Government Affairs Manager

Job Description

Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centred on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help us achieve our mission.

Do you want to work in a company that is transforming the world? How about working on some of the most challenging technology policy issues around, such as cross-jurisdictional law enforcement access, data sovereignty or addressing emerging cyber threats? If so, Microsoft’s Corporate, External and Legal Affairs Department (CELA) has an immediate opening for a senior professional to do just that. The successful candidate will have experience working on technology policy issues preferably within a corporate environment or experience in another complex policy environment. They will have an insatiable desire to learn more. The successful candidate will work on a broad range of policy issues such as AI regulation, copyright, skills, digital safety across all aspects of government, regulatory, and public policy issues that affect innovation and growth in the tech sector.

This position will be based in London and will collaborate closely with members on the UK teams and with the larger Microsoft regional and global team.

Responsibilities

• Advocates for, and manages, policy issues (e.g., social, political, technical), and leads the company’s engagement and campaign with senior internal stakeholders related to government affairs on priority issues, strategies, and programs.
• Contributes to, and develops, Microsoft’s policy agenda and advocacy strategies for top priorities.
• Responds to key strategic issues and recommends well thought-out actions by prioritizing, ensuring alignment with stakeholder positions, leveraging specialists, or escalating matters.
• Manages affairs in rapidly changing and ambiguous political, policy, and industry environments.
• Develops strategies for multiple regulatory and legislative initiatives by serving as a subject matter expert on regulatory and legislative issues to assess their impact on Microsoft goals and objectives; delivers materials (e.g., strategy, policy briefings, other documentation) to internal stakeholders.

Subject Matter Expertise and Influence

• Develops and implements strategies for leveraging partnerships with external partners and key influencers to advance Microsoft's public policy agenda in several key areas.
• Develops and establishes an intelligence network, gathers and analyzes external/internal data and relationship interactions, and shares internal and external intelligence findings in support of Microsoft’s and customers' business objectives.
• Provides counseling on public policy and geo-political or cultural topics to business units related to specific product development or business plans.
• Develops and recommends highly creative solutions for advancing Microsoft policy and political agenda, while managing risks and consequences.

Representing Microsoft

• Participates in internal/external events; supports executive engagement and participation in international events.
• Directs political strategies, provides strategic vision, and develops communication framework and messaging in partnership with Communications team for Microsoft by implementing strategies across diverse stakeholders.

External Relationships

• Builds and maintains a strong, ongoing network and coalition with complex governmental and non-governmental stakeholders (e.g., peer and industry organizations, think tanks, academics, businesses, community leaders) to align interests to significantly advance Microsoft's objectives in key priority areas; builds strategic relationships that position Microsoft as a key trusted advisor to targeted political leadership, trade bodies and think tanks
• Serves as a strategic partner to the Public Sector and other key business leads by supporting sales and market opportunities, building Microsoft's reputation as a globally trusted provider of technology, and assisting in navigating, minimizing, or removing roadblocks in order to drive business results.

Internal Collaboration

• Acts as a subject matter expert for large, critical projects, and may provide direction to teammates or a cross-functional project team, or act as a project lead across country and team lines.
• Resolves complex, cross-group priority conflicts and gains alignment across teams to enable the achievement of shared business objectives; facilitates and coordinates internal business operations within region to raise awareness and facilitate communication and coordination of effort.
• Collaborates with, and influences, senior-level internal stakeholders and subject matter experts within and outside of Government Affairs to ensure a mutual understanding and alignment of objectives, priorities, and resources

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in government affairs, public affairs, or public policy within government, corporate government affairs office, agency, industry association, coalition or equivalent group or a policy-focused research institution.
• Demonstrable experience in parliament, Ministerial office or political party

Preferred Qualifications

• Technology company experience.
• Capability to build and maintain relationships and provide service in a highly matrixed internal organization.
• Proven ability and skills to conceive, analyze, develop, and execute medium-to-long term strategies and campaigns to deal with complex issues of technology, policy, and law, involving multiple issues and players. Ability to work autonomously and with ambiguity will be an asset.
• Attention to detail and curiosity to learn are key indicators of success.
• Proficient oral, written, presentation and interpersonal skills.

#CELA

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with applicable law, 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 and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.