Senior Director for Government Affairs

Microsoft•Washington, DC

1d•$132,200 - $278,900

About The Position

As Senior Director for Government Affairs, you will drive Microsoft’s integrated U.S. policy strategy across digital safety and intellectual property policy, including AI fraud and consumer protection and kids’ online safety. You will also support Microsoft’s XBOX video game business in Washington, coordinating with trade associations and other stakeholders on policy affecting the creative gaming jobs industry. You will set priorities, anticipate emerging risks, and lead advocacy that supports innovation, protects people, and advances business objectives. The role combines strategic judgment with accountability for policy outcomes across a complex, interconnected portfolio. You will serve as a trusted adviser to senior executives, translating legislative and regulatory developments into clear business implications, trade-offs, and recommendations. You will represent Microsoft with policymakers and coalition partners and lead cross-company alignment through influence. Working with federal, state, global, and specialist teams, you will connect shared priorities to shape and achieve workable policy and regulatory outcomes. You will coordinate litigation-related policy with internal legal teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, Technology, Law, Liberal Arts, Engineering, or a related field, and 6+ years of work experience leading complex U.S. legislative and regulatory campaigns, including setting strategy, coordinating federal and state engagement, and delivering policy outcomes; or equivalent experience.
Strategic judgment translating complex legal, technical, and product issues into business implications, clear priorities, and actionable advice for executives.
Experience building trusted policymaker relationships, leading coalitions, and aligning cross-company stakeholders around shared outcomes without relying on direct authority.
Executive communication and external representation skills, sound judgment handling confidential information, and a record of adapting strategy and holding advocacy efforts accountable for results.

Nice To Haves

Depth in one or more portfolio areas: AI fraud and consumer protection, digital or child safety, gaming, or intellectual property policy, with the ability to lead an integrated agenda across related issues.
Experience shaping bipartisan legislative strategies, model language, or regulatory submissions in partnership with legal, technical, product, and communications leaders.
Experience leading trade association engagement, multi-stakeholder initiatives, or voluntary industry commitments, including governance, implementation evidence, and impact assessment.

Responsibilities

Own an integrated U.S. strategy across the portfolios, setting priorities and aligning legislative, regulatory, executive branch, and association engagement.
Anticipate policy and business risks, direct analysis and policy development, and align advocacy with Congressional Affairs and state teams.
Advise executives on choices and trade-offs through concise briefings, testimony support, and decision materials.
Establish shared objectives and measures of progress, adapt strategy as conditions change, and be accountable for advocacy results.
Lead U.S. advocacy for targeted, bipartisan, and bicameral policy addressing fraudulent digital impersonation.
Shape cross-industry AI fraud governance and drive implementation across prevention, cooperation, resilience, and awareness; build coalitions with consumer advocates, financial services, labor, law enforcement, and civil society.
Shape U.S. policy priorities for federal child safety, focusing on AI companions and chatbots, age-appropriate design, safety by design, and platform responsibility.
Lead advocacy for safe participation and risk-based safeguards that also protect privacy and expression and empower parents and young people.
Partner with internal digital safety, privacy, AI, Gaming, LinkedIn, and GitHub teams to advance frameworks and advocacy strategies.
Shape U.S. gaming policy strategy in partnership with XBOX, legal, communications, state, safety, and trade teams.
Align priorities and evidence-based advocacy on child safety, age assurance, gaming tax incentives, and console tariffs consistent with broader trade objectives.
Advise leaders on business implications and resolve cross-portfolio tensions through influence.
Guide Entertainment Software Association strategy and represent Microsoft in government affairs and industry engagement as designated.
Coordinate U.S. intellectual property policy advocacy on copyright and patent matters, including fair use, lawful AI data access, digital replicas, and U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rulemaking and policies.
Align legislative, executive branch, coalition, and litigation-policy strategies with subject matter experts, bringing business and policy judgment to priorities and trade-offs to support a healthy IP ecosystem.
Build trusted senior-level relationships with policymakers, industry associations, civil society, and other stakeholders.
Represent Microsoft in consequential policy discussions and convene coalitions around shared outcomes.
Lead alignment across business, legal, product, engineering, policy, and communications teams, reconciling competing priorities through influence.
Use research, implementation evidence, and stakeholder feedback to strengthen advocacy, assess impact, and advise executives on emerging opportunities and risks.
Coordinate external engagements, convenings, and industry reports to shape policy discussions in dynamic regulatory and political environments.