Director of Public Affairs, Europe

Are you an experienced public affairs practitioner, passionate about shaping regulatory frameworks and influencing policy? Join a fast-growing innovative company at the forefront of supply chain intelligence, where your expertise can make a lasting impact. As the Director of Public Affairs, you’ll lead strategic initiatives in ESG, sustainability, and regulatory compliance, positioning the company as a trusted voice in the industry.

Director of Public Affairs Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a public affairs strategy aligned with business goals and regulatory landscape.
• Stay ahead of emerging EU and global supply chain regulations, particularly in ESG, sustainability, and due diligence.
• Represent the company in policy discussions, industry consultations, and working groups to advocate for regulatory frameworks that align with their solutions.
• Build strong relationships with policymakers, trade associations, NGOs, and industry leaders to enhance visibility and influence.
• Partner with internal teams to ensure they remain at the forefront of regulatory trends.
• Manage and direct lobbying agencies, ensuring effective representation and strategy execution.
• Leading and growing a small public affairs team, mentoring junior team members and driving operational excellence.

Director of Public Affairs Key Requirements

• Public Affairs Expertise: Significant experience in public affairs, policy advocacy, or regulatory affairs, ideally in supply chain, ESG, or sustainability.
• EU Regulatory Knowledge: Strong understanding of current and upcoming European regulations, ideally in supply chain and ESG frameworks (CSDDD, CSRD, EUFLR, EUDR, etc).
• Stakeholder Management: Proven ability to engage with policymakers, industry leaders, and trade associations.
• Strategic Vision: Experience in successfully developing and executing public affairs strategies that drive business objectives.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills to convey complex regulatory topics clearly and persuasively.
• Adaptability: Experience of working effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with cross-functional teams.

The ideal candidate will bring significant experience in public affairs, preferably within the supply chain, ESG, or sustainability sectors. They will have a strong understanding of European regulations, including current and upcoming frameworks and a proven track record of engaging effectively with policymakers. With a strategic mindset, they will have demonstrated success in developing and executing public affairs strategies that align with business objectives.

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are essential, enabling them to convey complex regulatory topics clearly and persuasively. The role also requires strong leadership capabilities to build and manage a high-performing team, as well as the ability to collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.

The successful candidate will embody an entrepreneurial spirit, thriving in the dynamic environment of a fast-growing scale-up. They will be results-oriented, focused on delivering measurable outcomes and prioritising impactful actions. A data-driven approach is essential, using insights to guide decisions while balancing evidence with intuition. The candidate will have a mission-driven mindset, aligning efforts with the company’s vision and contributing meaningfully to its purpose.

Proficiency in German is advantageous, and experience in PR or communications, would be beneficial.

If you have the relevant experience and this opportunity sounds interesting to you, please get in touch with our team including a copy of your CV as soon as possible via the form below.

Hanson Search is a leading talent advisory and executive search consultancy with consultants based across the UAE, UK, USA, and Europe. We specialise in business-critical roles that drive revenue, reputation, and risk, with dedicated teams in Communications, Government Relations, Public Affairs, Digital Marketing, Sustainability, and C-Suite recruitment. Please click here to find out about more about Hanson Search.

We are committed to equality of opportunity for all.  You can access our Diversity and Inclusion Policy here.