Government Affairs Director – Germany - #2635495

Role Overview

• The Government Affairs Director – Germany is responsible for leading and executing the company’s public policy, government relations and regulatory strategy in Germany, fostering a favorable and sustainable regulatory environment and supporting compliant business growth in Germany and the broader European market.
• As the senior-most government affairs leader in Germany, this role will lead high-level engagement with federal and state authorities, parliament, regulators and key stakeholders, and provide strategic policy advice to company leadership.
• The role requires deep Germany-based lobbying experience, established political networks and strong expertise in regulated sectors, particularly product safety and consumer protection policy, as well as the ability to facilitate cross-border regulatory engagement with international (particularly China-based) corporate functions.

Key Responsibilities：

1. Government Affairs & Lobbying Strategy : Lead and implement the company’s government affairs and lobbying strategy in Germany to support market access, regulatory stability and long-term business growth; continuously monitor German and EU policy developments and identify risks and opportunities;
2. Stakeholder Engagement & Political Networking : Develop and maintain long-term trusted relationships with German federal and state ministries, parliamentarians, regulators, industry associations and relevant NGOs; represent the company in high-level policy engagement, advocacy and public affairs activities;
3. Legislative & Regulatory Affairs : Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory processes in Germany; organize and participate in consultations, hearings and advocacy initiatives; promote company positions in policy making and mitigate adverse regulatory risks;
4. Political Intelligence & Strategic Advisory : Provide leadership with analysis of German political dynamics, regulatory trends and stakeholder positions; deliver policy risk assessments and response strategies to support corporate decision-making and market strategy;
5. Policy Issue & Crisis Management : Lead major policy issue management and cross-functional coordination; develop external positioning and policy response strategies; represent the company in engagements with authorities and key stakeholders;
6. Regulatory Guidance (Product & Consumer Policy) : Provide expert guidance to product and business teams on German regulatory requirements, particularly product safety, consumer protection, marketing and compliance; ensure new products and business activities align with German law and policy frameworks;
7. Cross-Border Regulatory Engagement (China HQ) : Facilitate effective communication and mutual understanding between German regulators and international (particularly China-based headquarters) teams to support cross-border compliance and regulatory alignment;
8. Domestic Travel : Approximately 30-40% domestic travel within Germany to engage federal and state stakeholders.

Qualifications:

1. Master’s degree or above in public policy, law, political science, international relations or related field;
2. 10-15 years of government affairs / lobbying experience in Germany;
3. Registered lobbyist in Germany or eligible for lobbying registration;
4. Experience in both government institutions and private sector organizations;
5. Established network within German Bundestag, federal ministries and regulators;
6. Strong expertise in product regulation, product safety and consumer protection policy;
7. Experience working with international or Chinese companies preferred;
8. Deep understanding of German legislative and regulatory processes;
9. Excellent stakeholder engagement, negotiation and advocacy skills;
10. Native-level German and fluent English required;

Preferred Profile:

• Experience in regulated consumer product industries;
• Federal and state-level political engagement experience;
• Familiarity with EU policy landscape;
• Experience in international or cross-cultural corporate environments.