Director, Public Policy

About the team

Zillow’s Government & Community Relations team operates at the intersection of policy, industry, and technology, driving Zillow’s mission to reimagine real estate. The team is responsible for shaping housing, real estate, and technology policy at the federal, state, and local levels. We work collaboratively across Advocacy, Policy, Regulatory Affairs, and Public Affairs subfunctions to influence legislation, drive public awareness, and build partnerships that enhance housing accessibility, affordability, and innovation. This is a high-impact, leadership role reporting to the VP of Government & Community Relations, with a flexible location.

About the role

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Director of Public Policy to join our team. This role will be responsible for developing and implementing policies that align with our organization's mission and vision while ensuring smooth operations. Specifically, the Director will develop Zillow’s public policy strategies to enable, build, and deliver a modern, integrated rentals, real estate, and financial services experience for consumers. The position will direct policy analysis (legislation, regulations, guidance, and stakeholder priorities), assess business impact, and determine policy priorities, working alongside advocacy and public affairs peers.

The role will interact with internal and external stakeholders to analyze the impact of policies, develop Zillow’s policy positions and external messaging, and inform business planning and strategies related to current and evolving policy issues. The position serves as an internal subject matter expert on policy issues. Externally, this position engages and manages relationships with critical external stakeholders, including regulatory and industry organizations. This position will report to the VP of Government and Community Relations and have four direct reports.

The responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to the following:

• Policy Development and Implementation: Develop and implement effective public policy strategies that align with the organization's goals. Monitor policy landscape and propose proactive strategies. 
• Cross-Functional Engagement: Lead conversations with other teams across the business– including (but not limited to) legal, compliance and product – to drive internal alignment to analyze legislative, regulatory, and stakeholder policy proposals, priorities, and dynamics to assess business impact and develop policy recommendations.
• Operations Management: Translate strategic goals into operational plans. Partner with advocacy and public affairs teams to determine engagement priorities, develop external messaging, and inform internal stakeholders on policy priorities.
   

This role has been categorized as a Remote position. “Remote” employees do not have a permanent corporate office workplace and, instead, work from a physical location of their choice, which must be identified to the Company. U.S. employees may live in any of the 50 United States, with limited exceptions.

In California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington state, and Washington DC the standard base pay range for this role is $201,000.00 - $321,000.00 annually. This base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations. In Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Minnesota, Nevada, Ohio, Rhode Island, and Vermont the standard base pay range for this role is $191,000.00 - $305,000.00 annually. The base pay range is specific to these locations and may not be applicable to other locations.

In addition to a competitive base salary this position is also eligible for equity awards based on factors such as experience, performance and location. Actual amounts will vary depending on experience, performance and location. Employees in this role will not be paid below the salary threshold for exempt employees in the state where they reside.

Who you are

We’re looking for an experienced and autonomous leader who will seek out special projects, find innovative ways to address product and policy priorities, as well as lead a team that serves as the backbone to the GR org.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Business Administration, or related field. Advanced degree preferred.

• A minimum of 15 years of experience in public policy and operations, with at least 5 years in a people leadership role.

• Strong understanding of policy development, operations management, and strategic planning.

• Demonstrated leadership and team management skills.

• Strong written and oral communi