Director of Corporate Affairs

Do you have the passion and the competence to drive change and make an impact in Canada by using your extensive experience in public policy and/or government affairs? We are looking for a creative and driven Director Corporate Affairs to join our Canadian government affairs and public policy team. 

Microsoft is on a mission to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. Our culture is centered on embracing a growth mindset, a theme of inspiring excellence, and encouraging teams and leaders to bring their best each day. In doing so, we create life-changing innovations that impact billions of lives around the world. You can help us achieve our mission. 

The Microsoft Canada Government Affairs mission is to shape relevant public policies, engage in outreach, and develop and drive programs that help Microsoft advance social and economic well-being, enabling people around the world to realize their full potential.  

Reporting to the Senior National Director, Corporate Affairs, the role’s primary purpose is to engage with government policy makers and influencers, public customers, key influencers, and civil society in Canada to promote Microsoft’s public policy goals. The successful candidate will be expected to provide strategic leadership and business insight, to master proactive planning and aligning various internal stakeholders, and to drive external relationship building with government, industry, key public customers, academia and non-government organizations (NGOs).   

In partnership with colleagues, the successful candidate will develop and execute outreach strategies and campaigns to positively shape the public policy debate and outcomes on public policy issues such as artificial intelligence (AI), digital skills, cybersecurity, privacy and data protection standards, intellectual property, public sector delivery, competition law, trade and market access. 

They will work closely with the Microsoft business leadership and public sector teams in Canada to help progress company priorities, keep stakeholders engaged on public policy issues, debates and trends and providing proactive advice on the impact and relevance of these issues to the business. Working closely with stakeholders in the province of Quebec, the successful candidate will be able to communicate in both French and English. 

Required/Minimum Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's Degree in Public Policy, Public Administration, Political Science, Business Administration, Technology, Law, Liberal Arts, Engineering or related field AND 6+ years work experience in government affairs, corporate affairs, public policy, government, or related area 
  • OR equivalent experience 
• Candidate must meet requirements to register with the Federal Lobbyist Registry. 

Additional or Preferred Qualifications  

• Written and oral communication skills in French and English. 
• 5+ years experience in developing and managing strategic relationships to advocate and influence public/technology policy priorities. 

Government Affairs IC5 - The typical base pay range for this role across Canada is CAD $159,000 - CAD $276,200 per year.

Find additional pay information here: 

Microsoft will accept applications for the role until January 16, 2025. 

• Advocates for, and manages, policy issues, and leads the company’s engagement and campaign with internal stakeholders related to government affairs on priority issues, strategies, and/or programs. 
• Contributes to, and develops, Microsoft’s policy agenda and/or advocacy strategies for top priorities. 
• Responds to key strategic issues and recommends well thought-out actions by prioritizing, ensuring alignment with stakeholder positions, leveraging specialists, or escalating matters. 
• Manages affairs in rapidly changing and ambiguous political, policy, and industry environments. 

Subject Matter Expertise and Influence 

• Develops and implements strategies for leveraging partnerships with external partners and key influencers to advance Microsoft's public policy agenda in several key areas. 
• Develops and establishes an intelligence network, gathers and analyzes external/internal data and relationship interactions, and shares internal and external intelligence findings in support of Microsoft’s and customers' business objectives. 
• Provides counseling on public policy and/or geo-political or cultural topics to business units related to specific product development or business plans. 
• Develops and/or recommends highly creative solutions for advancing Microsoft policy and/or political agenda, while managing risks and consequences. 

Representing Microsoft 

• Participates in internal/external events, and is active with driving social media engagement on key issues; supports executive engagement and participation in international events. 
• Directs political strategies, provides strategic vision, and develops communication framework and/or messaging in partnership with Communications team for Microsoft by implementing strategies across diverse stakeholders. 

External Relationships 

• Builds and maintains an ongoing network and coalition with complex governmental and non-governmental stakeholders (e.g., peer and industry organizations, think tanks, academics, businesses, community leaders) to align interests to significantly advance Microsoft's objectives in key priority areas; builds strategic relationships that position Microsoft as a key trusted advisor to targeted political leadership and/or trade/think tank organizations in the region. 
• Serves as a strategic partner to the Public Sector and other key business leads by supporting sales and market opportunities, building Microsoft's reputation as a globally trusted provider of technology, and assisting in navigating, minimizing, or removing roadblocks to drive business results. 

Internal Collaboration 

• Acts as a subject matter expert for large, critical projects, and may provide direction to teammates or a cross-functional project team, or act as a project lead across country and team lines. 
• Resolves complex, cross-group priority conflicts and gains alignment across teams to enable the achievement of shared business objectives; facilitates and coordinates internal business operations within region to raise awareness and facilitate communication and coordination of effort. 
• Collaborates with, and influences, internal stakeholders and subject matter experts within and outside of Government Affairs to ensure a mutual understanding and alignment of objectives, priorities, and resources.