Government Affairs Lead

Cohere; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 350,000 - 700,000; Full time

Job summary

Cohere is seeking a Government Affairs Lead for the Middle East to shape AI policy and digital transformation across the UAE, KSA, and Gulf states. You will build relationships with ministries and regulators, monitor policy developments, and drive Cohere's engagement strategy in public-sector initiatives.

The role requires 7+ years in government/public policy, strong English communication, and an entrepreneurial, cross-functional mindset to align policy with business objectives in a fast-growing

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in government, public policy, diplomacy, regulatory affairs, or leading industry associations.
• Strong understanding of the policymaking and public-sector landscape in UAE or Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with ability to cover both markets.
• Experience building trusted relationships with senior government officials and public-sector stakeholders.
• Familiarity with AI policy, digital transformation, innovation policy, cloud technologies, public procurement, or technology regulation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; Arabic proficiency desirable.
• Strong analytical skills with ability to translate policy developments into actionable recommendations.
• Collaborative mindset and ability to work across international, cross-functional teams across time zones.
• Entrepreneurial, self-starter mentality with stakeholder management and project execution skills.
• Passion for AI and emerging technologies and shaping policy for responsible adoption.
• Undergraduate degree in political science, international relations, public policy, law, business, economics, or related field.

Responsibilities

• Report to Head of EMEA Government Affairs & Public Policy and collaborate with senior leadership and cross-functional teams to develop the UAE and KSA strategy.
• Represent Cohere with ministries, regulators, public-sector bodies, and innovation agencies in the region.
• Monitor legislative and regulatory developments affecting AI, cloud, data governance, and digital infrastructure.
• Support policy advocacy through consultations, submissions, briefing materials, and talking points.
• Partner with sales and commercial teams to identify government market opportunities.
• Coordinate with communications to convey Cohere's stance on responsible AI and tech policy.
• Represent Cohere in industry groups, public-private partnerships, and policy forums in the Middle East.
• Develop relationships with external government affairs consultants and trade associations.
• Ensure all government engagement complies with local laws, regulations, and company policies.
• Contribute to regional government affairs initiatives across the GCC and cross-functional projects.

Skills

Policy strategy

Stakeholder management

English proficiency

Arabic proficiency

Analytical skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Public speaking

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in political science, international relations, public policy, law, business, economics, or related field

Job description

About the role

About the role We are building a Government Affairs and Public Policy GAPP team with the ambition and expertise to help shape one of the world s most dynamic environments for artificial intelligence and digital innovation As our Government Affairs Lead for the Middle East you will help establish and strengthen Cohere s presence across the United Arab Emirates the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf Coast countries ensuring the company s voice contributes to the development of AI policy digital transformation public-sector innovation procurement and economic diversification initiatives This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced government affairs professional who thrives at the intersection of government technology and public policy and who wants to help position Cohere as a trusted partner supporting the region s ambitions to become a global leader in artificial intelligence You will work alongside experienced policy leaders collaborate closely with senior executives and contribute directly to Cohere s strategic growth across two of the world s fastest-growing AI markets

Key responsibilities

• Report directly to Cohere s Head of EMEA Government Affairs amp Public Policy partnering closely with senior leadership legal public policy responsible AI communications and commercial teams to develop and execute Cohere s government affairs and stakeholder engagement strategy across the UAE and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
• Serve as Cohere s primary government affairs representative across the region building trusted relationships with ministries regulators government authorities public-sector organizations sovereign entities and innovation agencies
• Monitor and assess legislative regulatory and public policy developments affecting artificial intelligence cloud computing data governance cybersecurity digital infrastructure and emerging technologies across the region
• Support policy advocacy by developing consultation responses policy submissions briefing materials executive talking points and stakeholder engagement strategies related to AI regulation digital economy initiatives technology policy and public procurement
• Partner closely with commercial and public sector sales teams to support business development opportunities across government financial services telecommunications energy and other regulated industries
• Collaborate with communications marketing and public relations teams to ensure consistent and effective messaging regarding Cohere s approach to responsible AI innovation and technology policy
• Represent Cohere in industry associations public-private partnerships conferences and policy forums across the Middle East
• Develop and manage relationships with external government affairs consultants advisors and trade associations across the region
• Ensure all government engagement lobbying and political activities are conducted in full compliance with applicable local laws regulations and company policies
• Contribute to broader regional government affairs initiatives across the GCC and support cross-functional projects involving international stakeholders

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in government, a ministerial office, public policy, diplomacy, public-sector consulting, regulatory affairs, corporate government affairs, or a leading industry association.
• Strong understanding of the policymaking, regulatory, and public-sector landscape in either the United Arab Emirates or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, with the ability to quickly develop expertise across both markets.
• Experience building trusted relationships with senior government officials and public-sector stakeholders.
• Familiarity with AI policy, digital transformation, innovation policy, cloud technologies, public procurement, or technology regulation.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Professional proficiency in Arabic is highly desirable.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex policy developments into clear business implications and actionable recommendations.
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively across international, cross-functional teams spanning multiple time zones.
• An entrepreneurial, self-starter mentality with excellent stakeholder management and project execution skills.
• Passion for artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and the opportunity to help shape the policy environment supporting responsible AI adoption.
• An undergraduate degree in political science, international relations, public policy, law, business, economics, or a related field (or equivalent practical experience).

Preferred Qualifications

• Professional proficiency in Arabic.
• Existing relationships with government stakeholders in both the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
• Experience engaging with GCC institutions or regional organizations.
• Experience in enterprise software, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, or another emerging technology sector.
• Experience supporting government procurement, digital transformation, or national AI initiatives.