Senior Manager, U.S. State Government Affairs

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PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
SAP’s Government Affairs division carries out the advocacy and lobbying efforts in markets where it does business. Government Affairs is part of the SAP Global Government Affairs Department, which positions SAP and our leaders before influential government audiences on select, highly relevant topics and supports SAP’s business objectives. Our core priorities include public policy, business support, and thought leadership.

The Senior Manager of U.S. State Government Affairs will join a growing, dynamic team and be able to immediately and directly enhance SAP’s advocacy at the U.S. state level by supporting our Public Sector business. Reporting directly to the Vice President and Head of U.S. Government Affairs, this position plays a critical role in working with U.S. state and local government leaders to develop and achieve the company’s policy, political, business, and relationship goals in a way that reflects SAP’s values.

EXPECTATIONS AND TASKS

BASIC RESPONSIBILITY:
The Senior Manager of U.S. State Government Affairs, East Region, will be responsible for state and local legislative and executive branch lobbying and will work directly with our U.S. Public Sector sales organization in its efforts to sell SAP’s products, services, and solutions to government and education customers.

Basic responsibilities include:

Create and execute U.S. state and local government affairs objectives in 17 assigned states as well as local municipalities in the U.S. East region.

Provide advice for U.S. State Government Affairs, including Government Relations and Regulatory Affairs. Lead strategic oversight to support business objectives. Identify and manage risks to the business and serve as a trusted advisor to the Executive team by providing strategic political advice and managing external consultants.

Monitor and analyze legislative and regulatory issues at the state and local government level that may impact business operations. Assist in developing and executing strategic plans to advocate for our legislative and regulatory priorities.

Represent the company in meetings with local and state elected and appointed officials, trade associations, advocacy groups, and other relevant organizations to advocate for our business priorities.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Senior Manager of U.S. State Government Affairs will be the principal face of SAP among state and local government officials in the assigned East region states. Specific responsibilities include:

Assist the VP, Head of U.S. Government Affairs, and the Head of U.S. State Government Affairs in directing and organizing efforts within the designated region.

Identify and influence government action that may impact SAP’s business.

Work closely with public sector sales teams at the local and state level to drive adoption and usage of SAP technology solutions.

Develop and maintain external relationships with elected officials, including state legislatures, governors, mayors, and regulators.

Promote SAP as a local and global leader in providing software, services, and solutions to help improve people’s lives and organizations run better.

Develop a working knowledge of state technology legislation, regulations, and practices; advocate for public policy positions on issues such as digital government, technology, privacy, cybersecurity, sustainability, cloud, IoT, tax, procurement, supply chain, and market access.

Monitor state legislation in assigned regions and respond appropriately; testify, educate, and advance pro-innovation legislation benefitting SAP.

Manage government affairs consultants/lobbyists in select geographies.

Drive and host visits to SAP facilities in the East region.

Prepare materials for the senior executive team, including position papers, policy briefings, and presentations.

Participate in political events as a representative of SAP America PAC.

Represent SAP at business and trade organizations, events, meetings, and conferences.

Collect and share policy and intelligence on government activities; recommend and drive advocacy strategies and tactics.

Ensure compliance of lobbying and political activities with state and local laws/regulations and SAP’s Code of Business Conduct.

QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Bachelor’s degree required. Prior state government experience, public policy, and/or lobbying and advocacy background required.

WORK EXPERIENCE:

7–10 years of related work experience in state government and/or state government affairs, lobbying, advocacy, or corporate external relations.

B.A. degree in political science, public policy, or a related field.

Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.

Credibility and experience in influencing policy debates.

Ability to listen and discern underlying messages or issues.

High self-motivation and customer focus with understanding of business drivers.

Ability to explain complex business models and influence policy decisions at all levels of government.

Experience in public policy decision-making and relationship building.

Maintain a strong professional network among state and local government officials and advocacy organizations.

Contribute to team activities as needed.

Strong adherence to ethics, compliance laws, and internal requirements.

Any state or local bans on lobbying due to current or former government work experience must be fully disclosed.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:

Excellent communication skills (written and oral).

Proven creative problem-solving abilities and collaborative skills.

Outstanding leadership and professional presence.

Highly motivated self-starter, results-oriented, and comfortable in a fast-paced environment.

Team player with willingness to pitch in when necessary.

Keen attention to detail and strong organizational skills.

Strong reliability and ability to develop creative ideas.

Ethical and exemplary performance record.

Strong people skills with the ability to discuss complex public policy issues.

Comfortable working with top-level government officials and SAP senior leadership.

Quick learner with strong understanding of business and public policy.

Bring out your best
SAP innovations help more than 400,000 customers worldwide work efficiently and use business insights effectively. Originally known for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved into a market leader in end-to-end business application software and related services for database, analytics, intelligent technologies, and experience management. As a cloud company with 200 million users and 100,000+ employees worldwide, SAP is purpose-driven, future-focused, collaborative, and committed to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, SAP ensures every challenge gets the solution it deserves.

We win with inclusion
SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help everyone – regardless of background – feel included and perform at their best. SAP invests in employees to inspire confidence and help them realize their full potential, unleashing all talent to create a better world.

SAP is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity and provides accessibility accommodations to applicants with disabilities. For assistance navigating the website or completing your application, contact Recruiting Operations Team at [email protected]
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SAP Employee Referral Program: Only permanent roles are eligible, with specific conditions applying for Vocational Training roles.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of age, race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or disability.

Compensation Range Transparency:
SAP provides the annualized compensation range inclusive of base salary and variable incentive target. The targeted combined range for this position is $142,500–$327,100 USD. The actual offer depends on factors including education, skills, experience, and location. Variable incentive payout depends on company and personal performance. For benefits, see SAP North America Benefits
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AI Usage in the Recruitment Process:
For information on responsible AI usage in recruitment, refer to SAP’s Guidelines for Ethical Usage of AI in the Recruiting Process
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Any violation of these guidelines may result in disqualification from the hiring process.

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