Senior Director, Government Affairs

Who We Are:
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 300 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 950 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.

TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO owns iconic properties including UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization; WWE, the global leader in sports entertainment; and PBR, the world’s premier bull riding organization. Together, these properties reach 1 billion households across 210 countries and territories and organize more than 500 live events year-round, attracting more than three million fans. TKO also services and partners with major sports rights holders through IMG, an industry-leading global sports marketing agency; and On Location, a global leader in premium experiential hospitality.

The Role and What You’ll Do:
TKO Group Holdings is seeking a seasoned Senior Director of Government Affairs to lead our federal and state government relations strategy across our premier entertainment portfolio. This senior executive role requires a highly connected and strategic professional who can navigate complex political landscapes while advancing TKO’s business interests through effective advocacy, relationship building, and policy engagement. The successful candidate will serve as TKO’s primary interface with federal and state government officials, regulatory agencies, and key stakeholders, while building and executing comprehensive government affairs strategies that support our live entertainment, sports, and content production operations across all jurisdictions.

Strategic Government Relations Leadership
Develop and execute comprehensive federal and state government affairs strategies aligned with TKO’s business objectives and growth initiatives.

Lead advocacy efforts on legislative and regulatory issues impacting sports entertainment, live events, content production, and venue operations.

Identify emerging policy trends and regulatory changes that could affect TKO’s business operations and competitive positioning.

Create strategic frameworks for engaging with government stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions and issue areas.

Build long-term advocacy strategies that support TKO’s expansion plans and market development initiatives.

Federal Government Engagement
Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and federal agency officials.

Lead TKO’s engagement with relevant federal agencies.

Coordinate with federal lobbying firms and consultants to maximize advocacy effectiveness.

Monitor federal legislation and regulations affecting entertainment, sports, media, and live events industries.

Represent TKO’s interests in federal policy discussions and industry coalition activities.

State Government Relations
Build and maintain extensive network of relationships with governors, state legislators, agency heads, and key staff across priority states.

Develop state-specific advocacy strategies tailored to local political dynamics and business environments.

Lead engagement with state athletic commissions, entertainment licensing agencies, and economic development authorities.

Coordinate multi-state advocacy campaigns on issues affecting TKO’s operations and venue network.

Manage relationships with state-based lobbying firms and government relations consultants.

Operational Excellence & Cross-Functional Leadership
Build and manage high-performing government affairs function with appropriate staffing and resource allocation.

Establish systematic processes for tracking legislative and regulatory developments across all relevant jurisdictions.

Create efficient workflows for internal stakeholder consultation and decision-making on government affairs issues.

Develop comprehensive reporting systems to keep senior leadership informed of political developments and advocacy outcomes.

Lead cross-functional teams including legal, business development, operations, and communications on government-related initiatives.

Industry Leadership & Coalition Building
Represent TKO in industry associations, trade groups, and coalition activities related to entertainment and sports policy.

Build strategic alliances with other major entertainment companies on shared advocacy priorities.

Engage with venue operators, promoters, and industry stakeholders to advance collective interests.

Participate in industry conferences and policy forums to maintain TKO’s thought leadership position.

Develop and maintain relationships with key industry trade associations and their leadership.

You Have These:
Experience & Background:

Minimum 7+ years of government affairs experience with demonstrated success at both federal and state levels.

Proven track record in senior government affairs roles within sports, entertainment, media, or live events industries.

Extensive experience working across multiple industry verticals with ability to quickly understand complex business models.

Strong background in legislative advocacy, regulatory engagement, and policy development.

Experience managing government affairs functions and leading cross-functional initiatives.

Relationship Network & Political Acumen:

Established network of relationships with federal and state elected officials, senior staff, and agency leadership.

Deep understanding of federal and state political processes, legislative procedures, and regulatory frameworks.

Proven ability to navigate complex political environments and build bipartisan support for business priorities.

Experience working with lobbying firms, consultants, and coalition partners across multiple jurisdictions.

Strong reputation within government affairs community and industry peer networks.

Strategic & Operational Leadership:

Demonstrated strategic thinking ability with experience developing long-term advocacy strategies.

Strong operational skills with experience building and managing government affairs departments.

Proven ability to translate business objectives into effective government relations strategies.

Experience managing budgets, external consultants, and cross-functional project teams.

Track record of delivering measurable results and ROI from government affairs investments.

Communication & Stakeholder Management:

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with experience engaging C-level executives and government officials.

Strong presentation abilities with experience speaking at industry conferences and policy forums.

Proven ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholder groups with competing interests.

Experience managing crisis communications and sensitive political situations.

Ability to represent company interests while maintaining integrity and professional relationships.

We’d Love If You Also Have These:
Previous experience in senior government positions (Congressional staff, agency leadership, governor’s office, etc.).

Law degree or advanced degree in public policy, political science, or related field.

Experience with sports betting, gaming regulation, or entertainment licensing issues.

Background working with venue operations, event promotion, or content production regulatory matters.

Experience with international government affairs and trade policy issues.

Professional certifications in government affairs or lobbying.

Industry Knowledge Requirements:

Deep understanding of sports and entertainment industry dynamics, regulatory environment, and key policy issues.

Knowledge of state athletic commission structures and mixed martial arts/professional wrestling regulations.

Familiarity with content production regulations, intellectual property policy, and media industry issues.

Understanding of venue operations, event permitting, and local government approval processes.

Awareness of labor relations issues affecting entertainment and sports industries.

Travel & Work Requirements:

Position requires extensive travel (40-50%) for meetings with government officials, industry events, and strategic relationship building.

Regular evening and weekend commitments for political events, fundraisers, and industry functions.

Ability to respond quickly to rapidly changing political situations and legislative developments.

Must be able to obtain necessary security clearances and comply with lobbying registration requirements.

Flexibility to work across multiple time zones and coordinate with various TKO properties globally.

TKO EEO Statement:
TKO is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding non-discrimination in employment. TKO makes employment decisions based on merit and qualifications, without considering an employee’s or applicant’s race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited under federal, state or local laws governing non-discrimination in employment in every location in which the Company has facilities. TKO also provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and applicable state or local laws. For information about Privacy and Information Security for TKO employment candidates, please review our Privacy Policy. For information regarding Terms of Use for this and other TKO websites, please review our Terms of Use.

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