Lead, Global External Affairs

cohere; United States; On-site; USD 220,000 - 330,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Weekly lunch stipend

Health and dental benefits

RRSP matching/401K

6 weeks paid vacation

Parental leave top-up

Education & learning stipend

Travel to other offices

Job summary

Cohere is seeking a Lead for Global External Affairs to shape the policy and external ecosystem for enterprise AI. You will build and direct the External Affairs function, engaging with think tanks, academia, civil society, and industry coalitions to amplify Cohere’s narrative around responsible AI.

You will collaborate across GAPP, Corporate Communications, Legal, and Go‑To‑Market teams to ensure external partnerships and investments drive measurable business impact and policy alignment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in external affairs, public policy or strategic partnerships, ideally in tech.
• Extensive network with think tanks, academia, civil society globally.
• Strong understanding of AI policy debates, data governance and model safety.

Responsibilities

• Define a global External Affairs strategy aligned with Cohere’s policy and commercial goals.
• Cultivate partnerships with policy think tanks, academic centers, civil society, NGOs.
• Drive third‑party validation through collaboration with experts and institutions.

Skills

External affairs leadership

Ecosystem networking

AI policy acumen

Strategic investment

Exceptional communication

Builder's mentality

Education

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Who are we?

Cohere is the leading security-first enterprise AI company. We build cutting‑edge foundation AI models and end‑to‑end products that are designed to solve real‑world business problems.

We’re training and deploying frontier models for enterprises who are building AI systems. We believe that our work is instrumental to the widespread adoption of AI and we are looking for folks that want to be part of that.

We obsess over what we build. Each one of us is responsible for contributing to increasing the capabilities of our models and the value they drive for our customers. Cohere is a team of researchers, engineers, designers, and more, who are all passionate about their craft.

We are a global technology company co‑headquartered in Toronto and San Francisco, with key offices in London, New York City, Montreal, Seoul, Germany and Paris. Join us!

Why this role?

Shaping the future of enterprise AI requires engaging beyond direct legislative advocacy. Leading technology and AI companies understand that long‑term policy success relies on building a robust ecosystem of third‑party validators, thought leaders, and strategic alliances.

As the Lead for Global External Affairs, you will build and direct this critical function within our Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) team. You will be responsible for defining how Cohere engages with the broader policy ecosystem, including think tanks, academic institutions, civil society organizations, and industry coalitions. As the function grows, you will also have the opportunity to scale the team around public affairs and policy narratives. Your work will ensure that Cohere's narrative around responsible, secure, and highly effective enterprise AI is validated, amplified, and understood by the most influential voices shaping global technology policy.

In this role you will:

• Define the Strategy: Build and execute a comprehensive global External Affairs strategy that aligns with and amplifies Cohere’s broader public policy and commercial objectives.
• Cultivate Strategic Partnerships: Identify, build, and manage deep relationships with leading technology policy think tanks, academic researchers, civil society organizations, and non‑governmental organizations (NGOs).
• Drive Third‑Party Validation: Partner with external experts and institutions to generate thought leadership, research, and independent validation of Cohere’s approach to enterprise AI, data privacy, and model safety.
• Manage Coalitions & Associations: Serve as Cohere's primary representative on key industry coalitions, trade associations, and multi‑stakeholder forums, ensuring our unique enterprise perspective shapes broader industry consensus.
• Align Internal Stakeholders: Work seamlessly across the GAPP, Corporate Communications, Legal, and Go‑To‑Market teams to ensure our external partnerships and investments are driving measurable impact for the business.
• Convene Key Voices: Organize and host high‑level roundtables, policy briefings, and summits that position Cohere as a central convener in the global AI policy debate.

You could be a great fit if you have…

• External Affairs Leadership: 10+ years of experience in external affairs, public policy, or strategic partnerships, ideally within a major technology company, leading trade association, or prominent policy institution.
• Deep Ecosystem Network: An extensive, active network of relationships across major think tanks, academic centers, and civil society organizations globally.
• Tech & AI Policy Acumen: A sophisticated understanding of the current global debates surrounding artificial intelligence, including data governance, safety, open‑source models, and enterprise adoption.
• Strategic Investment Mindset: Proven experience managing budgets for sponsorships, memberships, and grants, ensuring ROI and alignment with corporate policy goals.
• Exceptional Communication: The ability to persuasively articulate complex technical and policy narratives to highly influential external audiences.
• Builder's Mentality: A self‑starter who thrives on establishing a new function from the ground up, designing the operational workflows and strategies necessary for scale.

Nice to have (but not required):

• Advanced degree in Public Policy, International Relations, Law, or a related field.
• Experience navigating the specific nuances between consumer AI policy and enterprise/B2B AI policy.

Cohere is committed to fair and transparent pay practices. The salary range listed for this role reflects the expected base compensation. Actual compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level, job‑related knowledge, skills, education, and experience.

For candidates in the United States, the Compensation Range is: $220,000 – $330,000 USD

For candidates in Canada, the Compensation Range is: $250,000 – $375,000 CAD

Full‑Time Employees at Cohere enjoy these Perks:

• A weekly lunch stipend of $75/£75 or equivalent in your local currency for lunch.
• Full health and dental benefits, including a separate budget for mental health.
• RRSP matching, 401K, Pension Scheme.
• 100% Parental Leave top‑up for up to 6 months, for either parent.
• Annual enrichment benefits:

  Arts & culture, fitness/wellness, quality time, and a workspace improvement credit.

  Education & learning stipend for conferences, courses, and coaching.

• 6 weeks of paid vacation (30 working days!)
• Budget for traveling to other offices if you are remote, plus an annual company offsite.

How and Where We Work:

• Cohere is remote‑friendly. We have offices in Toronto, San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Montreal, and more coming soon.
• For those in the office: a daily lunch program, plenty of snacks, and regular community and social events.
• For those not near an office: a co‑working benefit so you can work alongside others in your city.
• Everyone receives a $500 home office stipend to set up your workspace properly.

We strive to create an inclusive work environment for all; we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to providing equal opportunities. Should you require any accommodations during the recruitment process, please submit an Accommodations Request Form, and we will work together to meet your needs.