Public Policy and Government Affairs Director EMEA

Equinix’s One Legal team is seeking a Director, Public Policy for the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa) region. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced candidate to strengthen the company’s public policy presence in the region and interact with political and policy leaders to explain its products and services and promote the growth of digital infrastructure.

Job Summary

The role focuses on advancing Equinix’s public policy agenda across EMEA through external engagement, internal coordination, and policy education.

Responsibilities

External Engagement

• Help manage the day-to-day portfolio of the company’s public policy agenda at various levels of government and in regions where the company maintains a physical presence and does business.
• Participate in, lead, and advocate for public policy coalitions and trade associations aligned with the company’s public policy agenda.
• Serve as a key point of contact for the company’s participation and support senior executives’ participation in those organizations.
• Develop working relationships with key policymakers, regulators, and their staffs to effectively advocate the company’s public policy agenda.
• Build relationships with policymakers at the institutions of the European Union, as well as officials in EU member states and other countries across the region.
• Position top company executives in productive working relationships with the region’s policy leaders and facilitate their participation in thought leadership opportunities.
• Participate in government public consultation exercises and work on public policy submissions, including those on regulatory initiatives and developments, directly with governments or via coalitions and trade associations.
• Manage EMEA government affairs consulting firms to ensure coordination with PPGA and Country Leadership (MDs), and alignment across firms.

Internal Engagement

• Lead strategy development with company leaders and coordinate internal cross-functional teams in EMEA to respond effectively to challenges and opportunities.
• Identify emerging public policy issues related to the company’s mid- and long-term business plans and develop policy positions, strategies, and analysis to influence the external landscape and advance business priorities.
• Participate in the development of the company’s strategic public policy agenda through regular meetings and ongoing communications with senior leadership, including the executive team and the regional president.
• Develop strong working relationships with the company’s country Managing Directors across the region.
• Engage, support, and lead Managing Directors on policy issue development, messaging, trade association and coalition relationships, and policymaker engagement.
• Ensure consistency of messaging and policy positioning across the region.
• Develop strong working relationships with global and regional functions including Sustainability, Legal Regulatory, Operations, Communications, Business Development, and other key functions to assure cross-functional alignment and leverage.
• Contribute to internal processes for handling public policy matters that arise on an emergency or unexpected basis.

Education and Training

• Develop internal resources and independently lead efforts to educate employees about the company’s public policy agenda.
• Work with the company’s public relations team and others to develop materials that educate policymakers about the company’s business objectives, its importance to the foundational operations of the Internet, and its plans for future growth.
• Position the company as a thought leader on central issues of importance to the company.
• Emphasize the positive economic and cultural benefits of the company’s global growth.
• Promote the company’s commitment to sustainability and advocate for the opportunities digital transformation and the move to cloud and colocation have for efficiency and sustainability progress.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in government relations or public policy positions; prior service in government legislative or regulatory bodies is a plus.
• Bachelor’s degree; law or master’s degree is a plus.
• Exposure to policy issues in data centres, technology, cybersecurity and resilience, sovereignty and data privacy, energy and environmental sustainability policies, government procurement policy, and national and local tax policy.
• Demonstrated high level of integrity, thoroughness, flexibility, initiative, and teamwork.
• Demonstrated self-guided initiative.
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent judgment.
• Expectation for regular travel within the region to locations where Equinix has a presence.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to leave your mark in a company that is growing quickly while keeping a ground-breaking spirit.