Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager

Employment Type: Full-time

Position Overview

Waabi, founded by AI pioneer and visionary Raquel Urtasun, is an AI company building the next generation of self-driving technology. With a world-class team and an innovative approach that unleashes the power of AI to “drive” safely in the real world, Waabi is bringing the promise of self-driving closer to commercialization than ever before. Waabi is backed by best-in-class investors across the technology, logistics and the Canadian innovation ecosystem.

With offices in Toronto, San Francisco, Dallas, and Pittsburgh, Waabi is growing quickly and looking for diverse, innovative and collaborative candidates who want to impact the world in a positive way.

Waabi’s Policy and Public Affairs team is expanding its footprint to support our company’s growing success in key regions. As the Senior Policy and Public Affairs Manager, you will be responsible for supporting the company’s mission in Texas, and across the Sun Belt. You will be the primary point of contact with state and local officials in this area, responsible for working with a diverse ecosystem of stakeholders to expand public trust and understanding of Waabi’s technology. You will lead regulatory, legislative, and public affairs projects that are key to the company’s future.

Responsibilities

• Lead Waabi’s engagement with lawmakers, regulators, safety officials, and a wide variety of ecosystem stakeholders across the southern US, with a significant focus on Texas.
• Track and influence relevant legislation and regulations.
• Build relationships with local elected officials, and serve as a public voice for Waabi at conferences and other public events.
• Work collaboratively with other AV developers, business partners, and industry stakeholders.
• Apply your knowledge of advanced technology or transportation policy to build trust in our product, and ensure a responsible regulation framework is in place for Waabi’s autonomous technology.
• Think outside-the-box and be excited to help address the biggest issues facing the autonomous vehicle industry.
• Be a team-player, who prioritizes trust, transparency, and honesty, and knows there is no project too small or too large for you.

Qualifications

• 7-10 years of experience in government relations, public policy, or public affairs.
• Degree in political science, sociology, economics, or related field.
• Experience in transportation and/or advanced technology issues.
• Ability to analyze complex policy problems, communicate clearly and efficiently, and build high-level governmental relationships.
• Solid track record of analyzing legislation and regulations, writing regulatory comments, speaking publicly, building coalitions, and developing and executing policy programming.
• Strong relationships across the Texas political landscape, including legislators, regulators, and/or local officials.
• Passionate about self-driving technologies, solving hard problems, and creating innovative policy solutions.
• Preference: Based out of Dallas or Austin.

Bonus/Nice to Have

• Deep knowledge of trucking, logistics, and/or autonomous vehicle policy.
• Experience working on high profile public affairs or legislative campaigns in a fast-moving environment.
• Familiarity with the logistics and/or automotive stakeholders across Texas and the Sun Belt.
• Strong understanding of automotive safety.

Company Information

Waabi is an AI company building the next generation of self-driving technology. Our testing and operations are run out of our purpose-built autonomous trucking facility in Lancaster, Texas. This facility serves as our primary hub for all of Waabi’s testing and commercial operations in the U.S. We believe that honesty, transparency, an unwavering commitment to safety, and cutting-edge technological innovation are the keys to building a truly successful self-driving solution.

Learn more at: www.waabi.ai

Perks/Benefits

• Competitive compensation and equity awards.
• Health and Wellness benefits encompassing Medical, Dental and Vision coverage (for full-time employees).