Government Affairs Director

JOB SUMMARY

RequirementsMaster's degree in public policy, Public Administration, or related field AND many years of experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, or government OR a Bachelor’s degree in public policy, Public Administration, Law, or related field AND several years of experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, or government; OR extensive years’ of experience in these areas.Significant policy development or government affairs experience in the legal department of an international company, business, trade association, consultancy, or multilateral organization (or similar experience in an international law firm).Experience in developing and managing strategic relationships to advocate and influence public/technology policy priorities.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategy & Program ManagementAdvocate for and manage policy issues (social, political, legal, technical), leading the company’s engagement and campaigns with senior internal stakeholders on priority issues, strategies, and programs.Shape and contribute to Microsoft’s policy agenda in Africa, addressing complex governmental issues and business priorities, and develop highly impactful solutions for advancing the agenda while managing risks and consequences.Steer project-related government affairs work, including stakeholder management, outreach strategy, narrative development, and related political communications.Identify and create opportunities for Microsoft technology and cloud computing services to empower government leaders and address challenges within the African political landscape, including competitive analysis of Microsoft’s offerings.Intelligence & AnalysisDevelop and maintain an intelligence network, systematically gather and analyze external and internal data, and share findings to support Microsoft’s and customers’ business objectives.Keep abreast of technology policy trends and developments, understanding their intersection with Microsoft’s business and the broader technology landscape.External Relationships & Coalition-BuildingDevelop and influence partnerships with coalitions, the public sector, relevant interest groups, and industry thought leaders to achieve desired regulatory and legislative outcomes.Lead the implementation of improvements to initiatives based on community and stakeholder feedback.Build and maintain a broad network of relationships with decision-makers in pan-African institutions, governments, regulatory agencies, and international organizations.Manage consultants, partners, and allies on legislative and business-related initiatives.Internal Collaboration & Cross-Group AlignmentAdvocate for and manage policy issues, leading Microsoft’s engagement with internal stakeholders related to government affairs.Facilitate and coordinate internal business operations within the region to raise awareness, resolve complex cross-group priority conflicts, and enable alignment across teams.Advise senior executive leadership teams on the political landscape and measures related to project priorities.Support the preparation of project-related executive visits and events in close collaboration with the entire CELA team.Communication & RepresentationDirect and align complex or conflicting policy with Microsoft’s goals and strategies; enhance company reputation by driving a communication framework and messaging for Government Affairs.Clearly communicate Microsoft’s commitments and explain complex technical and policy concepts to policymakers, business decision-makers, and influencers.Participate in and assist in developing internal/external events to drive Government Affairs objectives and social media engagement.Drive strategic partnership engagement in external events and represent Microsoft in key forums.Change Management & AdaptabilityDemonstrate willingness to experiment, learn quickly from mistakes, and adapt to evolving legal, policy, and factual landscapes.Operate comfortably in fast-paced, high-pressure environments and in cutting-edge legal and policy matters where ambiguity is common.

REQUIRED SKILLS

Partnerships, Compliance, Collaboration, Leadership skills

REQUIRED EDUCATION

Bachelor's degree