Director, Policy Communications — WhatsApp

Meta•Washington, DC

7d•$223,000 - $287,000

About The Position

The Director, Policy Communications leads WhatsApp’s global communications on integrity, privacy, and public policy. The role shapes the proactive narrative around how WhatsApp protects users and society from harm while maintaining strong privacy, and leads communications responses when issues arise. It reports to the VP, WhatsApp Communications and is part of the WhatsApp Communications leadership team. The role covers communications on integrity, including safety on an end-to-end encrypted platform, harm prevention, user and admin controls, reporting, spam and scam enforcement, and election integrity. It also champions WhatsApp’s privacy-by-design positioning, including encryption, data minimization, privacy features and disclosures, and privacy implications of products such as AI, Channels, and business messaging. The position drives communications on global regulation and public policy, including encryption, online safety, competition, interoperability, and government and regulatory engagement, as well as AI safety and integrity in WhatsApp products. The Director sets global strategy, develops narratives and campaigns, leads communications for sensitive launches and crises, counsels senior leaders, and works across policy, legal, privacy, integrity, marketing, and international communications teams. The role also leads and develops a team and represents WhatsApp Communications in cross-functional leadership forums.

Requirements

12+ years of communications experience in policy, regulatory, privacy, or issues/crisis communications in technology, government, an agency, or a related field.
Track record of leading high-stakes global proactive campaigns and crisis response.
Deep understanding of technology policy, privacy, encryption, and online safety debates.
Experience managing and developing teams, including people managers.
Exceptional judgment, writing, and executive counsel skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience in government, regulatory affairs, or policy communications in multiple regions.
Established relationships with tier-one policy and technology media globally.
Experience with end-to-end encrypted or messaging products.
A strong, well-staffed team and trusted partnerships with Policy, Legal, and Integrity.

Responsibilities

Set and own the global policy communications strategy and annual plan, aligned with WhatsApp and Meta priorities.
Build long-term narratives and campaigns on encryption, safety, and privacy through press, op-eds, executive thought leadership, reports, and third-party validators.
Lead communications for integrity-, privacy-, and policy-sensitive launches, from narrative development through country rollout and measurement.
Develop WhatsApp executives as credible voices with policymakers, media, civil society, and academics.
Build relationships with leading policy, technology, and privacy reporters and influential opinion-makers globally.
Partner with Public Policy, Legal, Privacy, Integrity Product, and Marketing to anticipate regulatory moments and shape the communications environment proactively.
Own issues and crisis communications strategy for integrity, privacy, and policy, and serve as the senior escalation point for SEV communications.
Lead rapid response to regulatory actions, legislative developments, government demands, litigation, investigations, and critical coverage.
Maintain scenario planning, reactive messaging, and playbooks for high-risk issues, including encryption challenges, misinformation, scams, and data-protection inquiries.
Counsel senior leaders and cross-functional partners on communications risk and trade-offs in product and policy decisions.
Lead, hire, and develop a team of managers and senior individual contributors.
Sponsor talent beyond the team.
Coordinate with international communications leads in EMEA, LATAM, APAC, and India, and with Meta corporate and policy communications.
Represent WhatsApp Communications in cross-functional policy, legal, and integrity leadership forums.
Bring AI-enabled ways of working to policy communications.