The posting
Position Summary The Manager of Public Affairs, European Union (EU) is responsible for leading Kidde’s engagement with EU institutions, governments, regulatory bodies, and relevant industry and community stakeholders. This position will develop and execute strategies to advance the company's priorities in fire and life-safety products within European legislative, regulatory, public policy, and industry association environments. The role serves as a key point of contact with policymakers, regulators, industry associations, coalitions, and other external stakeholders to ensure the company's interests are effectively represented and to support policies that advance public safety and organizational growth. Responsibilities: Strategic Engagement
Develop and manage strategies for engagement with European Union institutions, including the European Commission, European Parliament, and Council of the European Union, as well as relevant national governments and regulatory authorities. Monitor EU and European legislative, regulatory, and public policy developments impacting fire and life-safety products; assess potential impacts on business operations, technologies, certifications, market access, and product requirements. Align European public affairs priorities with company objectives and broader government relations strategies. Identify emerging policy issues and opportunities for engagement and develop appropriate strategies for proactive participation.
Advocacy
Represent the organization in meetings with EU and national policymakers, regulators, and key external stakeholders. Establish and maintain strong working relationships with policymakers, regulatory officials, coalitions, community organizations, and other partners. Advocate for policies that advance public safety, support sound regulatory outcomes, and contribute to organizational growth. Support the development and delivery of policy positions, testimony, briefing materials, consultation responses, and other advocacy materials.
Industry & Community Relations
Build and maintain strong relationships with trade associations, standards organizations, industry coalitions, and other stakeholders relevant to fire, gas detection, and life-safety. Serve as a liaison with key industry associations, including the European Fire Safety Alliance (EUFSA) and the Council of Gas Detection and Environmental Monitoring (CoGDEM) EU. Represent the company in industry forums, working groups, conferences, consultations, and other stakeholder engagements to shape policy and regulatory discussions. Partner with industry peers to identify common priorities and advance collective advocacy efforts. Ensure industry perspectives and partnerships are integrated into company public affairs strategies. Develop relationships with relevant community and public-interest organizations to support awareness of fire and life-safety issues and build broader support for public safety priorities. Identify opportunities for the company to participate in European public education, awareness, and community engagement initiatives.
Collaboration and Alignment
Work closely with internal teams, including Engineering, Product Compliance, Communications, Marketing, Legal, and other relevant functions, to ensure European policy and regulatory positions reflect company objectives. Support internal leadership with policy analyses, briefings, and preparation of advocacy materials. Provide internal updates, training, and guidance on European public policy, regulatory issues, and industry developments.
Project Oversight
Track and coordinate EU legislative processes, consultations, hearings, regulatory proceedings, and other policy developments relevant to the organization. Oversee preparation and submission of consultation responses, comment letters, testimony, and other required documentation. Maintain a forward calendar of key European legislative and regulatory milestones to prioritize engagement.
Compliance and Risk Management
Identify and evaluate potential risks arising from evolving EU and European policies, legislation, regulations, standards, and industry initiatives. Develop strategies to mitigate risks and ensure awareness of applicable European requirements. Provide guidance to compliance, quality, and legal teams on European policy and regulatory developments.
Required Skills:
Strong knowledge of European Union public policy, legislative processes, regulatory systems, and/or public affairs. Demonstrated success engaging with industry associations, trade groups, coalitions, policymakers, regulators, or community stakeholders. Proven track record in government relations, public affairs, public policy, advocacy, community engagement, or a related field. Excellent communication, negotiation, relationship-building, and stakeholder engagement skills. Ability to manage complex policy and regulatory issues with strategic insight. Strong organizational and project management capabilities. Ability to collaborate effectively across diverse internal functions and represent the company with credibility. Strong financial acumen and ability to manage budgets with accuracy and accountability.
Qualifications:
University degree, or equivalent European-level qualification, in public policy, political science, government, law, communications, international relations, or a related field preferred. Minimum of 5–7 years of experience in public affairs, government relations, public policy, advocacy, community engagement, or a related field, with demonstrated success in stakeholder engagement. Experience working with European Union institutions, national governments, regulatory agencies, industry associations, or other relevant European stakeholders strongly preferred. Established relationships with EU policymakers, regulatory authorities, industry associations, or relevant stakeholder organizations strongly desired. Candidates residing in Poland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, or the United Kingdom are preferred. A background in the fire industry or life-safety is not required. Strong candidates will demonstrate relevant public policy, public affairs, stakeholder relations, and/or community engagement experience and the ability to quickly learn the company's industry and products. Willingness to travel as required to support engagement across Europe.
