Head of European and UK Policy

About Whatnot

Whatnot is the largest livestream shopping platform in North America and Europe, enabling users to buy, sell, and discover items they love. We are building live commerce at an unprecedented scale in the West, defining a new industry. Our team is collaborative, driven by values, and operates across the US, UK, Ireland, Poland, Germany, and Australia. We prioritize rapid execution, user proximity, and impactful work.

Recognized as the #1 Best Startup Employer in America by Forbes, Whatnot is one of the fastest-growing marketplaces. Stay updated on our progress through our news and engineering blogs. Join us in empowering individuals to transform their passions into businesses and foster community through commerce.

Role Overview

Whatnot seeks an experienced policy leader to spearhead the development and refinement of our global policies and frameworks. This role focuses on trust and safety, marketplace integrity, and commerce, with a specific emphasis on Europe. You will be instrumental in defining how Whatnot safeguards buyers, supports sellers, and scales responsibly by creating clear, principled, and enduring policies.

This position is ideal for a builder who thrives in ambiguity and views uncharted territory as an opportunity for definition. You are motivated by novel challenges without existing playbooks or industry standards and are eager to shape approaches to complex trade-offs. Your strength lies in influencing outcomes through reasoned arguments and sound judgment.

Responsibilities

• Author and evolve global policies and frameworks covering commerce, buyer and seller protections, fraud, and trust and safety.
• Establish clear, principled boundaries in complex or ambiguous areas to enhance consistency and durability as the platform scales.
• Ensure tight alignment between policy design, operational enforcement, and user-facing guidance.
• Utilize data, trend analysis, and structured problem-solving to identify emerging risks, validate policy proposals, and assess downstream operational impact.
• Integrate a European perspective into global policy development by monitoring evolving trends and user expectations, proactively adapting frameworks for cultural nuances and reinforcing trust.
• Resolve escalated or ambiguous policy questions, offering principled recommendations and clearly articulating trade-offs to cross-functional teams and senior stakeholders.

We offer flexibility with remote work options or the use of our global office hubs. In-person collaboration is valued for planning, problem-solving, and team building. Team members in this role must reside within commuting distance of our Dublin, Ireland; London, UK; or Berlin, Germany hubs. Occasional travel to the U.S. will be required.

Candidate Profile

Successful Whatnot employees are adaptable, action-oriented, and genuinely invested in our mission. They prioritize outcomes over individual recognition and maintain close ties with the product and its users.

Qualifications

• Significant leadership experience in shaping Trust and Safety, Marketplace, or Platform Governance policy and frameworks within a technology or e-commerce company.
• Demonstrated strong policy judgment and comfort operating in ambiguous or rapidly evolving environments.
• 7+ years of experience working across multiple regions or markets, balancing consistency with local nuance.
• Proficiency in modern AI tools, including large language models, with practical experience applying them to policy development, analysis, and operational efficiency.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate policy rationale and trade-offs.
• A structured, systems-oriented approach to reducing ambiguity and enhancing governance clarity.

Benefits

• Generous Holiday and Time off Policy
• Health Insurance options including Medical, Dental, Vision
• Work From Home Support
• Home office setup allowance
• Monthly allowance for cell phone and internet
• Care benefits
• Monthly allowance for wellness
• Annual allowance towards Childcare
• Lifetime benefit for family planning (e.g., adoption, fertility expenses)
• Retirement: 401k with employer match (US) and international pension plans.
• Monthly allowance to use Whatnot as a buyer and seller (dogfooding).
• Parental Leave: 16 weeks paid leave with a one-month gradual return to work.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Whatnot is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, parental status, disability status, or any other protected characteristic under local law. We believe diverse perspectives enhance our work and company culture.

Compensation

€110K - €160K

Key skills/competency

• Policy Development
• Trust and Safety
• Marketplace Integrity
• E-commerce Policy
• European Policy
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder Management
• AI Tools
• Governance
• Cross-functional Collaboration