State and Local Affairs Lead, West

About the role

Anthropic’s mission is to create reliable, interpretable, and steerable AI systems that are safe and beneficial for users and society. The team comprises researchers, engineers, policy experts, and business leaders working together to build beneficial AI systems.

We are looking for a State and Local Affairs Lead to engage with state and local governments in the Western United States, advancing AI policy, legislation, and regulation that supports Anthropic's mission of ensuring the world safely makes the transition through transformative AI. In this role, you will report to Anthropic's Head of Western State and Local Affairs and coordinate with Policy leadership, Communications, and Legal teams. You will own Anthropic's relationships and legislative and regulatory work across many Western states, including a support role in California—engaging with state legislatures, governors' offices, attorneys general, state agencies, and local governments. You will travel regularly across the region.

Successful candidates will demonstrate a track record of political strategy and execution—with specific examples of contributing to complex policy campaigns, building durable relationships with elected officials and community leaders, supporting legislative and regulatory outcomes, and executing with accountability and focus in fast-moving environments. Anthropic operates as equal parts research lab, policy think-tank, and technology startup, approaching AI policy through honest assessment of technological trajectories and authentic concern for safe scaling. This role offers an opportunity to build a high-impact state affairs operation at a critical moment for AI policy.

Responsibilities

• Serve as Anthropic's lead for state and local government affairs across many Western states, working in close coordination with the Head of Western States and other Regional State and Local Affairs Leads
• Build and maintain relationships with state legislators, legislative staff, governors' offices, attorneys general, and state agency leaders across the region
• Engage directly with local officials whose decisions affect Anthropic's work—mayors, city councils, county commissions, and economic development boards
• Track state and local legislation and regulatory proceedings affecting AI and the technology sector, provide analysis and intelligence to inform company strategy, and represent Anthropic's positions
• Build durable partnerships with local and regional organizations, including 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 who are skeptical of AI
• Work with the Communications team 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 the outside advisors and registered lobbyists who support Anthropic's work in the region
• Coordinate with Anthropic's policy, communications, legal, and executive teams to ensure regional activity aligns with company-wide positioning

Requirements

• Align with Anthropic's mission and embrace the imperative of policy impact and change
• Experience in state and local government affairs, political strategy, or legislative roles, with demonstrated success contributing to legislative and regulatory outcomes
• Existing relationships with state and local leaders in the West, including legislators, governors' offices, attorneys general, or county and municipal officials
• Understanding of how state legislatures and executive branches work—committee processes, legislative and regulatory procedures, and how to move policy forward—and where local authority begins and ends
• Track record of executing on strategic objectives and delivering measurable outcomes in government affairs roles
• Prepared to travel regularly across the region
• Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and/or experience in a field relevant to the role as demonstrated through coursework, training, or professional experience

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in state and local government affairs, political strategy, or legislative roles
• Experience building partnerships with external organizations including chambers of commerce, economic development groups, labor organizations, and universities
• Exposure to technology policy or emerging technology regulation; understanding of the unique challenges of navigating policy for rapidly evolving technologies
• Demonstrated understanding of how to build coalitions and identify aligned constituencies to advance shared objectives
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholder relationships across different states and adapt to different political environments
• Ability to work well under time pressure and manage competing demands
• Ability to translate complex technical topics into clear, accessible language for policymakers and residents alike
• Experience working with communications teams to develop effective messaging for policy campaigns
• Comfort being honest about tradeoffs, including in rooms where people disagree
• Drawn to working with an organization that approaches AI policy with intensity and intellectual honesty

Pay

Annual Salary: $230,000—$265,000 USD

Schedule

Location-based hybrid policy: currently all staff are expected to be in one of Anthropic's offices at least 25% of the time; some roles may require more time in offices. Visa sponsorship is available—Anthropic retains an immigration lawyer to assist, though not every role and candidate can be successfully sponsored.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits
• Optional equity donation matching
• Generous vacation and parental leave
• Flexible working hours
• Office space in San Francisco for collaboration