Manager, Government Affairs & Public Policy - Japan

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 headquartered in Toronto with key offices in London, New York City, San Francisco, Montreal, Paris, Berlin and Seoul. Join us!

Why this role?

Cohere is a fast-growing company in the extremely dynamic artificial intelligence space. We are building a Government Affairs and Public Policy (GAPP) team that has the drive and experience to engage in and shape a nascent and unique policy environment for enterprise AI.

We seek a Government Affairs professional to lead our Japan government affairs strategy. Candidates will have a proven track record, are analytical, collaborative, driven, and possess a passion for digging deep into the new and evolving public policy debate at the intersection of enterprise technology and artificial intelligence.

There is no better time to join us in building this function as we shape the future of AI in Japan and across the region.

As our Manager of Government Affairs & Public Policy, Japan you will:

• Lead Japan Advocacy: Partner closely with Cohere’s senior leadership, legal, public policy, and responsible AI teams to develop, coordinate, and implement a government affairs strategy across national, prefectural, and municipal levels in Japan.

• Dig Deep on AI Policy: Serve as the internal and external expert on Japan’s AI policy while monitoring key regulatory shifts. You will proactively report on trends and work with cross-functional teams to craft thoughtful responses to governmental initiatives, regulatory issues, and legislative drafts that impact Cohere’s business.

• Bridge the Corporate and Political: Leverage your dual experience in both the political and corporate spheres to translate technical and business objectives into effective policy advocacy.

• Cultivate Key Relationships: Guide and coordinate Cohere’s political engagement by cultivating deep relationships and representing the company with key lawmakers, regulators, and trade bodies.

• Support Strategic Growth: Work closely with public sector sales teams in shaping technology and procurement policies in regulated sectors, ensuring Cohere is a trusted resource and partner for government stakeholders.

• Manage External Partners: Direct government relations consultants and trade associations in Japan.

• Ensure Compliance: Oversee compliance of all lobbying and political activities with relevant laws.

You may be a good fit for this career opportunity, if you have:

• Native fluency in Japanese and English.

• Political & Corporate Experience: 10 to 12+ years of proven leadership experience blending corporate government affairs roles within the technology sector and direct political or government experience.

• Deep AI Policy Expertise: Exceptional ability to dig deep on artificial intelligence policy, its applications and its risks, with a proven track record of shaping relevant tech policies and regulations.

• National Security & Regulated Industries Background: Prior experience in or working closely with the defense sector, cybersecurity or national security apparatus is highly preferred given the strategic importance of AI to these fields. Experience working with regulated industries is also preferred.

• Procurement Experience: Proven experience su...