Director – Public Policy

Hi, we’re DuckDuckGo, the Internet privacy company for everyone who wants to take back their privacy now. For over a decade, we’ve been building our all-in-one product, developing new privacy technology, and working with policymakers to make online privacy simple and accessible for all.

Our app is now downloaded more than 75M times a year, and our private search engine packaged with it has become the #2 search engine on mobile in over 21 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany, and the Netherlands. Oh, and we’ve been profitable since 2014 with revenue currently exceeding $100 million a year! Now, we’re rolling out a suite of new privacy solutions, including Email Protection, App Tracking Protection and our first-ever Desktop Apps for Mac and Windows.

We’re looking for a Director of Public Policy to help shape our all-in-one privacy solution and join our mission to show the world that protecting your privacy online can be simple.

The Opportunity:

In this role, you’ll have the opportunity to help lead DuckDuckGo’s global public policy and advocacy initiatives, with a primary focus on the United States.

DuckDuckGo is an independent and significant player in one of the world’s most innovative and high-profile markets, putting you at the forefront of driving change and setting new industry-wide standards for fair competition, user empowerment, and privacy. Core responsibilities include long-term strategy development, coalition building, annual corporate donations, day-to-day policy matters, and representing DuckDuckGo externally.

In this role, you’ll find meaningful challenges that offer opportunities for both personal and professional growth, enabling you to make lasting impact on the future of the industry.

What You Will Bring to DuckDuckGo:

1. Ability to lead and collaborate on high-impact and complex projects from proposal through post-mortem, with the skills to wrangle vague problems, propose innovative solutions, and execute them with a strong focus on metrics.
2. Demonstrated success working with partners across other subject matter areas in support of cross-function and global programs.
3. Proven track record of developing and implementing effective legislative, regulatory, and public affairs strategies.
4. An ability to collaborate and lead projects that involve a wide range of external personalities, priorities, and interests, including industry colleagues, policymakers, staffers, academics, community leaders, advocacy groups, and internal executives.
5. Polish and ease. You’re comfortable speaking in front of a variety of audiences, from internal executives to large external gatherings.
6. High political acumen with a thorough understanding of the decision-making processes of the executive and legislative branches of government.
7. Experience working with elected and appointed officials as well as corporate executives.
8. Outstanding, proven, and exceptional interpersonal skills, with the ability to thrive in high-pressure, fast-paced, and nuanced environments while showcasing your ability to lead by example.
9. Strong executive writing, ability to communicate clearly and effectively at a high level across global teams.
10. Demonstrated orientation toward business growth.
11. Deep integrity, selfless attitude, and commitment to the team.
12. Dedication to an organized and detail-oriented approach and doing the work required to implement big ideas.
13. Experience in tech, search, browsing, and competition issues.

How We Will Support You:

Our core values — build trust, question assumptions, and validate direction — underpin how we work day-to-day and the support we give our team members. We strive to empower our team members to be self-directed and self-motivated in their work.

1. Remote First, Always: We’ve always been a fully distributed company with team members all over the world. We trust you to get your work done wherever, and whenever.
2. Commitment to Personal Growth: Every team member has an annual budget of $1,250 USD to invest in their professional development. For team members in designated leadership roles, we offer reimbursement for leadership coaching services. The reimbursement amount varies by professional level. Every team member also has a dedicated Career Advisor, who serves as a guide to help you develop your strengths, identify your motivations, and understand your opportunities for growth.
3. Leadership: We have many different types of leaders and possible combinations of leadership roles, so you can grow your career in a way that aligns best with your personal goals. You can seek additional leadership roles by being directly responsible for projects, taking ownership of areas of the company, developing and maintaining internal processes, or pursuing advisory roles.
4. Work/Life Balance: Team members have the freedom and flexibility to organize their own work schedules. We want you to thrive both in and out of the office. We trust you to use good judgment and take the time off that you need to bring your best self to work.

Compensation:

Annual compensation: $220,000 USD and stock options. Compensation is the same within a professional level, regardless of geographic location or functional area, and the compensation for each professional level is transparent across the organization.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion:

DuckDuckGo provides equal work opportunities to all team members and applicants, and it prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, caste, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by our policies or federal, state, or local laws.

We want to ensure that our hiring process is accessible. If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process because of a medical condition or disability, please send an email to c[email protected] to let us know the nature of your request.

If you think you might thrive in this environment, we would love to hear from you.

Please note that:

1. Sometimes we meet up! Expect to travel at least two times a year: once for our all-hands meetup and again for a team retreat (each around 4-5 days). While extenuating circumstances may impact attendance, everyone is strongly encouraged to attend.
2. While we offer a flexible work arrangement with no core hours, expect an average full-time commitment of 40 hours per week.
3. A successful candidate will be subject to a background check and must receive satisfactory results of the same, as a condition of joining the team.
4. By applying for this role, you confirm that all information submitted is accurate and complete. You further acknowledge that providing false or fraudulent information during the application process is cause for denial of an offer, revocation of any existing offer, or other adverse action, up to and including termination after the start of your commencement of work.

Apply now >