Senior Director, Government Affairs

Microsoft•Washington, DC

22h

About The Position

Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. In the role of Senior Director, Government Affairs, you will serve as Microsoft’s lead U.S. federal AI policy strategist, responsible for developing and advancing the company’s policy positions in Washington, DC. You will partner closely with the Office of Responsible AI (ORA), Microsoft AI, Microsoft Research, the Office of the Chief Scientific Officer, Corporate Standards, Security, and product teams to ensure all policy positions are technically grounded in Microsoft’s responsible AI, security, and innovation roadmaps.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, Technology, Law, Liberal Arts, Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years work experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, government, or related area OR equivalent experience.

Responsibilities

Leads Microsoft’s U.S. AI policy strategy across government, industry, and third parties in Washington, DC.
Develops and executes Microsoft’s approach to U.S. AI policy in close collaboration with ORA, Standards and Security teams, including federal legislation, national standards, and federal–state alignment, ensuring coherence across governance, innovation, and deployment priorities.
Helps shape Microsoft’s federal policy positions on emerging and high-stakes frontier AI policy questions, including agentic systems, recursive self-improvement, model access and security, and evaluation frameworks.
Converts fast-moving legislative, regulatory, and technical developments into clear guidance, decision-ready materials, and strategic recommendations for senior leadership—ensuring alignment with Microsoft’s product, research, and security priorities.
Leads engagement with policymakers, peer companies, civil society, and thought leaders in Washington to advance credible, evidence-based AI policy outcomes, with an emphasis on building durable consensus and reinforcing Microsoft’s role as a trusted, technically informed voice.
Partners across USGA and CELA to integrate AI policy into broader agendas, including national security, workforce and labor, science and research policy, and global competitiveness—ensuring consistency with Microsoft’s end-to-end AI strategy.
Builds Microsoft’s federal policy agenda for physical AI.
Co-develops and advances Microsoft’s U.S. policy strategy on physical AI, including robotics, autonomous systems, embodied AI, and industrial AI—establishing this domain as a core and forward-looking pillar of the company’s AI policy work.
Serves as the convener and collaborator between ORA, Microsoft Research, the Office of the Chief Science Officer, and product teams, distilling cutting-edge R&D into clear policy positions and legislative frameworks for U.S. policymakers.
Builds and maintains relationships across the White House, Congress, and key agencies (e.g., DOC, DOD, DOE, NIST) to shape emerging U.S. approaches to physical AI and position Microsoft as a trusted leader in safe and responsible deployment.
Ensures alignment of robotics and embodied AI policy with Microsoft’s broader positions on AI governance, workforce transformation, supply chains, infrastructure, and national competitiveness—reflecting the convergence of digital and physical systems.