Director, Public Affairs (West)

About the role

• The Director, Public Affairs (West) must hold state government experience in Arizona and can be based in the Phoenix metro area, Denver, CO, or our global HQ in Herndon, VA

What you'll do

• Government Relations & Direct Lobbying: Develop and execute strategies and conduct lobbying meetings to influence legislation, regulations, and administrative policies at the local (e.g., city council, county commissioners court) and Arizona state levels, including various state agencies

• Legislative Monitoring & Analysis: Track and analyze proposed bills and ordinances in Arizona that impact the organization. Draft policy briefs, bill analyses, and impact reports for internal teams

• Coalition Building/Stakeholder Engagement: Represent the company in relevant industry coalitions, trade associations (e.g., Data Center Coalition), and coalitions to advocate for data center interests and influence positive outcomes in all forums. Manage outside advisors to execute on needed policy/legislative/operational actions to support the company's objectives

• Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy: Build and nurture strong relationships with key political figures, community leaders, and industry counterparts in Arizona. Lead grassroots advocacy campaigns and coordinate/assist with community outreach initiatives

• Thought Leadership, Messaging, Communication: Prepare policy briefs, white papers, talking points, testimony, other materials for internal teams or senior leadership. Prepare needed materials for external engagements to educate policymakers/other stakeholders on the role of data centers and AI infrastructure in the digital economy

• Coordinate with cross-functional internal teams

• Public Affairs & Government Relations Support: Provide support across the Public Affairs team and legislative teams as needed as they liaise with local officials, government agencies and communities, monitor legislative or regulatory developments, or manage political/community risks  

• Community Engagement Support: Provide support as needed for community outreach/charitable/education programs as well as for public forums, open houses, and stakeholder meetings

• Manage and work with Outside counsel and consultants
• Compliance & Reporting: To the extent applicable, ensure lobbying activities comply with applicable laws, including necessary registrations. Ensure needed disclosure reports are filed

Qualifications

• ~6 years experience in government affairs, public affairs or advocacy. Prior work in Arizona serving as a legislative staffer, agency official, or campaign manager is considered a plus
• Experience in local Arizona economic development is considered a plus

• Technical knowledge: Strong understanding of data centers, utility regulation, electricity markets, economic development, local/state governments or related experience. Comprehensive understanding of Arizona government, legislative/administrative processes, and key state/local funding or regulatory mechanisms

• Juris Doctor (J. D.), Master of Public Administration (MPA) or Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, Communications, or related filed. 

• Legislative Acumen: Deep understanding of local governance, policy processes, and regulatory frameworks. 

• Strategic Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.  

• Relationship Building: Network of contacts within the local legislative and regulatory community. 
• Crisis Management: Ability to analyze data and respond quickly.