Senior Director, Government Affairs

Overview Microsoft’s mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more, and we are 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.

Join us and help shape the future of the world. In the role of Senior Director, Government Affairs you will serve as Microsoft’s lead U.S. federal AI policy strategist, responsible for developing and advancing the company’s policy positions in Washington, DC.

You will partner closely with the Office of Responsible AI (ORA), Microsoft AI, Microsoft Research, the Office of the Chief Scientific Officer, Corporate Standards, Security, and product teams to ensure all policy positions are technically grounded in Microsoft’s responsible AI, security, and innovation roadmaps.

Responsibilities U.S. AI Policy Strategy & Frontier Governance Leads Microsoft’s U.S. AI policy strategy across government, industry, and third parties in Washington, DC Develops and executes Microsoft’s approach to U.S. AI policy in close collaboration with ORA, Standards and Security teams, including federal legislation, national standards, and federal–state alignment, ensuring coherence across governance, innovation, and deployment priorities.

Helps shape Microsoft’s federal policy positions on emerging and high-stakes frontier AI policy questions, including agentic systems, recursive self-improvement, model access and security, and evaluation frameworks. Translates technical and policy developments into actionable strategy Converts fast-moving legislative, regulatory, and technical developments into clear guidance, decision-ready materials, and strategic recommendations for senior leadership—ensuring alignment with Microsoft’s product, research, and security priorities.

Drives technically grounded coalition and ecosystem engagement Leads engagement with policymakers, peer companies, civil society, and thought leaders in Washington to advance credible, evidence-based AI policy outcomes, with an emphasis on building durable consensus and reinforcing Microsoft’s role as a trusted, technically informed voice.

Leads cross-functional integration of AI policy across priority domains Partners across USGA and CELA to integrate AI policy into broader agendas, including national security, workforce and labor, science and research policy, and global competitiveness—ensuring consistency with Microsoft’s end-to-end AI strategy.

Physical AI, Robotics, and Autonomous Systems Policy Builds Microsoft’s federal policy agenda for physical AI Co-develops and advances Microsoft’s U.S. policy strategy on physical AI, including robotics, autonomous systems, embodied AI, and industrial AI—establishing this domain as a core and forward-looking pillar of the company’s AI policy work.

Translates technical innovation into policy leadership Serves as the convener and collaborator between ORA, Microsoft Research, the Office of the Chief Science Officer, and product teams, distilling cutting-edge R&D into clear policy positions and legislative frameworks for U.S. policymakers.

Leads early-stage policymaker engagement and thought leadership Builds and maintains relationships across the White House, Congress, and key agencies (e.g., DOC, DOD, DOE, NIST) to shape emerging U.S. approaches to physical AI and position Microsoft as a trusted leader in safe and responsible deployment.

Integrates physical AI into broader AI and industrial policy frameworks Ensures alignment of robotics and embodied AI policy with Microsoft’s broader positions on AI governance, workforce transformation, supply chains, infrastructure, and national competitiveness—reflecting the convergence of digital and physical systems.

Qualifications Required/minimum qualifications Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, Technology, Law, Liberal Arts, Engineering, or related field AND 8+ years work experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, government, or related area OR equivalent experience.

Government Affairs IC6 - The typical base pay range for this role across the U.S. is USD $160,700.00 - $284,400.00 per year. There is a different range applicable to specific work locations, within the San Francisco Bay area and New York City metropolitan area, and the base pay range for this role in those locations is USD $207,700.00 - $311,500.00 per year.

Certain roles may be eligible for benefits and other compensation. Find additional benefits and pay information here: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/us-corporate-pay This position will be open for a minimum of 5 days, with applications accepted on an ongoing basis until the position is filled.

Microsoft is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, citizenship, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, immigration status, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran or military status, race, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable local laws, regulations and ordinances.

If you need assistance with religious accommodations and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application process, read more about requesting accommodations.