cybersecurity policy decision-makers. This is a new role reporting to the VP of Global Public Affairs. You will help build the function and team, establish Bitdefender as a trusted cybersecurity partner for EU institutions, governments, and regulated industries, and identify new business opportunities, partnerships, and market access initiatives.

The ideal candidate combines expertise in EU cybersecurity policy and regulatory affairs with knowledge of relevant certifications and standards, and brings a strong Brussels network across government, defense, and industry associations.

Key Responsibilities

EU Institutional and Public Engagement

• Build and maintain trusted relationships, in coordination with the VP and based on clear priorities, with the European Commission (DG CONNECT, DG HOME, DG DEFIS, and related directorates), MEPs and their advisors, EU cyber attachés, national authority representatives, and EU/UK (cyber)security agencies, including NATO
• Represent the company in policy consultations, government meetings, industry working groups, conferences, and public affairs initiatives
• Help develop and execute engagement strategies with policymakers and public-sector stakeholders across Europe and the UK, and identify new public-sector business opportunities

Policy Monitoring and Regulatory Influence

• Monitor, assess, and initiate policy positioning on NIS2, DORA, the Cyber Resilience Act, the AI Act, the CSA2 proposal, data protection and cloud sovereignty, and critical infrastructure protection
• Evaluate the business impact of emerging regulation and advise executive leadership on strategic implications
• Identify opportunities to influence policy discussions in line with business objectives

Strategic Positioning

• Increase the company’s visibility and credibility in the European cybersecurity ecosystem
• Support executive leadership in public affairs and stakeholder engagement
• Work with marketing, legal, product, and sales on thought leadership, including articles, blogs, and other external content
• Nurture trusted relationships with key government and defense stakeholders

Partnerships and Ecosystem Development

• Build relationships with industry associations, think tanks, research institutions, public-private cybersecurity initiatives, defense contractors and integrators, and national cybersecurity agencies
• Identify opportunities to participate in EU-funded projects and programs, and support access to EU public funding

Internal Advisory and Business Enablement

• Advise the organization on geopolitical, regulatory, and cybersecurity developments
• Support sales and business development teams in public-sector pursuits and provide guidance on compliance positioning and market readiness
• Deliver internal briefings and training on European cybersecurity policy trends, and share market intelligence to support strategic planning

Required Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in government affairs, public affairs, cybersecurity policy, regulatory affairs, technology advocacy, or defense sector engagement
• Strong understanding of EU (and preferably UK) institutions, legislative and policymaking processes, and European cybersecurity regulations and frameworks
• Experience in cybersecurity, defense, telecommunications, cloud technology, or critical infrastructure
• Established network within the European cybersecurity and policy communities; existing relationships in the European defense ecosystem highly desirable
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Political Science, International Relations, Public Policy, Law, Cybersecurity, or a related discipline
• Fluent English (required); French and/or German (preferred)
• Key competencies: political awareness, relationship building and networking, stakeholder management, business development, public speaking and communication, cross-functional coordination, diplomacy and discretion, analytical thinking, and strong written communication

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with EU institutions and multinational organizations
• Familiarity with public procurement processes and knowledge of EU and UK funding mechanisms
• Understanding of digital sovereignty and geopolitical issues affecting cybersecurity markets

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