Government Affairs Lead (AI)

TL;DR

Government Affairs Lead (AI): Leading the US government affairs strategy to shape the policy environment for enterprise AI with an accent on federal and state advocacy. Focus on cultivating relationships with lawmakers, monitoring regulatory shifts, and bridging technical objectives with policy advocacy.

Location: Hybrid in Washington, DC

Company

Cohere is a security-first enterprise AI company that builds cutting-edge foundation models and end-to-end products designed to solve real-world business problems.

What you will do

• Develop and implement a government affairs strategy across US federal and state levels, with potential expansion into Latin America.
• Serve as the primary internal and external expert on US AI policy, monitoring regulatory shifts and crafting responses to legislative drafts.
• Cultivate deep relationships with key lawmakers, regulators, federal agencies, and regional trade bodies.
• Translate complex technical and business objectives into effective policy advocacy.
• Partner with public sector sales teams to shape technology and procurement policies in regulated sectors.
• Manage external government relations consultants, lobbyists, and trade associations while ensuring legal compliance of all political activities.

Requirements

• 10 to 15+ years of leadership experience blending corporate government affairs in the tech sector with direct political or government experience.
• Deep expertise in artificial intelligence policy, its applications, and associated risks.
• Extensive experience navigating political debates across US federal and state jurisdictions.
• Bachelor's degree in Law, Public Policy, Political Science, or a related field.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills for distilling complex AI policy into briefings and thought leadership.

Nice to have

• Prior experience working with the defense sector, military, or national security apparatus.
• Experience with tech policy or digital regulatory frameworks in Latin America, including professional fluency in Spanish or Portuguese.
• Proven track record supporting public-sector sales and government procurement teams.

Culture & Benefits

• Generous time off with 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days).
• Comprehensive health and dental benefits, including a dedicated mental health budget.
• Financial security through 401K, RRSP matching, or Pension Schemes.
• 100% Parental Leave top-up for up to 6 months for either parent.
• Learning and lifestyle stipends for conferences, coaching, fitness, and workspace improvements.
• Remote-friendly support including a $500 home office stipend and co-working benefits for those not near an office.