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Salary: USD 230,000 - 265,000 / annual
Anthropic is seeking a State and Local Affairs Lead to manage government relations across Western US states, advancing AI policy and regulation aligned with the company's mission of safe, beneficial AI systems.
You will report to the Head of Western State and Local Affairs and coordinate with Policy, Communications, and Legal leadership. Your responsibilities include:
• Serve as Anthropic's primary point of contact for state and local government affairs across multiple Western states, with a support role in California
• Build and maintain strategic relationships with state legislators, legislative staff, governors' offices, attorneys general, and state agency leaders
• Engage directly with local officials—mayors, city councils, county commissions, economic development boards—whose decisions affect Anthropic's operations
• Monitor state and local legislation and regulatory proceedings affecting AI and technology; provide analysis to inform company strategy and represent Anthropic's positions
• Develop durable partnerships with chambers of commerce, economic development groups, labor organizations, universities, and school districts
• Represent Anthropic at legislative hearings, regional events, and public forums, including with audiences skeptical of AI
• Collaborate with Communications to develop clear, accurate messaging for regional policy campaigns
• Translate Anthropic's technical research and policy positions into engagement strategies tailored to Western state political environments
• Manage outside advisors and registered lobbyists supporting Anthropic's regional work
• Coordinate with policy, communications, legal, and executive teams to ensure regional activity aligns with company-wide positioning
• Travel regularly across the region
Anthhropic is equal parts research lab, policy think-tank, and technology startup. The company approaches AI policy with intellectual honesty and substantive engagement, grounded in honest assessment of technological trajectories and authentic concern for safe scaling.
REQUIREMENTS:
Minimum qualifications:
• Alignment with Anthropic's mission and commitment to policy impact
• Demonstrated experience in state and local government affairs, political strategy, or legislative roles with proven success contributing to legislative and regulatory outcomes
• Existing relationships with state and local leaders in the West (legislators, governors' offices, attorneys general, county/municipal officials)
• Deep understanding of how state legislatures and executive branches operate—committee processes, legislative and regulatory procedures, policy advancement mechanisms, and local authority boundaries
• Track record of executing strategic objectives and delivering measurable outcomes in government affairs roles
• Willingness to travel regularly across the region
Preferred qualifications:
• 8+ years of experience in state and local government affairs, political strategy, or legislative roles
• Experience building partnerships with external organizations (chambers of commerce, economic development groups, labor organizations, universities)
• Exposure to technology policy or emerging technology regulation; understanding of policy challenges for rapidly evolving technologies
• Demonstrated ability to build coalitions and identify aligned constituencies
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholder relationships across different states and political environments
• Ability to work under time pressure and manage competing demands
• Skill in translating complex technical topics into clear, accessible language for policymakers and residents
• Experience collaborating with communications teams on policy campaign messaging
• Comfort with intellectual honesty about tradeoffs, including in rooms with disagreement
• Attraction to working with an organization approaching AI policy with intensity and intellectual rigor
Education: Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education, training, and professional experience in a field relevant to the role.
