Public Policy Senior Associate, West Africa AT Uber

Job description

About Uber 

Uber started out to solve a simple problem: the need to get a ride across town. Six years and one billion trips later, we’ve stumbled upon something a bit bigger: a new way to help tackle congestion—one of the most serious challenges cities face today. 

Using technology, Uber makes it quick and easy for people headed in the same direction at the same time to share their journey. It’s carpooling at the press of a button. And by getting more people into fewer cars we’ve proven you can reduce congestion and pollution overtime. uberPOOL in Los Angeles, for example, cut the number of kilometers driven across town by 12.7 million and carbon dioxide pollution by 1,400 metric tons in just eight months in Los Angeles. 

Longer term, we’re optimistic that smartphone apps like Uber can also offer a real alternative to individual car ownership. After all, if you can press a button and get an affordable ride across town in minutes, 24-hours a day, why bother to own a car? There is an alternative to a world that looks like a parking lot and moves like a traffic jam. We’re looking for smart, can do people who want to make that future possible. 

About Public Policy at Uber 

The reforms needed are relatively simple: the right for one citizen to drive another citizen across town so long as certain important consumer protections requirements are met. The idea is not all that radical. But in many cities outdated regulations are holding back progress —and in places where reform has been possible, entrenched interests often try to turn the clock back . 

Our public policy team is responsible for working with policy makers and third parties to make the positive case for change. That’s partly about building lasting relationships in the cities where we operate with politicians and their staff so they understand the benefits of this new model. It also about figuring out the best local regulatory framework and then developing campaigns to push reform through.

About this Role 

We are looking for someone work on our Government Affairs & Policy team in West Africa, based in Lagos. You will report directly to our Head of Public Policy, MEA. This role will involve: 

• Supporting Uber’s Government Affairs & Policy team in West Africa;
• Establishing Uber’s brand and profile with policy makers —including governments, third parties and academics ; and
• Working to ensure that the regulatory framework in every country supports ride sharing apps like Uber.

What We’re Looking For 

To succeed you’ll need to be: 

• A self starter : Uber is a company of entrepreneurs and we want to work with people who enjoy building things from the bottom up. Stuff changes fast in our world so you’ll need to be highly adaptable as well as calm under pressure.
• A great advocate : We’re looking to create new regulatory frameworks that encourage innovation and alternatives to individual car ownership. You’ll need the intellectual fire power to grasp complex policy issues as well as the ability to articulate clearly and simply how apps like Uber can help improve transportation for everyone —both orally and in writing .

• A strong campaigner : Smartphone apps are disruptive, and the interests being disrupted are deeply entrenched. So you’ll need to put together proactive campaigns involving passengers, drivers and third parties that demonstrate there’s a better alternative to today’s outdated status quo. That means having a bias for action in everything you do—and a willingness to engage in debates, that can often become heated.
• A team player: Success at Uber depends on the ability to organize different teams (internally and externally) around shared goals. It’s why we’re looking for well organized people who enjoy working with others to get stuff done—and who can deal with the ambiguity that sometimes comes from working cross-functionally.

Ideally you would have 5+ years in government affairs, but we’re open to people in other walks of life (e.g. the law, media, consultancy) that intuitively get this stuff and may be looking for a career change. Fluency in English, both oral and written, is essential. Fluency in French is a plus.

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