Hybrid Director, Safety Policy

at Discord

• Job title: Director, Safety Policy
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: $280,000 - $315,000 per year
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Location requirements: Hybrid, San Francisco, United States

About the role

• Director of Safety Policy leading user safety policy development for Discord's products and experiences. Combining policy expertise with ML/AI to enhance platform governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead Policy Development: Own the creation, iteration, and maintenance of Discord's core safety policies, including Community Guidelines and recommendations policies. Develop policy frameworks that balance user safety, freedom of expression, and operational feasibility while reflecting Discord's unique identity as a communications platform purpose-built for people who play games with their friends.
• Leverage ML & AI for Policy Innovation: Use LLMs and other AI technologies to develop, test, and iterate on policy language, enforcement criteria, and operational workflows. Build scalable approaches to policy development that combine human expertise with machine intelligence. Experiment with novel approaches to policy creation.
• Build and Lead a High-Performing Team: Manage, mentor, and grow a team of policy experts who are passionate about user safety and platform integrity. Foster a culture of rigorous thinking, creative problem-solving, and continuous learning. Develop future leaders who can navigate complex policy challenges with both empathy and analytical precision.
• Bridge Policy and Operations: Partner with Trust & Safety teams to ensure policies can be enforced consistently at scale. Co-create enforcement guidance, standard operating procedures, and training materials. Build feedback loops that help policy evolve based on operational reality and emerging harms.
• Navigate the Regulatory Landscape: Translate requirements from global regulations (DSA, Online Safety Act, platform-specific legislation) into actionable policy frameworks. Work with Legal and Platform Compliance teams to ensure Discord's policies meet regulatory obligations while preserving user experience. Anticipate regulatory trends and proactively position Discord's policy approach for future requirements.
• Support Product Teams: Advise product teams on safety risks and policy implications for new features and experiences. Develop frameworks for responsible product development that help teams move quickly while building safety in from the start. Provide clear guidance on policy boundaries and escalation paths for edge cases.
• Drive Thought Leadership: Represent Discord's policy approach externally through industry forums, academic partnerships, press, and civil society engagement. Contribute to advancing industry best practices in content moderation and platform governance. Build Discord's reputation as a leader in thoughtful, evidence-based policy development.

Requirements

• 10+ years of experience in trust & safety policy development, content moderation, or platform governance at a global technology company, with demonstrated progression to leadership roles
• Team management experience: 3+ years leading policy teams of 5+ people, with proven ability to hire, develop, and retain top talent in a fast-paced environment
• Regulatory expertise: Direct experience developing policies in response to platform regulations (DSA, UK Online Safety Act, Take it Down Act, or similar frameworks). Deep understanding of how regulatory requirements translate into operational reality.
• ML for content moderation: Hands-on experience using machine learning systems for content moderation, policy enforcement, or risk assessment. Understanding of how ML models work, their limitations, and how to evaluate their performance in safety contexts.
• LLM fluency: Demonstrated ability to use LLMs and generative AI tools to enhance policy development workflows. Experience could include using LLMs for policy drafting, scenario generation, development of enforcement criteria, creation of training materials, or workflow optimization.
• Cross-functional partnership: Track record of working effectively with diverse stakeholders, including Legal, Engineering, Product, Operations, and Executive teams. Ability to translate between policy principles and technical requirements.
• Analytical rigor: Strong ability to use data, research, and evidence to inform policy decisions. Experience with A/B testing, pilot programs, or other methods for evaluating policy effectiveness.
• Exceptional communication: Ability to explain complex policy concepts clearly to diverse audiences, from front-line moderators to C-suite executives. Experience writing policies, guidance documents, and user-facing communications.

Benefits

• equity + benefits