Government & Public Affairs Director Emea

Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team

NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At NIKE, Inc. it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.

At the core of Nike is one simple idea: innovate. Nike’s rapid pace of innovation demands a Legal and Government Policy and Affairs (GP&A) team that is always vigilant. Nike attorneys, paralegals and other specialists in law provide inventive approaches and superior counsel to Nike’s global businesses. Their expertise spans a wide range of practices: corporate governance, intellectual property, sports law, litigation and more. GP&A employees establish and strengthen key relationships with opinion leaders, law and policy makers, and international and local stakeholders to influence public policy and laws essential to the success of the company. As Nike changes the future of sport, the Nike Legal and GP&A team drives competition, ingenuity and integrity in the marketplace.

As the EMEA GPA Director responsible for the sustainability portfolio in the region you will be a critical member of the Nike GPA team based in Brussels (Belgium) with frequent travel to Nike’s European Headquarters (EHQ, Hilversum, The Netherlands) and other key cities in the region.

You will report full line to the Senior Director of GPA in EMEA, based in Brussels, and dotted line to the Global GPA Sustainability lead based at Nike’s World Headquarters (WHQ). You will coordinate closely with Nike’s Legal, Sustainability, Responsible Supply Chain and Communications teams at EHQ and WHQ.

Key Focus Areas:

- Develop and execute a proactive strategy to drive Nike’s GPA and Sustainability priorities in support of Nike’s growth aspirations through direct lobbying of government officials and other outreach;
- Develop alliances with similarly situated companies and brands (both multinational and European) and trade associations to help advance Nike's policy goals and influence the policy environment;
- Monitor and track relevant legislative and regulatory developments in Sustainability and other business priorities. Provide continued intelligence and advice to the business on the impact of those developments;
- Continuously develop and maintain a network of relationships with decision makers at various levels of government as well as their influencers (including NGOs, coalitions, industry associations, think tanks). This includes building positive relationships with the local, national, and regional authorities and other relevant entities.
- When appropriate, coordinate with the GPA, Legal and Communications teams to manage and respond to government investigations and enforcement actions to mitigate the impact to the company and the brand.

Minimum Qualifications:

- 5 years of professional experience related Government and Public Affairs with a strong focus on Sustainability and environmental policies, including direct lobbying experience on behalf of governments, international organizations, associations and / or business. Most of that experience should be in Europe. Multinational corporate experience preferred. Russia and Turkey experience is a plus; B.S. or B.A. degree required.
- Demonstrated government affairs expertise and ability to be conversant on Sustainability issues, among others;
- Knowledge and experience working in a national government, the European Commission, EU Parliament, or EU Council, understanding how the system works at a member state level, and how advocacy/lobbying is carried out in the region;
- Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate internally and externally and influence policy and initiatives;
- Demonstrated track record of shaping legislation as well as legislative and policy agendas and leveraging government relationships to deliver identified policy outcomes;
- Capacity to think strategically and relentlessly prioritize to focus on the legislative and regulatory items that will have the largest impact to Nike’s business;
- Knowledge and experience in dealing with external support, including outside counsel and consultancy firms;
- Capacity to understand both the details and the more strategic and global picture, and the integration of key policy areas such as Sustainability, Trade, Tax, IP, Competition, Innovation, Digital, and Consumers.
- Ability to represent the company publicly in a variety of professional settings
- Excellent ethics and integrity record;
- Strong collaborative capability across different businesses, functions, and geos;
- Excellent oral and written communication skills in English;
- Demonstrated flexibility and willingness to respond to unanticipated business needs and wo