Director, Public Affairs

Description The Opportunity We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Director of Public Affairs to operationalize and drive our public affairs campaign program. Reporting directly to the Vice President of Public Affairs and Strategic Relations, this role is central to translating strategic priorities into integrated, results-driven campaigns that advance the company's policy objectives, support our sales teams, protect and grow our reputation, and expand its influence with policymakers, third‑party stakeholders, and the public. The ideal candidate brings deep experience executing sophisticated public affairs strategies—spanning strategic communications, earned and paid media, coalition building, and issues management. This is a high‑impact, execution‑focused leadership role for a person who thrives in a fast-moving environment and can seamlessly translate policy goals into compelling public narratives and tangible advocacy outcomes. What You'll Actually Be Doing Campaign Operations & Execution Oversee the end-to-end operationalization of the public affairs campaign program, from planning through performance measurement. Design, implement, and manage integrated public affairs campaigns spanning earned media, paid media, digital advocacy, and direct stakeholder engagement. Oversee the full lifecycle of campaign communications—planning, content production, channel execution, and reporting—ensuring tight coordination across functions and in collaboration with the Corporate Communications team. Build and manage project plans, timelines, budgets, and vendor relationships to keep campaigns on track and on strategy. Develop and maintain a campaign infrastructure that enables rapid response and long-term narrative building simultaneously. Strategic Communications & Messaging Develop compelling, audience‑specific messaging and narratives that advance the company's public policy priorities across diverse stakeholder groups. Quality‑control a range of communications materials, including talking points, op‑eds, fact sheets, policy briefs, digital content, and executive collateral. Partner with corporate communications to integrate public affairs narratives into broader company storytelling, particularly in earned media. Ensure media partnerships and paid media campaigns are directed toward priority policy issues. Advocacy & Stakeholder Engagement Build and operationalize a grasstops employee advocacy program, coordinating with government affairs teams to activate internal champions. Represent the company at relevant events, conferences, and stakeholder forums to advance policy relationships and organizational visibility. Work with the Federal Affairs team to grow participation and engagement in the political action committee. Issues Management & Reputational Risk Anticipate emerging policy, political, and reputational risks, and proactively develop rapid response and scenario planning frameworks. Lead crisis and issues communications planning, serving as a key cross‑functional coordinator when challenges arise. Monitor legislative, regulatory, and political developments to assess impact on company operations and public positioning. Collaborate with Legal, Policy, Product, and Executive Communications teams to ensure consistent, defensible messaging during sensitive periods. Cross‑Functional Leadership & Collaboration Serve as a critical connector across the Public Affairs, Government Affairs, Commercial, and Communications functions. Advise internal business leaders and executives on public affairs dynamics, emerging risks, and strategic opportunities. Manage and direct external resources, including agencies, consultants, and digital vendors, to maximize campaign effectiveness. Support the VP of Public Affairs in developing team strategy, operational frameworks, and function‑wide initiatives. Ability to manage a small team with the potential to grow your people leadership skills. You're Our Person If... Required Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Affairs, Political Science, Public Policy, or a related field. 10–15 years of experience in public affairs, strategic communications, political campaigns, or a closely related field. Demonstrated success executing integrated public affairs or advocacy campaigns from inception through measurement. Deep knowledge of the U.S. policy and legislative landscape and processes, with experience working across federal and/or state levels. Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate complex policy issues into clear, persuasive narratives. Proven ability to manage multiple high‑priority workstreams simultaneously in a fast‑paced environment. Experience managing agency and vendor relationships, budgets, and cross‑functional project teams. Strong political instincts and judgment, with the ability to anticipate and navigate sensitive issues. Even Better If... Background in political campaign management, government, or public affairs agency settings. Familiarity with digital advocacy platforms, paid media tools, and grassroots mobilization technology. Experience with grasstops and third‑party coalition program development. Prior work on AI, data privacy, or tech policy issues is a plus. Location & Travel This position is based in Washington, DC or San Francisco, CA and will work a hybrid schedule in the office 3 days a week. Candidates in either location will be considered; occasional travel between offices and to key policy events is expected (approximately 15–20% of the time). We have a public-facing website that explains our various benefits, including medical, dental, 401k, ESPP, generous parental leave, adoption assistance, fertility benefits, and more. Visit for the full breakdown! Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance and the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring, Salesforce will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. In the United States, compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, job level, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, and benefits. Salesforce offers a variety of benefits to help you live well including: time off programs, medical, dental, vision, mental health support, paid parental leave, life and disability insurance, 401(k), and an employee stock purchasing program. More details about company benefits can be found at the following link: #J-18808-Ljbffr