Director of Government Affairs

We have an exciting opportunity for a Director of Government Affairs at UL Standards & Engagement. This is a hybrid opportunity based in our Washington, DC office. 

The Director of Government Affairs will oversee the organization’s government relations and public policy strategy to advance the mission of UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE) to make the world safer, more secure, and more sustainable. The Director of Government Affairs will drive ULSE’s policy agenda and government engagement with key policymakers, partners, standards developers, and industry leaders. With a strong understanding of the legislative and regulatory processes, the Director will identify opportunities for the organization to shape and influence public policy and advocacy. 

Reporting directly to the VP Government Relations & Partnerships, the Director will deepen awareness and understanding of ULSE and the impact of its standards. As a people leader, the Director of Government Affairs will lead and mentor a high-performing team that will advance public policy objectives. 

UL Standards & Engagement: 

At UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge. 

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Standards teams who develop the standards required to put that knowledge into practice. 

What you’ll learn and achieve: 

As the Director of Government Affairs, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you: 

• Direct and execute ULSE’s government affairs strategy, including setting policy priorities and leading stakeholder engagement efforts with policymakers, agencies and government audiences. 

• Identify opportunities to shape legislation, regulation, and policy initiatives aligned with ULSE’s mission and expertise at the federal, state, and local levels. Serve as advisor to executive leadership, providing insights and recommendations to inform engagement and advocacy strategy. 

• Build and maintain strong relationships with policymakers, regulatory bodies, government agencies, industry associations, and advocacy groups. 

• Strengthen ULSE’s visibility, influence, and impact by engaging influential stakeholders and advancing advocacy initiatives. 

• Proactively identify and facilitate meetings between ULSE and senior external stakeholders or government officials. 

• Support the management and coordination of external government relations (GR) firms and consultants to ensure alignment with organizational objectives and advocacy strategies. 

• Collaborate with the Chief Legal Officer to coordinate government engagement opportunities with UL Research Institutes (ULRI), ensuring alignment on government related initiatives and objectives. 

• Ensure project activities comply with organizational processes, including data entry, project tracking, and adherence to intellectual property guidelines. 

• Independently manage workload, meet deadlines, and contribute to shared team goals through clear communication and accountability. 

• Develop and lead high performing team. Cultivate collaborative environment to ensure team’s success in effective execution of strategic activities. 

• Maintain continued awareness of industry trends and external context, offering insight to inform strategic decisions and direction of the ULSE organization. Continuously monitor, analyze, and report on legislative and regulatory developments that may impact ULSE. 

What you’ll experience working at UL Standards & Engagement: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do. 

• People: Our people make us special. You’ll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today’s global challenges require. 

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what’s on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You’ll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good. 

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.  

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive. 

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days. 

What makes you a great fit: 

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes: 

• Broad expertise in legislative processes, regulatory frameworks and administrative rulemaking. Demonstrated success in stakeholder engagement, coalition building, and navigating complex technical or standards based issues in a policy context. 

• Ability to analyze and interpret complex policy and regulatory documents, translating implications into clear, strategic recommendations and proposing language that advances the organization’s objectives. 

• Established leader, able to set strategic direction, interpret, support, and execute organizational strategy while effectively translating objectives into actionable plans and driving successful execution. 

• Exceptional people leadership skills, with ability to develop high performing teams. Experience setting expectations while establishing and operationalizing clear goals and enforcing accountability for both processes and results. 

• Excellent communicator and presenter, skilled in conflict mediation, negotiation and influencing diverse stakeholders. Proven capability in establishing effective relationships with others, including senior leaders and external stakeholders. 

• Experience fostering collaboration and partnership with cross functional teams to develop solutions with broad impact. 

• Strong analytical skills with ability to innovate and adapt in a dynamic industry landscape. 

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include: 

• Bachelors Degree Required. Advanced degree preferred. 

• Minimum 10 years of related work experience. 

• Federal, state, and local government relations experience strongly preferred. 

• Prior experience working with or in trade associations, public policy, regulatory environment, safety standards, nonprofit, or mission-driven organizations preferred. 

• Subject-matter expertise in at least one area related to products, safety, engineering, and/or sustainability is preferred. 

• Experience leading teams and driving accountability for results 

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement 

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summit of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.  

Our affiliate, UL Solutions, stands alongside us in working for a safer and more sustainable world.  UL Solutions conducts testing, verification and certification, and provides training and advisory services, along with data-driven reporting and decision-making tools, for customers around the world. 

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.