6+ years in government affairs, public affairs, or advocacy, preferably in Arizona
Experience as a legislative staffer, agency official, or campaign manager is a plus
Strong understanding of data centers, utility regulation, and economic development
Juris Doctor (J.D.), Master of Public Administration (MPA), or relevant Bachelor's degree required
Deep knowledge of local governance and regulatory frameworks
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
Established network within the local legislative and regulatory community
Responsibilities
Develop and execute lobbying strategies to influence legislation and regulations
Track and analyze proposed bills and ordinances impacting the organization
Represent the company in industry coalitions and advocate for data center interests
Build relationships with political figures and community leaders in Arizona
Prepare policy briefs and materials for internal and external stakeholders
Support Public Affairs and legislative teams in community engagement and outreach
Ensure compliance with lobbying laws and manage necessary reporting
Benefits
Support for community outreach and charitable programs
Opportunities for professional development and networking
Engagement in high-impact advocacy initiatives
Collaboration with cross-functional teams
Access to a dynamic work environment focused on digital economy advancements
Full Job Description
About the role
The Director, Public Affairs (West) must hold state government experience in Arizona and can be based in the Phoenix metro area, Denver, CO, or our global HQ in Herndon, VA
What you'll do
Government Relations & Direct Lobbying: Develop and execute strategies and conduct lobbying meetings to influence legislation, regulations, and administrative policies at the local (e.g., city council, county commissioners court) and Arizona state levels, including various state agencies
Legislative Monitoring & Analysis: Track and analyze proposed bills and ordinances in Arizona that impact the organization. Draft policy briefs, bill analyses, and impact reports for internal teams
Coalition Building/Stakeholder Engagement: Represent the company in relevant industry coalitions, trade associations (e.g., Data Center Coalition), and coalitions to advocate for data center interests and influence positive outcomes in all forums. Manage outside advisors to execute on needed policy/legislative/operational actions to support the company's objectives
Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy: Build and nurture strong relationships with key political figures, community leaders, and industry counterparts in Arizona. Lead grassroots advocacy campaigns and coordinate/assist with community outreach initiatives
Thought Leadership, Messaging, Communication: Prepare policy briefs, white papers, talking points, testimony, other materials for internal teams or senior leadership. Prepare needed materials for external engagements to educate policymakers/other stakeholders on the role of data centers and AI infrastructure in the digital economy
Coordinate with cross-functional internal teams
Public Affairs & Government Relations Support: Provide support across the Public Affairs team and legislative teams as needed as they liaise with local officials, government agencies and communities, monitor legislative or regulatory developments, or manage political/community risks
Community Engagement Support: Provide support as needed for community outreach/charitable/education programs as well as for public forums, open houses, and stakeholder meetings
Manage and work with Outside counsel and consultants
Compliance & Reporting: To the extent applicable, ensure lobbying activities comply with applicable laws, including necessary registrations. Ensure needed disclosure reports are filed
Qualifications
~6 years experience in government affairs, public affairs or advocacy. Prior work in Arizona serving as a legislative staffer, agency official, or campaign manager is considered a plus
Experience in local Arizona economic development is considered a plus
Technical knowledge: Strong understanding of data centers, utility regulation, electricity markets, economic development, local/state governments or related experience. Comprehensive understanding of Arizona government, legislative/administrative processes, and key state/local funding or regulatory mechanisms
Juris Doctor (J. D.), Master of Public Administration (MPA) or Bachelor's degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Public Policy, Communications, or related filed.
Legislative Acumen: Deep understanding of local governance, policy processes, and regulatory frameworks.
Strategic Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Relationship Building: Network of contacts within the local legislative and regulatory community.
Crisis Management: Ability to analyze data and respond quickly.
The pay range for this role is:
214,000 - 234,000 USD per year (HQ)
214,000 - 234,000 USD per year (Arizona)
214,000 - 234,000 USD per year (Denver Office)
About EdgeConneX
EdgeConneX is a data center provider that specializes in edge computing. The company was founded in 2009 by Randy Brouckman and is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia. EdgeConneX operates data centers in more than 30 markets across North America, Europe, and South America. The company's data centers are designed to provide low-latency connectivity to local markets and to enable the delivery of content and applications at the edge of the network. EdgeConneX's customers include cloud service providers, content delivery networks, and other companies that require high-performance computing and storage infrastructure.
