Government Affairs & Public Policy Manager, African Institutions at Google

Note: By applying to this position you will have an opportunity to share your preferred working location for this position from the following: Nairobi, Kenya; Lagos, Nigeria; Johannesburg, South Africa

Minimum qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience working with or in government, politics, or a regulatory agency.
• Experience engaging directly with politicians, decision makers, academia, think tanks, business associations and NGOs.

Preferred qualifications:

• Knowledge of the Pan African regional blocks e.g. Africa Union, ECOWAS.
• Ability to develop and lead public policy campaigns across the full range of policy areas that impact Google and the web. Key issues include technology innovation, content regulation, privacy, safety, data protection.
• Excellent communicator with presentation skills, and the ability to write well and translate complex issues into simple language that non experts can understand.
• Team player with the ability to exercise good judgment in a rapidly changing environment.

About The Job

As a member of Google’s Government Affairs and Public Policy team, you'll be part of a diverse global government affairs team, working across regions, product areas, and functions. You’ll combine creativity and intellectual excellence with the organizational skills to manage various campaigns, projects and initiatives. In this role, you’ll advocate for Google to bring external perspectives back into the company to inform our perception and direction. You're passionate about the opportunity to shape the future of how we use and build technology for everyone.

As our Manager for Public Policy and Government Affairs in SSA, you will represent Google externally with government, regulators and third parties, and help manage our local public policy strategy and campaigns, with a specific view of cross-border/regional initiatives with organizations such as the Africa Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), East African Community (EAC) and Southern African Development Community (SADC). You will work with a cross-functional team of Google employees in Africa and with a closely-coordinated global Public Policy team to advance policy positions that benefit our users. You will manage our various product agendas with policy makers inside and outside government as part of the SSA team. Also, you will help advise our product and engineering teams on the public policy implications of their products, working with a closely coordinated and cross-functional global team.

Google takes its responsibilities seriously, including engaging with government and other stakeholders on important public policy challenges. The Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) team leads the company’s engagement with executive branch officials, legislators, regulators and third-parties in the formation of public policy. Working closely with Google leaders, GAPP seeks to identify key policy issues, listen carefully to others’ views and opinions, and distill and share the company’s perspective on those issues with external stakeholders. While we focus on challenges affecting the internet, our issue areas are increasingly broad and encompass many areas where public policy, business, and technology intersect.

Responsibilities

• Engage directly with policymakers, industry players, and key opinion formers to shape policy and political conversation on thoughtful, responsible technology policy, and the beneficial impact it can contribute to society and economy.
• Develop and execute advocacy/policy campaigns in relevant policy areas that impact Google and the web.
• Engage with trade associations, industry partners, NGOs, and others to support policies that will help create/maintain the web open.
• Monitor and research current and relevant emerging public policy issues considering how Google should work with allied organizations and industries.

Google is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. See also Google's EEO Policy and EEO is the Law. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know by completing this form .