Director, Policy Communications — WhatsApp

WhatsApp serves 3 billion people and is built on three principles: simple, reliable, and private. The Director, Policy Communications leads WhatsApp's global communications on integrity, privacy, and public policy. This leader will build and tell the story of how WhatsApp protects users and society from harm while staying world-class on privacy. They will shape the narrative proactively and lead the response when issues arise. The role reports to the VP, WhatsApp Communications and sits on the WhatsApp Comms leadership team. Focus areas: Integrity: Explain WhatsApp's approach to safety on an end-to-end encrypted platform, including architecture-first harm prevention, user and admin controls, reporting, spam and scam enforcement, and elections integrity. Privacy: Champion WhatsApp's privacy-by-design positioning, covering E2EE, data minimization, privacy features, user disclosures, and privacy implications of new products such as AI, Channels, and business messaging. Policy: Drive communications on regulation and public policy around the world, including encryption debates, online safety laws, competition and interoperability, and government and regulatory engagement. AI: Drive communication around AI safety and integrity in our products.

Responsibilities

• Set and own the global policy comms strategy and annual plan, aligned to WhatsApp and Meta priorities.
• Build long-term narratives and campaigns on encryption, safety, and privacy through press, op-eds, executive thought leadership, reports, and third-party validators.
• Lead comms for integrity, privacy, and policy-sensitive launches from narrative through country rollout to measured results.
• Develop WhatsApp executives as credible voices with policymakers, media, civil society, and academics.
• Build relationships with top policy, tech, and privacy reporters, plus influential opinion-makers globally.
• Partner with Public Policy, Legal, Privacy, Integrity Product, and Marketing to anticipate regulatory moments and shape the environment ahead of them.
• Own issues and crisis comms strategy for integrity, privacy, and policy, and serve as the senior escalation point for SEV comms.
• Lead rapid response to regulatory actions, legislative developments, government demands, litigation, investigations, and critical coverage.
• Maintain scenario planning, reactive messaging, and playbooks for high-risk issues, such as encryption challenges, misinformation, scams, and data-protection inquiries.
• Counsel senior leaders and cross-functional partners on communications risk and the trade-offs in product and policy decisions.
• Lead, hire, and develop a team of managers and senior ICs.
• Sponsor talent beyond the team.
• Coordinate closely with international comms leads in EMEA, LATAM, APAC, and India, and with Meta corporate and policy comms.
• Represent WhatsApp Comms in cross-functional policy, legal, and integrity leadership forums.
• Bring AI-enabled ways of working to policy comms.

Minimum Qualifications

• 12+ years of communications experience in policy, regulatory, privacy, or issues/crisis communications, in tech, government, agency, or a related field
• Track record of leading high-stakes, global proactive campaigns and crisis response
• Deep understanding of technology policy, privacy, encryption, and online safety debates
• Experience managing and developing teams, including people managers
• Exceptional judgment, writing, and executive counsel skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in government, regulatory affairs, or policy communications in multiple regions
• Established relationships with tier-1 policy and tech media globally
• Experience with end-to-end encrypted or messaging products
• A strong, well-staffed team and trusted partnerships with Policy, Legal, and Integrity

$223,000/year to $287,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits