Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager

Palo Alto Networks • Washington, DC

2d

About The Position

This position will join our Public Policy & Government Affairs Team, focusing on government affairs, policy, and advocacy activity spanning three domains: international, US state/local/education, and US federal. You will be part of a fast-moving, collaborative team that impacts how Palo Alto Networks navigates the global policy and regulatory landscape. As the Public Policy and Government Affairs Manager, you will help build and maintain the "connective tissue" between policy and regulatory requirements for the cybersecurity industry and our internal product, legal, and go-to-market functions.

Requirements

• 3-4+ years of relevant experience in cybersecurity policy, national security policy, government affairs, or regulatory governance (a mix of public sector and private sector experience is highly valued).
• Domain Expertise: Solid understanding of cybersecurity regulations, data privacy laws, and emerging technology governance (e.g., NIST frameworks, GDPR, EU AI Act, or state-level equivalents). Fluency across international, US state/local, and US federal policy domains is highly valued.
• Analytical Skills: Strong ability to "translate" complex legislative text into clear business impact assessments for non-policy stakeholders.
• Project Management: Proven track record of managing complex, cross-functional projects and maintaining organizational systems for policy tracking and governance.
• Communication: Excellent writing skills with experience drafting position papers, executive briefings, and official correspondence.
• Collaboration: A "team-first" mentality with the ability to work across multiple time zones and cultures in a fast-paced environment.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, International Relations, Law, or a related field.
• Travel: Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.

Responsibilities

• Policy Tracking & Analysis: Monitor, analyze, and track emerging public policy and regulatory issues (e.g. cybersecurity, data flows, AI governance, and cloud certifications) and manage an internal repository of company positions and compliance requirements.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Support the development of strategic relationships with government officials, industry associations, and NGOs; prepare briefing materials for senior leadership engagement.
• Cross-Functional Execution: Act as a bridge between the policy team and internal units (Legal, Product, Engineering, Go-To-Market) to ensure that public policy insights are appropriately translated.
• Regulatory Advocacy: Assist in drafting formal responses to government consultations, position papers, and white papers that articulate the company's stance on critical cybersecurity issues.
• Business Enablement: Support the public sector sales teams by providing policy context and governance expertise that helps facilitate business conversations with government CIOs and CISOs.
• Global Coordination: Partner with policy colleagues in EMEA and JAPAC to ensure global consistency in how we govern and report on policy-related developments.
• Reporting: Manage the preparation of regular policy impact reports and internal newsletters to keep executive stakeholders informed of the evolving global cyber policy landscape.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees