Overview
Microsoft’s United Nations and International Organizations (UNIO) team works in an international environment, building partnerships across multilateral organizations on how technology can bring innovative solutions to global challenges, applying expertise, collaborating with partners, and driving multistakeholder action. Your passion and experience of the policy issues arising at the intersection between technology and society will be key as you build engagement with organisations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), World Economic Forum (WEF), and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
The UNIO team provides a platform from which Microsoft can engage with the United Nations, International Organisations, and the global policy debate. As head of the UNIO Geneva office, you will lead our engagement by building connections, and providing high-level representation for the company, including through substantive engagement with policy processes and partnerships.
As a Senior Director in Geneva, you will lead the company’s engagement with the United Nations and other International Organizations as well as the permanent missions, on a range of policy issues supporting adoption of AI and digital technology, as well as engaging on technology policy initiatives and projects relating to data governance and privacy, digital security, digital safety, digital inclusion, and responsible AI.
You will develop and implement strategies to engage policy makers from across the globe, and establish partnerships with stakeholders from governments, civil society and the private sector. You will work collaboratively with teams from across Microsoft, facilitating others in their engagement, and delivering a real contribution to the global agenda. This opportunity will allow you to showcase your established understanding of global policy, your advocacy and communications skills, and your confidence engaging with a wide range of partners within and beyond Microsoft.
Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we’re dedicated to this mission across every aspect of our company. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day.
Responsibilities
Responsibilities
- People Management: as an experienced manager of a Government Affairs team you will deliver success through empowerment and accountability by modeling, coaching, and caring. You will embody our culture and values.
- Strategy/Program Management: you will provide strategic vision and leadership for developing and executing top-priority program frameworks for achieving policy goals. You will work in international processes, advocating for, and managing, policy issues, and leads the company’s engagement and campaign with senior stakeholders in both developed and developing country governments on priority issues, strategies, and/or programs. You will design and execute strategic campaigns, and identify strategic opportunities for Microsoft to advance its policy agenda and/or advocacy strategies for top priorities in Geneva. You will lead engagement with policy programmes at the UN and other IO, such as with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), World Economic Forum (WEF), and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).
- Subject Matter Expertise and Influence: with experience of both government affairs and AI and digital tech policy, ideally in both global south and developed countries, you will build and maintain relationships with key influencers to gather and apply intelligence findings through a network of key senior executives and external stakeholders regarding highly strategic or sensitive issues affecting Microsoft’s long-term objectives or future issues. You will be comfortable navigating Microsoft’s internal structures and working with the full range of subject matter experts across Microsoft to lead the formation of Microsoft’s policy agenda and positions on a broad range of issues at the UN and IOs, including designing and executing strategic campaigns. In that context, you will be required to work with multiple internal teams across Microsoft such as Elevate, Education and the AI for Good Lab to help identify opportunities for digital transformation, skill development, opportunities to use data to address large problems. Experience here would be a distinct advantage in defining Microsoft's presence in Geneva. You will also be required to build upon experience of engaging governments to help craft out nuanced policy engagements with the missions in Geneva to inform policy discourse in the capitals. As an expert on multilateral and multistakeholder processes, you will develop and implement strategies for leveraging partnerships with partners and key influencers to advance Microsoft’s long-term goals within the framework of the UN and IOs.
- Representing Microsoft: You will participate in internal and external events, and be active with driving social media engagement on key issues; you will support executive engagement in particular during senior executive visits to Geneva and their participation in international events
- External Relationships: You will lead efforts to create strategic partnerships and coalitions with thought leaders at the UN and other International Organizations (including diplomatic missions, peer and industry organizations, think tanks, academics, businesses, community leaders) to build multistakeholder approaches that support Microsoft policy priorities. You will drive strategic long-term, meaningful relationships with key political leadership and/or trade/think tank organizations and look for opportunities to partner on public policy issues.
- Internal Collaboration: you will collaborate with, and influence, senior-level internal stakeholders and subject matter experts across Microsoft to ensure a mutual understanding and alignment of objectives, priorities, and resources.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Extensive experience in government affairs, corporate affairs and tech policy.
- Direct experience of working with developing country governments
- Experience of working in a UN environment with senior officials and other international stakeholders (government authorities, civil society, academia and the private sector)
- Broad understanding of policy issues related to AI, Data Governance, Privacy, Human Rights by having been involved in policy formulations at national and / or multilateral levels
- First hand experience of working in the Tech Sector, including experience of managing and delivering public events for senior executives
Preferred Qualifications
- First hand experience of working in the UN or other International Organizations, including with external representational experience in multilateral or multistakeholder policy processes
- Established relationships in Geneva, including personal standing in relevant ongoing processes on digital policy
- Demonstrable experience in developing and managing strategic relationships to advocate and influence public/technology policy priorities.
- Demonstrable people management experience.
- This role requires proficiency in written, reading, and conversational English.
Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request via the Accommodation request form.
Benefits/perks listed below may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Microsoft and the country where you work.
