Senior Director, Head of Government Affairs

Ancestry, Inc.•Lehi, UT

51d•Hybrid

About The Position

When you join Ancestry, you join a human-centered company where every person's story is important. Ancestry, the global leader in family history, connects everyone with their past so they can discover, preserve, and share their unique family stories. With our unparalleled collection of more than 65 billion records, over 3.5 million subscribers, and over 27 million people in our growing DNA network, customers can discover their family story and gain a new level of understanding about their lives. Over the past 40 years, we've built trusted relationships with millions of people who have chosen us as the platform for discovering, preserving, and sharing the most important information about themselves and their families. We are committed to our location flexible work approach, allowing you to choose to work in the nearest office, from your home, or a hybrid of both (subject to location restrictions and roles that are required to be in the office- see the full list of eligible US locations HERE). We will continue to hire and promote beyond the boundaries of our office locations, to enable broadened possibilities for employee diversity. Together, we work every day to foster a work environment that's inclusive as well as diverse, and where our people can be themselves. Every idea and perspective is valued so that our products and services reflect the global and diverse clients we serve. Ancestry encourages applications from minorities, women, the disabled, protected veterans and all other qualified applicants. Passionate about dedicating your work to enriching people's lives? Join the curious. Ancestry is seeking a strategic and experienced government affairs professional to lead our state and federal government relations and advocacy efforts. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, this role will partner with business leaders to develop and execute strategies that advance our public policy objectives, mitigate legislative and regulatory risks, and strengthen the company's reputation with policymakers and stakeholders. The Head of Government Affairs will engage directly with state and federal legislators, regulators, and trade associations while coordinating with internal teams to ensure alignment between business goals and policy advocacy. The ideal candidate has deep knowledge of state and federal legislative and regulatory processes, strong experience in building relationships across the political spectrum, and a proven track record of advancing policy priorities in complex environments. This candidate should have familiarity with the existing regulatory environment impacting consumer tech companies and consumer privacy, including genetic privacy. This role requires balancing regulatory compliance, business agility, and external engagement in a fast-moving policy landscape.

Requirements

10+ years of experience in government affairs, public policy, or related fields, with exposure to both state and federal processes.
Demonstrated ability to develop and execute advocacy strategies in complex political and regulatory environments.
Strong relationships with policymakers, regulators, and industry stakeholders at both state and federal levels.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to distill complex issues for executive audiences.
Experience managing external consultants, lobbyists, and working in coalition environments.
High level of integrity and knowledge of lobbying, ethics, and compliance requirements.
Ability to travel when needed to Washington, D.C., state capitols, and other key locations.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead an integrated state and federal government affairs strategy aligned with company priorities.
Represent the company before state legislatures, Congress, regulatory agencies, and executive branch offices.
Build and maintain strong, bipartisan relationships with elected officials, policymakers, regulators, and industry groups.
Draft policy positions, testimony, and briefing materials to support advocacy efforts.
Manage external consultants and lobbying firms, ensuring alignment and consistency in messaging.
Track, analyze, and report on emerging legislation, regulations, and policy trends that may affect the business.
Provide timely, actionable insights and strategic counsel to senior leadership.
Anticipate risks and opportunities, recommending proactive engagement strategies.
Develop grassroots and coalition partnerships to advance the company's policy agenda.
Represent the company in trade associations, policy forums, and industry working groups.
Strengthen the company's reputation as a trusted, credible voice in the policy space.
Ensure compliance with all lobbying, ethics, and disclosure requirements at the state and federal level.
Partner with Legal, Compliance, and Communications teams to ensure coordinated and compliant advocacy.
Maintain accurate and timely reporting of lobbying activities and expenditures.