Director, European and UK Public Policy

Whatnot is the largest live shopping platform in North America and Europe to buy, sell, and discover the things you love. We’re redefining e-commerce by blending community, shopping, and entertainment into a community just for you. As a remote co-located team, we’re inspired by innovation and anchored in our values. With hubs in the US, UK, Germany, Ireland, and Poland, we’re building the future of online marketplaces – together.

We are looking for an experienced public policy strategist and advocate to lead Whatnot’s public policy work across the EU and UK. You’ll create and execute Whatnot’s public policy and government engagement strategy, introduce Whatnot and live shopping to policymakers and external partners, and help shape the regulatory environment in which we operate.

You will work collaboratively with cross-functional colleagues across the business — including Legal, Communications, Product, Trust & Risk, Tax, and our Go-To-Market teams — to analyse proposed legislation and regulation, assess the impact on Whatnot, and develop and execute an appropriate response. This role is a great fit if you are energized by both big-picture strategy and hands-on execution. You are an avid storyteller who can communicate clearly in writing and in person, and you are excited about being part of the growth of live shopping and the future of commerce.

The Director, European Public Policy will report to the Head of Global Public Policy.

• Lead Whatnot’s advocacy across the EU and UK, articulating how Whatnot supports sellers and buyers in Europe and becoming an authoritative voice on live shopping and marketplace platforms.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key policymakers, regulators, and government officials, as well as with business associations, civil society organisations, and other third parties.
• Monitor and interpret policy and regulatory developments across the EU and UK, collaborating with teams across Whatnot to understand the impact on our product, operations, and sellers.
• Advise senior leadership on the implications of key policy and regulatory proposals, providing clear recommendations and framing trade-offs.
• Position Whatnot as a credible, constructive partner on topics such as e-commerce, shipping and customs, product safety, platform liability, and consumer protection.
• Manage and coordinate external consultants and advisors in Brussels, London and key European markets, ensuring they are aligned with Whatnot’s priorities and messaging.
• Collaborate closely with the Head of Global Public Policy and cross-functional partners to set priorities, refine narrative, and prepare for emerging issues.

We offer flexibility to work from home or from one of our global office hubs, and we value in-person time for planning, problem-solving, and connection. Team members in this role must live within commuting distance of our London, UK hub. Travel within Europe and periodic travel to the U.S. will be required.

As our Director, European Public Policy, you should have:

• 7+ years of public policy or government affairs experience with or in European institutions and national governments.
• Strong policy judgment and subject-matter fluency across issues relevant to Whatnot, with a clear sense of where risk is truly material, what’s just noise, and when and where to engage.
• Experience building and sustaining trusted relationships with policymakers, regulators, industry groups, and civil society — with either an existing network or the ability to build one quickly.
• Clear, effective written and oral communication skills and an instinct for reading subtext in complex policy debates and stakeholder conversations.
• Comfort moving seamlessly from defining strategy to executing it.
• A collaborative approach to driving outcomes, with experience partnering closely with Legal, Product, Comms, and external consultants.

Benefits include generous holiday and time off policy, health insurance options, work from home support, home office setup allowance, monthly allowances for cell phone and internet, care benefits, wellness allowance, childcare allowance, family planning benefits, retirement plans, and parental leave.

Whatnot is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value diversity, and we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability status, or any other status protected by local law.