WE HELP THE WORLD RUN BETTER

At SAP, we enable you to bring out your best. Our company culture is focused on collaboration and a shared passion to help the world run better. How? We focus every day on building the foundation for tomorrow and creating a workplace that embraces differences, values flexibility, and is aligned to our purpose-driven and future-focused work. We offer a highly collaborative, caring team environment with a strong focus on learning and development, recognition for your individual contributions, and a variety of benefit options for you to choose from.

OVERVIEW

SAP America is seeking a strategic and dynamic Senior Manager to lead state and local government affairs across California and 17 Western U.S. states. This role, reporting to the Vice President, Head of U.S. Government Affairs, is pivotal in aligning public policy initiatives with SAP America’s business objectives, particularly within the State, Local, and Education (SLED) Public Services. The ideal candidate will serve as a trusted advisor to state public policymakers and government IT professionals, enabling sales opportunities, fostering relationships with government officials and advocating for policies that support innovation and digital transformation.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for an individual that will make a difference. This might be you if you meet the following criteria:

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in political science, public policy, law, or a related field.
• Minimum of 7-10 years in government affairs, public policy, business support, sales, consulting or related roles, with a focus on state and local government relations.
• Deep understanding of legislative, regulatory and government procurement processes at the state and local levels, particularly within the Western U.S. region.
• Exceptional communication, negotiation, and analytical skills. An ability to navigate complex political environments and build consensus among diverse stakeholders.
• This position requires the successful candidate to register as a lobbyist in accordance with the State of California and other U.S. state and local jurisdictions as required by law.
• Based in Sacramento, California, or the broader San Francisco Bay Area, with the ability to travel throughout state capitals located in the Western U.S. States as needed.
• Established network of relationships with state and local government officials within state and local jurisdictions throughout the U.S. Western region.
• Experience in the technology sector, particularly with enterprise software solutions.
• Proven track record of successfully influencing public policy to achieve business objectives.
• Strong ethical standards and adherence to compliance regulations.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a dynamic team environment.
• High level of self-motivation and customer focus, with an acute understanding of business drivers and principles.

• Develop and implement comprehensive government affairs strategies to advance SAP’s interests at the state and local governmental levels within the U.S. Western region.
• Monitor, analyze, and influence legislative and regulatory developments impacting SAP America’s operations, including areas such as IT modernization, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, privacy, cloud computing, sustainability, taxation, procurement, and supply chain management, among other issues.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with key state and local government officials, including governors, legislators, mayors, and regulators, to advocate for SAP’s policy positions and business objectives.
• Work closely with SAP’s SLED Public Services teams to identify potential sales pipeline opportunities and support the adoption of SAP solutions within public sector entities.
• Oversee and coordinate activities of external consultants and lobbyists in select jurisdictions to ensure alignment with SAP’s strategic goals.
• Ensure all lobbying activities comply with relevant state and local laws, including registration and reporting requirements, and adhere to SAP’s Code of Business Conduct.
• Represent SAP at industry conferences, trade associations, and public forums to promote the company’s role as a leader in technology solutions for the public sector.
• Prepare briefing materials, policy analyses, and presentations for SAP’s executive leadership to inform decision-making and strategic planning.