Director of Public Policy, Sustainability

As the environmental challenges facing the world grow, so too has Microsoft’s commitment to ensuring that the company’s activities are in-line with the best available science and the expectations of leading stakeholder communities. The CELA Environmental Sustainability (ES) team coordinates overall science-based, measurable, and scalable sustainability investments and outcomes across the company – engaging with business groups to set goals related to reductions in the environmental impacts of business operations and positive environmental outcomes resulting from technology and policy development. 

To support these efforts, Microsoft is hiring a Director of Public Policy, reporting to the Senior Director of Global Policy, Sustainability, to develop and advance positions on key global policy and legislative initiatives. The policy positions will be inclusive of Microsoft’s sustainability focus areas of carbon, water, waste, and ecosystems, led by enabling Microsoft to meet its sustainability commitments, responsive to Microsoft’s business needs, and aligned with ensuring an even, equitable global policy landscape that delivers both environmental and societal benefits. 

A successful candidate will be inventive, comfortable working in a quick-turn, deadline-driven, matrixed, international environment, and adept at managing multiple projects and assignments simultaneously. You must be flexible, able to multi-task, demonstrate strong attention to detail, meet deadlines, and be comfortable working independently within ambiguous situations.  

Responsibilities: 

• Advance company policy priorities on carbon disclosure, carbon reduction, emission controls, electricity grid decarbonization, carbon removal and circular economy and other related sustainability issues through legislative proposals, administrative and regulatory actions, guidance, programs, and initiatives in countries around the world.  
• Provide subject matter expertise and support to global government affairs teams, legal teams and business groups in the review and assessment of relevant carbon, energy and sustainability policies, the analysis of the impacts for Microsoft, and the development and execution of strategic plans to achieve desired policy goals.  
• Draft and contribute to formal policy submissions as well as publications, blogs, and whitepapers. 
• Collaborate with Engineering, Product, Business, and Internal Policy Colleagues to assess the impact of different policy positions and regulatory proposals and provide insight into emerging regulatory trends and developments to inform their planning cycles. 
• Collaborate with Environmental Sustainability colleagues to bring insights from global policy development to the development and execution of Microsoft’s operational and solutions sustainability strategy and ensure that our internal practices are informed by emerging regulatory trends and developments.   
• Build and maintain strong, ongoing relationships with external stakeholders and proactively identify opportunities to collaborate on sustainability policy issues. 
• Represent Microsoft externally on a range of sustainability policy issues and explain complex technical information, including sustainability and electricity sector concepts, products, and services to policy- and business decision-maker audiences. 

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications: 

• Bachelor's Degree AND 7+ years experience in corporate social responsibility, philanthropies, corporate affairs, or related area OR 10+ years experience in corporate social responsibility, philanthropies, corporate affairs, or related area. 
• 7+ years of experience analyzing, developing, and implementing country-level climate, energy and sustainability policy and regulations in a technology or engineering organization, corporate, non-profit, governmental or international agency, with experience across multiple disciplines. 

The ideal candidate will also have: 

• Law degree or advanced degree in public policy. 
• 10+  years of demonstrated, successful work experience in relevant environmental law and/or public policy. 
• Subject matter expertise on policies and regulations related to carbon disclosure and accounting, greenhouse gas emissions controls, grid decarbonization, carbon removal markets, circular economy, and other sustainability issues. 
• 5+ years experience working in or with a large, matrixed organization. 
• 2+ years experience managing outside resources, including consultants, on legislative or public policy-related initiatives. 
• Excellent business and technical acumen and entrepreneurial, self-directed spirit.  
• Strong collaboration and cross-company leadership skills.  
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.  
• Growth mindset with problem solving skills and strong project management and follow-through.  
• Ability to represent the Company effectively in a variety of public settings. 
• Strong hands-on environmental policy experience with 2+ years of experience working in national government or international organization on environmental policy issues.  

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. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 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.

Benefits and Perks

• Industry leading healthcare
• Savings and investments
• Giving programs
• Educational resources
• Maternity and paternity leave
• Opportunities to network and connect
• Discounts on products and services
• Generous time away