Alibaba Holding-Director, Federal Government Affairs-Washington D.C

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director, Federal Government Affairs for the U.S. will report to the Head of Government Relations for North America. This role will manage proactive engagement with and monitoring of relevant government officials and actions related to Alibaba and its ecosystem at the Federal level, particularly with respect to Agencies. S/He will strategically manage Alibaba’s legislative and regulatory advocacy initiatives related to ecommerce, digital services, product safety, intellectual property, technology development and deployment, consumer protection, logistics, customs, export controls, tax, and competition issues. The Director, Federal Government Relations will be charged with understanding and working effectively within the political dynamics presented by advocating for a global business headquartered in China. This role will also include day-to-day engagement with external resources, such as consultancies and trade associations, as well as any relevant third-party relationships. It is important that s/he be able to anticipate risks and opportunities, advise on engagement strategies and advocate on behalf of Alibaba.

In addition, the Director, Federal Government Affairs for the U.S. will:

• Work within the IGA team to develop and execute a government affairs program for Alibaba in the region which advances its business growth, legislative and regulatory goals, and political objectives.
• Develop and foster relationships with key officials, engage via industry and government forums and manage relevant consultants and trade associations.
• Establish solid working relationships with colleagues at headquarters and work closely with colleagues internationally to develop and implement industry and government outreach.
• Provide senior executives and colleagues with strategic advice and insightful perspectives concerning government actions and politics regarding the industry and Alibaba in particular.
• Coordinate across internal teams to ensure proper compliance with regulations and follow-through on government messaging.

The successful candidate will have at least 5 years of progressively more responsible professional experience. The preferred candidate will possess a background in government relations and Agency engagement, and will have spent some time working in both the public and private sector. S/He will have a successful track record managing high-level relationships and executing innovative government affairs initiatives to achieve corporate business objectives on both the regulatory and client development fronts. S/He will have significant relevant business and government stakeholder relationship experience. A clear reputation for ethical conduct is required.

Qualification considerations include:

• Strong cultural adaptability and keen learning capacity.
• Strong decision-making and strategic thinking skills; ability to quickly grasp, address, prioritize and anticipate emerging issues – as well as recommend positions on issues and suggest changes in strategies as relevant legislative and regulatory processes unfold, with an ability to navigate complex and competitive policy issues.
• Solid relationships and a thorough understanding of key legislative and regulatory processes, including an understanding of the role and capacity of third-party stakeholder entities such as trade associations and other related organizations, to advance the business interests of Alibaba Group.
• Strong executive presence with excellent oral and written communication skills to represent the company effectively before relevant stakeholders and audiences. Any Mandarin language proficiency or willingness to learn the languages would be an additional plus.
• A collaborative style with an ability to work cross-functionally with subject matter experts, senior leaders and key stakeholders; interactive with the courage and conviction to challenge and defend ideas and strategies; clear reputation for ethical conduct and unquestionable integrity.
• A track record of strong, demonstrated results in both political and corporate environments.
• Ability to evaluate competing interests of industry players and develop successful strategies to steer around obstacles and obtain desirable outcomes.
• Possess a keen attention to detail and accuracy in a fast-moving and challenging political and policy environment, with international dimension.
• Must demonstrate a sense of urgency with the ability to maintain a clear head in stressful situations.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple ongoing projects at once while appropriately allocating time and resources.

The compensation package for this position is comprised of base salary ($188,400–$309,600), bonus, equity and/or cash incentive award, as well as health care and other group benefit plans.