Director Public Policy & Government Affairs

talabat; Dubai Emirate; On-site; AED 520,000 - 760,000; Full time

Job summary

talabat, part of the Delivery Hero Group, seeks a Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs to lead regulatory and government engagement across GCC and MENA markets. You will drive policy strategy and position talabat as a credible partner to regulators, reporting to senior leadership.

The role combines external influence, policy strategy, and internal leadership with direct exposure to C-suite decision-making. Fluency in English and Arabic is mandatory.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in public policy, government affairs, regulatory strategy, or related leadership.
• Proven success influencing policy or regulatory outcomes in GCC/MENA.
• Hands-on experience engaging ministers, regulators, and competition authorities.
• Background in highly regulated sectors such as tech platforms, telecoms or energy.
• Strong understanding of how regulation affects growth, margins and investor confidence.
• Executive presence with the judgement to operate in politically sensitive environments.
• Experience working with multinational or regional businesses is a plus.
• Fluency in English and Arabic, written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Lead engagement with government entities, regulators, and public sector stakeholders across GCC/MENA.
• Shape and influence policy and regulatory frameworks impacting competition, platform regulation, and labour models.
• Develop and execute policy and advocacy strategies aligned with talabat’s priorities.
• Represent talabat in industry associations, councils, and working groups.
• Anticipate regulatory and political risks; advise senior leadership on timing and impact.
• Support crisis response and regulatory escalations that affect operations.
• Partner with Communications, Legal, Operations, Finance, and Strategy teams.
• Act as internal centre of excellence for government engagement and public policy standards.

Skills

Policy leadership

Regulatory strategy

Government relations

Stakeholder engagement

C-suite liaison

Arabic & English fluency

GCC/MENA experience

Job description

talabat is part of the Delivery Hero Group, the world’s pioneering local delivery platform, our mission is to deliver an amazing experience—fast, easy, and to your door. We operate in over 70+ countries worldwide. Headquartered in Berlin, Germany. Delivery Hero has been listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange since 2017 and is part of the MDAX stock market index.

Job Description

We are hiring a Director of Public Policy & Government Affairs to lead talabat’s regulatory and government engagement across priority GCC and MENA markets.

This is a senior leadership role for a policy professional with a proven track record of influencing regulatory outcomes in complex, highly regulated environments. You will work closely with senior leadership to anticipate policy risk, shape government frameworks, and position talabat as a credible, long-term partner to regulators and public institutions. The role combines external influence, policy strategy, and internal leadership, with direct exposure to C-suite decision-making.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead engagement with government entities, regulators, competition authorities, and public sector stakeholders across the region.
• Shape and influence policy and regulatory frameworks impacting:
  • competition and pricing
  • platform regulation
  • labour and workforce models
  • consumer protection
  • digital, data, and sustainability policy
• Develop and execute policy and advocacy strategies aligned with business priorities.
• Represent talabat in industry associations, councils, and working groups.
• Anticipate regulatory and political risks; advise senior leadership on timing, likelihood, and impact.
• Support crisis response and regulatory escalations that affect operations.
• Partner closely with Communications, Legal, Operations, Finance, and Strategy teams.
• Act as an internal centre of excellence for government engagement and public policy standards.
• Coach and guide market teams on effective and compliant government relations.
  

Qualifications

Preferred candidates will be:

• 10+ years’ experience in public policy, government affairs, regulatory strategy, or public sector. leadership
• Demonstrated success influencing policy or regulatory outcomes in the GCC and/or wider MENA region.
• Hands‑on experience engaging with ministers, regulators, senior civil servants, and competition authorities.
• Background in highly regulated sectors (technology platforms, telecoms, mobility, energy, financial services, or similar).
• Strong understanding of how regulation impacts growth, margins, market structure, and investor confidence.
• Credible, discreet, and trusted at senior levels, with the judgement to operate in politically sensitive environments.
• Executive presence, clear communication style, and the confidence to challenge constructively.
• Experience working in or alongside multinational or regional businesses is a strong advantage.
• Fluency in verbal and written English and Arabic is mandatory.