Director, Government Affairs
Description Summary
The Director, Government Affairs serves as the primary liaison between the company and local and state government stakeholders, driving policy alignment and enabling infrastructure expansion through strategic relationship management. This role will focus on states where the company operates or looks to expand operations. This position reports to the General Counsel.
Essential Duties
- Build and maintain relationships with local elected officials, economic development agencies, and municipal leaders
- Develop and execute government affairs strategies aligned to data center development (zoning, permitting, utilities, tax incentives)
- Monitor, analyze and report on local and state legislative/regulatory activity impacting site selection and operations
- Represent the company in public hearings, council meetings, and community forums
- Coordinate internal stakeholders (legal, real estate, energy, operations) on government‑facing initiatives and public communications
- Draft position statements and external‑facing documents, prepare slide decks and talking points for internal and external meetings, and manage briefings for members, partners, and external stakeholders
- Identify opportunities for public‑private partnerships and incentive programs
- Support site development teams by facilitating government approvals and stakeholder alignment
- Identify, manage and supervise consultants hired to perform any roles described above, with regular reporting to leadership
Education / Training / Experience
- 8+ years in government affairs, public policy, or economic development
- Experience in state policy advocacy, including working directly with state legislatures in one or more Southeast states
- Experience managing third‑party lobbying consultants to accomplish organizational objectives
- Ability to work closely, in a bipartisan fashion, with state legislators and their senior staff, and with policymakers in the executive branch of state governments
- Ability to draft legislative comments, provide testimony, and represent DC BLOX with state‑level policymakers
- Strong strategic, analytical, and communication skills (oral and written)
- Experience and understanding of politics, advocacy, and the legislative process, and the ability to quickly learn numerous policy issues
- Solid understanding of policies related to data centers, such as energy, tax and regulatory policy, environmental sustainability, project development, and workforce policy
- Strong network with local government officials and agencies, preferably in one or more of states in the Southeast