Public Policy Manager, Federal Affairs

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two Hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 4 million Hosts who have welcomed more than 1 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe. Every day, Hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

The Community You Will Join:

Airbnb’s public policy team exists to further the interests of our community of hosts and guests with politicians, regulators, opinion leaders and others who shape the political and legal context for our business, helping them to understand the significant social and economic contributions of our platform. We engage governments at local, regional and national levels directly and also use innovative advocacy and partnership strategies that actively involve our community and our stakeholders in making the case for fair, progressive home sharing rules.

We organize ourselves in integrated campaign groups, drawing on a wide range of tools and disciplines - from detailed policy and government relations work, through high-impact partnerships, proactive media relations, community organizing, digital platforms and content, polling, and innovative data science and research. We use the combined might of these disciplines to progress our overall policy agenda.   

The Difference You Will Make:

The ideal candidate will be passionate about Airbnb and the sharing economy, and have experience with or in government, politics, campaigns or advocacy groups. Our ideal candidate has subject matter expertise, broad business and people interests and knowledge, and can develop and drive strategic decisions. This person should be inclined to boldly take on issues and challenges; to comfortably navigate the ever-changing political dynamics, and to communicate messages without hesitation. They should be self-aware; responsive to feedback; and, able to thrive in a fast paced environment. They should have the ability to work on various projects simultaneously, requiring strong organizational and time management skills.

This person should also have demonstrated experience building trust and credibility with both internal and external stakeholders; a solid ability to connect business strategies to relevant policy campaigns. They should be a passionate, thoughtful and clear communicator, and be able to articulate policy strategies to the team. They will also help create and maintain an inclusive culture, in line with Airbnb’s Core Values, and are committed to embracing diversity and fostering belonging. It is a bonus to have worked in a startup, e-commerce, or other high growth, fast paced company.  

This position will report directly to Airbnb’s Lead for Federal Affairs. The position will be based in Washington, D.C.

A Typical Day:

• Work collaboratively with the Federal Affairs Lead to help shape and implement Airbnb’s US Federal legislative and public policy initiatives; including contextualizing global priorities, positions, and strategies.
• Advocate on Airbnb’s key priorities before the U.S. Congress, the Administration, and other federal agencies on corporate issues. 
• Help identify and establish key partnerships, coalitions, and engagements that align with Airbnb and its policy goals. 
• Identify, track, and engage on legislative and industry opportunities and risks that optimally position the company with federal policymakers.
• Provide advice to Airbnb’s teams on public policy matters to shape development of products, services and policies.
• Represent Airbnb in meetings with government officials, their staff, and other stakeholders.
• Ability to push back/pressure test ideas and initiatives as needed.
• Attend meetings and act as a proxy for the Federal Affairs Lead.

Your Expertise:

• Degree or advanced degree level in related field
• At least 8+ years experience working in politics, government, regulator, or relevant business or non-governmental organization (a mix of public and private sector experience is an advantage)
• Experience and (preferably) subject matter expertise in one or more of the following policy areas: technology privacy, judicial issues including ant-discrimination and antitrust, travel and tourism, housing, and tax 
• Extensive knowledge of the US federal political and regulatory environments 
• Ability to quickly get up to speed on complex technical and regulatory issues
• Excellent leadership and management abilities  
• Experience working with national and international teams
• Guided by a personal integrity that reflects Airbnb’s core values and commitment to our stakeholders
• Record of maintaining the highest personal levels of ethical