Senior Director, Government Affairs

The Role & What You'll Do

TKO Group Holdings is seeking a seasoned Senior Director of Government Affairs to lead our federal and state government relations strategy across our premier entertainment portfolio. This senior executive role requires a highly connected and strategic professional who can navigate complex political landscapes while advancing TKO's business interests through effective advocacy, relationship building, and policy engagement. The successful candidate will serve as TKO's primary interface with federal and state government officials, regulatory agencies, and key stakeholders, while building and executing comprehensive government affairs strategies that support our live entertainment, sports, and content production operations across all jurisdictions.

Strategic Government Relations Leadership

• Develop and execute comprehensive federal and state government affairs strategies aligned with TKO's business objectives and growth initiatives.
• Lead advocacy efforts on legislative and regulatory issues impacting sports entertainment, live events, content production, and venue operations.
• Identify emerging policy trends and regulatory changes that could affect TKO's business operations and competitive positioning.
• Create strategic frameworks for engaging with government stakeholders across multiple jurisdictions and issue areas.
• Build long-term advocacy strategies that support TKO's expansion plans and market development initiatives.

Federal Government Engagement

• Cultivate and maintain strategic relationships with Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and federal agency officials
• Lead TKO's engagement with relevant federal agencies.
• Coordinate with federal lobbying firms and consultants to maximize advocacy effectiveness
• Monitor federal legislation and regulations affecting entertainment, sports, media, and live events industries
• Represent TKO's interests in federal policy discussions and industry coalition activities

State Government Relations

• Build and maintain extensive network of relationships with governors, state legislators, agency heads, and key staff across priority states.
• Develop state-specific advocacy strategies tailored to local political dynamics and business environments.
• Lead engagement with state athletic commissions, entertainment licensing agencies, and economic development authorities.
• Coordinate multi-state advocacy campaigns on issues affecting TKO's operations and venue network.
• Manage relationships with state-based lobbying firms and government relations consultants.

Operational Excellence & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Build and manage high-performing government affairs function with appropriate staffing and resource allocation.
• Establish systematic processes for tracking legislative and regulatory developments across all relevant jurisdictions.
• Create efficient workflows for internal stakeholder consultation and decision-making on government affairs issues.
• Develop comprehensive reporting systems to keep senior leadership informed of political developments and advocacy outcomes.
• Lead cross-functional teams including legal, business development, operations, and communications on government-related initiatives.

Industry Leadership & Coalition Building

• Represent TKO in industry associations, trade groups, and coalition activities related to entertainment and sports policy.
• Build strategic alliances with other major entertainment companies on shared advocacy priorities.
• Engage with venue operators, promoters, and industry stakeholders to advance collective interests.
• Participate in industry conferences and policy forums to maintain TKO's thought leadership position.
• Develop and maintain relationships with key industry trade associations and their leadership.

You Have These:

• Minimum 7+ years of government affairs experience with demonstrated success at both federal and state levels
• Proven track record in senior government affairs roles within sports, entertainment, media, or live events industries
• Extensive experience working across multiple industry verticals with ability to quickly understand complex business models
• Strong background in legislative advocacy, regulatory engagement, and policy development
• Experience managing government affairs functions and leading cross-functional initiatives

Relationship Network & Political Acumen:

• Established network of relationships with federal and state elected officials, senior staff, and agency leadership.
• Deep understanding of federal and state political processes, legislative procedures, and regulatory frameworks
• Proven ability to navigate complex political environments and build bipartisan support for business priorities
• Experience working with lobbying firms, consultants, and coalition partners across multiple jurisdictions
• Strong reputation within government affairs community and industry peer networks

Strategic & Operational Leadership:

• Demonstrated strategic thinking ability with experience developing long-term advocacy strategies
• Strong operational skills with experience building and managing government affairs departments
• Proven ability to translate business objectives into effective government relations strategies
• Experience managing budgets, external consultants, and cross-functional project teams
• Track record of delivering measurable results and ROI from government affairs investments

Communication & Stakeholder Management:

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with experience engaging C-level executives and government officials
• Strong presentation abilities with experience speaking at industry conferences and policy forums
• Proven ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholder groups with competing interests
• Experience managing crisis communications and sensitive political situations
• Ability to represent company interests while maintaining integrity and professional relationships

We'd Love If You Also Have These:

• Previous experience in senior government positions (Congressional staff, agency leadership, governor's office, etc.)
• Law degree or advanced degree in public policy, political science, or related field.
• Experience with sports betting, gaming regulation, or entertainment licensing issues
• Background working with venue operations, event promotion, or content production regulatory matters
• Experience with international government affairs and trade policy issues
• Professional certifications in government affairs or lobbying

Industry Knowledge Requirements:

• Deep understanding of sports and entertainment industry dynamics, regulatory environment, and key policy issues
• Knowledge of state athletic commission structures and mixed martial arts/professional wrestling regulations
• Familiarity with content production regulations, intellectual property policy, and media industry issues
• Understanding of venue operations, event permitting, and local government approval processes
• Awareness of labor relations issues affecting entertainment and sports industries

Travel & Work Requirements:

• Position requires extensive travel (40-50%) for meetings with government officials, industry events, and strategic relationship building
• Regular evening and weekend commitments for political events, fundraisers, and industry functions
• Ability to respond quickly to rapidly changing political situations and legislative developments
• Must be able to obtain necessary security clearances and comply with lobbying registration requirements
• Flexibility to work across multiple time zones and coordinate with various TKO properties globally