Senior Director, Government & Policy Advocacy, India

Job description

About This Opportunity: Reporting to the Head of Government & Policy Advocacy with a secondary reporting line to the Head of Market Area, the Senior Director, Government & Policy Advocacy (India) will play a critical leadership role in strengthening Ericsson’s insight, access and influence with senior policymakers, regulators, industry bodies and strategic stakeholders in India. This is a high-impact executive role at the intersection of technology, geopolitics, industrial strategy and business growth, focused on positioning Ericsson as a trusted strategic partner and domestic champion in one of the world’s most important digital markets. • The role will develop and execute a coherent India advocacy strategy aligned with Ericsson’s global priorities and local business objectives. It will help shape policy outcomes that support 5G and 6G leadership, spectrum availability and affordability, trusted and secure networks, open standards, digital transformation, mission-critical connectivity, enterprise growth and a fair, competitive environment for advanced communications infrastructure. • The Senior Director will serve as Ericsson’s senior GPA lead for India, working closely with country leadership, Market Area and Business Area colleagues, Group Functions, global GPA teams and external partners to translate political, regulatory and geopolitical developments into actionable business insight and effective advocacy. The Senior Director will also serve on the country Board of the main Ericsson legal entity in India. • The successful candidate will bring deep India policy expertise, strong senior-level relationships, excellent judgement and a sophisticated understanding of how technology policy, economic security, industrial policy and geopolitical alignment influence Ericsson’s ability to win, grow and lead in India. • This position will provide executive-level policy counsel, anticipate risks and opportunities, and lead advocacy initiatives that reinforce Ericsson’s reputation as a trusted technology leader, long-term investor and partner to India’s digital development ambitions. • The Senior Director will operate confidently in a complex matrix environment, aligning global policy positions with India-specific priorities and ensuring that Ericsson speaks with clarity, consistency and credibility across government, regulatory, customer and industry-facing engagements. • The role requires an enterprise leader who can shape the external environment, build durable institutional relationships, advise senior executives, and convert policy engagement into measurable business impact while maintaining the highest standards of integrity and compliance. What You will do: Main responsibilities are: • Lead Ericsson’s Government & Policy Advocacy agenda in India, acting as the senior policy interface for India-related priorities across GPA, Market Area and local leadership and global stakeholders. • Develop and execute an India advocacy plan that advances Ericsson’s strategic business objectives, including trusted networks, 5G standalone deployment, 6G readiness, spectrum policy, security and resilience, open standards, digital transformation and enterprise connectivity. • Build and maintain trusted relationships with senior government officials, regulators, policymakers, diplomatic stakeholders, trade associations, think tanks and industry partners. • Provide strategic counsel to Ericsson executives on India’s political, regulatory and geopolitical landscape, including risks, opportunities and implications for business decisions. • Shape and coordinate external engagement, policy submissions, executive briefings, stakeholder mapping, advocacy campaigns and thought leadership relevant to India. • Translate global Ericsson policy positions into locally compelling narratives that support India’s digital development priorities and Ericsson’s commercial goals. • Ensure professional integrity, sound judgement and full compliance in all interactions with government officials and external stakeholders. Leadership, mentoring & knowledge management • Act as an enterprise leader within the GPA community, mentoring colleagues, sharing India-specific insight, strengthening advocacy capability and helping connect market-level priorities with global policy strategy. • Lead a team of up to six GPA colleagues. Basic Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced degree strongly preferred in a relevant discipline such as law, political science, international relations, public policy, technology, economics, engineering or a related field. • 10+ years of senior experience in government affairs, public policy, regulatory affairs, corporate affairs, diplomacy or technology policy, preferably with significant exposure to the ICT, telecoms, digital infrastructure or strategic technology sectors in India. You Will Bring: Preferred Qualifications • Deep understanding of India’s policymaking, regulatory and institutional environment, including central government, regulators, relevant ministries, parliamentary processes, standards bodies and industry associations. • Proven ability to engage credibly and effectively with senior public-sector, industry and corporate stakeholders, including the ability to prepare executive briefings, simplify complex policy issues and persuasively communicate Ericsson’s position to varied audiences. • Outstanding judgement, discretion and personal integrity, with a strong reputation for ethical conduct, confidentiality and compliance in high-stakes government and policy environments. • Strong grasp of technology policy issues affecting Ericsson in India, including spectrum, network security, trusted vendors, standards, artificial intelligence, data governance, digital inclusion, industrial policy and investment incentives. • Ability to anticipate policy and geopolitical developments, assess business implications, prioritize competing issues and recommen