Head of State Government Affairs

Liberty Mutual•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Head of State Government Affairs leads Liberty Mutual's state government affairs strategy and execution across multiple U.S. regions. The role manages regional government affairs officers and external lobbying resources, oversees the state team budget, and advises the Chief Government Affairs Officer, senior leaders, and business stakeholders on legislative, regulatory, political, and business developments. The role independently evaluates complex and ambiguous issues and develops advocacy strategies that advance Liberty Mutual's business, legal, and public policy priorities. This is also a change management role. The successful candidate will modernize the function's workflows and ways of working, scaling AI into core processes—starting with legislative and regulatory tracking—so the team can monitor more jurisdictions, identify developments earlier, and provide sharper analysis. AI is intended to augment the team's expertise, with accuracy, judgment, and compliance maintained. The role leads a geographically dispersed team, directs state legislative and administrative advocacy, assesses policy and business implications, advises senior stakeholders, oversees advocacy and executive materials, and builds relationships with government officials and external partners. It also contributes to political affairs and related compliance activities in coordination with Legal and Government Affairs partners. Travel is required as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required.
Typically 15 or more years of progressively responsible experience in law, government, government affairs, public policy, or a related field.
Experience leading multi-state strategies, internal teams, outside lobbying firms, coalitions, and/or trade association engagement.
Expert knowledge of state legislative, administrative, regulatory, and political processes, including key decision makers, timing, and influence points.
Strong command of insurance issues, corporate operations, and business objectives.
Sound judgment and strong problem-solving and execution skills, including the ability to assess complex or ambiguous issues, anticipate developments, balance business objectives and risk, prioritize competing demands, coordinate resources, and deliver results on deadline.
Demonstrated change management experience shifting how a team or function operates and achieving sustained adoption of new ways of working.
Strong project and program management skills, with a record of delivering complex, multi-workstream initiatives to plan.
Clear, concise, credible, and persuasive written and verbal communication, including the ability to translate complex issues for executives, policymakers, regulators, business partners, employees, and external stakeholders.
Ability to advise senior executives, influence without authority, navigate competing interests, and build consensus among internal and external stakeholders.
Inclusive and effective people leadership, including setting direction, delegating, holding others accountable, coaching and developing talent, and championing technology and AI to improve work.
Ability to travel as needed.

Nice To Haves

Juris Doctor or another advanced relevant degree.
Demonstrated academic or professional excellence.

Responsibilities

Lead the state government affairs function, including regional officers, external lobbying and trade association resources, and the team budget; set goals, deploy resources, and maintain accountability for outcomes.
Coach and develop a geographically dispersed team of experienced professionals by setting direction, delegating, providing feedback, creating stretch opportunities, and building bench strength in an inclusive environment.
Partner with the Chief Government Affairs Officer, Government Affairs colleagues, senior leaders, and business stakeholders to identify priority state issues and develop enterprise-aligned strategies, operating plans, resource priorities, and measurable objectives.
Direct state legislative and administrative advocacy by coordinating resources, setting priorities and milestones, sequencing work against legislative sessions and regulatory timelines, managing interdependencies, monitoring progress, addressing barriers, and adjusting strategies as circumstances change.
Assess policy, political, legal, and business implications of high-risk or high-value matters and, with the Head of Regulatory Policy as appropriate, shape policy positions and recommend resource allocation, escalation, stakeholder engagement, and next steps.
Monitor and synthesize state legislative, regulatory, and political developments and advise senior leaders and business partners on priorities, implications, risks, opportunities, progress, and recommended actions.
Oversee advocacy and executive materials, including policy analyses, regulatory comments, testimony, briefings, presentations, legislative updates, and responses to government inquiries.
Build trusted relationships with legislators, legislative staff, executive-branch officials, regulators, trade associations, coalitions, and other partners to advance priority issues and enterprise policy objectives.
Contribute to political affairs and related compliance activities in coordination with Legal and Government Affairs partners.
Lead change management by reassessing workflows, resourcing models, and ways of working to increase speed, reach, and analytical depth, while bringing the team through the transition.
Scale and integrate AI into core processes, particularly legislative and regulatory tracking, to monitor notable bills, regulatory changes, and political developments across jurisdictions and surface relevant developments and insights earlier.
Extend AI-enabled support to policy analysis, drafting, and reporting.
Build team capability and confidence with new tools and methods, set adoption expectations, and maintain standards for accuracy, judgment, and compliance.