Head of Government Affairs Middle and Eastern Europe (f/m/d)

We help the world run better

At SAP, we enable you to bring out your best. Our company culture is focused on collaboration and a shared passion to help the world run better. How? We focus every day on building the foundation for tomorrow and creating a workplace that embraces differences, values flexibility, and is aligned to our purpose-driven and future-focused work. We offer a highly collaborative, caring team environment with a strong focus on learning and development, recognition for your individual contributions, and a variety of benefit options for you to choose from. 

WHAT YOU’LL DO

The Head of Government Affairs Middle and Eastern Europe (MEE) (f/m/d) is responsible for developing and implementing strategies to engage with government officials and regulatory agencies within the MEE region but primarily focused on Germany to perpetuate the interests and objectives of SAP. The job holder (f/m/d) acts as a trusted advisor in the region for the Global Head of Government Affairs and Corporate and Social Responsibility, among other internal stakeholders. A successful job holder /f/m/d) will anticipate and shape policies and regulations that can impact SAP’s business and operations, identify political and social developments that create value for the industry and brand in the region, as well as identify and cultivate business development opportunities, always aligned with SAP’s strategic goals and organization-wide leadership directives.

The role lays a solid and trusting foundation for SAP’s interactions with governments and builds and cultivates meaningful relationships with relevant political and societal networks to drive positive outcomes for the business in the region. This includes positioning SAP as a trusted advisor around strategic, issue-driven topics by leveraging internal and external initiatives for the business and the people of SAP. The role is responsible for demonstrating the vital role the private sector can play in driving innovation and fostering economic growth. The role reports to the Head of Government Affairs and Corporate Social Responsibility and leads a regional organization of approximately 8-10 highly qualified experts in government affairs.

Detailed Responsibilities

Business Support

• Actively position SAP innovations and solutions in the public sector and key industries via engagement with stakeholders.
• Support digital transformation agendas including cloud and AI adoption focused on the public sector by positioning SAP in agenda-setting phases.
• Advise internal organizations on properly navigating governmental structures and how policy may impact business units throughout the go-to-market cycles as well as via their business operations.
• Coordinate with relevant internal organizations to help shape, build, and executive effective development strategies within the public sector.

Policy and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as trusted advisor to public sector stakeholders, anticipating and identifying policies and regulations that can impact the company, including political and social developments that create value for the brand.
• Advocate for public policy that supports the SAP business model.
• Monitor politically influenced business risks and provide analyses to internal stakeholders for action.
• Advocate for technology and industry-supportive policies and regulations.
• Position SAP as an innovation partner and technology leader through content development and targeted outreach to stakeholder groups.
• Grow, maintain, and leverage extensive government and stakeholder networks.
• Liaise with governments and relevant authorities in times of crisis, i.e. Covid-19.
• Provide SAP internal clients with expert content and guidance for reaching and influencing key audiences within the public sector.
• Drive relevant content creation and public sector engagement campaigns.

WHAT YOU BRING

• 15+ years’ experience in government affairs, public policy, or related fields, with experience working in the tech industry preferred.
• Deep understanding of the political landscape, particularly in Germany, and regulatory processes in governments at various levels.
• Ability to navigate complex regulatory environments and advocate effectively on behalf of large, complex organizations.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Motivator of talent with proven experience leading high performing teams on a global scale with exemplary leadership trust and employee engagement results.
• German language skills on native speaker level, fluency in English

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Bring out your best

SAP innovations help more than four hundred thousand customers worldwide work together more efficiently and use business insight more effectively. Originally known for leadership in enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, SAP has evolved to become 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 two hundred million users and more than one hundred thousand employees worldwide, we are purpose-driven and future-focused, with a highly collaborative team ethic and commitment to personal development. Whether connecting global industries, people, or platforms, we help ensure every challenge gets the solution it deserves. At SAP, you can bring out your best.  

We win with inclusion

SAP’s culture of inclusion, focus on health and well-being, and flexible working models help ensure that everyone – regardless of background – feels included and can run at their best. At SAP, we believe we are made stronger by the unique capabilities and qualities that each person brings to our company, and we invest in our employees to inspire confidence and help everyone realize their full potential. We ultimately believe in unleashing all talent and creating a better and more equitable world.
SAP is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to the values of Equal Employment Opportunity and provide accessibility accommodations to applicants with physical and/or mental disabilities. If you are interested in applying for employment with SAP and are in need of accommodation or special assistance to navigate our website or to complete your application, please send an e-mail with your request to Recruiting Operations Team: Careers@sap.com.
For SAP employees: Only permanent roles are eligible for the SAP Employee Referral Program, according to the eligibility rules set in the SAP Referral Policy. Specific conditions may apply for roles in Vocational Training.

Requisition ID: 408170  | Work Area: Communication  | Expected Travel: 0 - 30%  | Career Status: Management  | Employment Type: Regular Full Time   | Additional Locations: #LI-Hybrid
 

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