Public Affairs Manager

Waymo is an autonomous driving technology company with the mission to be the world's most trusted driver. Since its start as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009, Waymo has focused on building the Waymo Driver—The World's Most Experienced Driver™—to improve access to mobility while saving thousands of lives now lost to traffic crashes. The Waymo Driver powers Waymo’s fully autonomous ride-hail service and can also be applied to a range of vehicle platforms and product use cases. The Waymo Driver has provided over ten million rider-only trips, enabled by its experience autonomously driving over 100 million miles on public roads and tens of billions in simulation across 15+ U.S. states. As Waymo continues it's expansion, Texas represents a significant milestone in domestic scaling. We’re looking for a strategic ambassador to earn the community trust required to unlock Texas. Help us build the public affairs blueprint for Waymo’s future from the ground up. The Public Affairs team is within the Marketing, Communication and Public Affairs organization at Waymo. In this remote role, you will report to a Public Affairs Manager You will: Strategic Relationship Management: Develop and sustain high-level partnerships with influential nonprofit organizations (e.g., road safety, accessibility) and non-elected community leaders to build long-term trust and maintain Waymo’s ability to operate in our Texas markets. Campaign Strategy & Community Organizing: Execute Waymo’s TX strategy for public affairs campaigns and grassroots organizing, collaborating with cross-functional working groups to align local community interests with Waymo’s scaling milestones. Creative Advocacy & Digital Storytelling: Direct the planning and execution of multi-channel digital media campaigns that leverage third-party advocates and authentic narratives to showcase the societal benefits of Waymo’s technology. External Representation & Brand Diplomacy: Serve as a public face of Waymo in TX, advocating for company values at sponsored events, partner meetings, and volunteer initiatives, while providing expert support for local media inquiries. High-Impact Programming & Sponsorships: Identify and secure strategic sponsorship and event opportunities that maximize Waymo’s visibility and influence; oversee full-lifecycle execution, from initial selection to on-site logistics and staffing. Financial & Operational Oversight: Manage a budget across multiple workstreams, ensuring disciplined resource allocation and measurable ROI for TX public affairs initiatives. You have: Strategic Campaign Leadership: 5+ years of experience in public affairs, community organizing, or external affairs, with a proven track record of leading high-stakes campaigns from inception to measurable impact. Digital & Content Strategy: Demonstrated expertise in designing and executing complex digital advocacy campaigns, including setting data-driven KPIs and managing multi-channel execution. Deep Regional Expertise: An established professional network and a sophisticated understanding of Texas’ charitable sectors, grassroots organizations, and non-elected community influencers, particularly within Austin, San Antonio, Dallas and Houston. Stakeholder Diplomacy: Experience building and maintaining long-term, trust-based relationships with diverse advocacy groups (e.g., accessibility, road safety, or local community leaders). Budgetary Accountability: Direct experience managing and allocating budgets with fiscal discipline. Exceptional Communication: Experience serving as a public-facing spokesperson, including speaking at events, community forums, or managing local media inquiries. Ability to translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives. We prefer: Industry Context: Previous experience in the transportation, autonomous vehicle, micromobility, or emerging technology sectors navigating first-to-market regulatory and public perception challenges. Agency Management: Experience managing external public affairs or creative agencies to scale campaign impact. Cross-Functional Fluency: A history of working effectively within a fast-moving organization, collaborating across multiple cross-functional teams. Rapid Scale Experience: Self-starter with experience working in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where strategy must remain agile and responsive to shifting business needs. Relationship development: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build credibility and trust with a wide range of stakeholders. Adaptability: Comfortable operating in ambiguous and evolving policy environments and pivoting quickly to support changing business needs. Travel Requirements: Field Engagement: This role requires regular regional travel throughout Texas to represent Waymo at community events, partner meetings, and neighborhood forums. This includes supporting a variety of evening and weekend commitments. Estimated 2x a year back to Waymo HQ in California. ((Remote jobs only - Please note that Waymo may not be able to employ remotely in all locations. Please speak with your recruiter about your preferred location for remote work when you begin the interview process.)) The expected base salary range for this full-time position across US locations is listed below. Actual starting pay will be based on job-related factors, including exact work location, experience, relevant training and education, and skill level. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for the role location or, if the role can be performed remote, the specific salary range for your preferred location, during the hiring process. Waymo employees are also eligible to participate in Waymo’s discretionary annual bonus program, equity incentive plan, and generous Company benefits program, subject to eligibility requirements. Salary Range $168,000 - $207,000 USD