EMEA Regulatory Lead - Drones

About the Team

We're building drone delivery for the long term. We already operate certified drone programmes in the US, and we’re now taking that to Europe and the Middle East, working closely with Deliveroo’s operations, policy and go-to-market teams. If you want to help decide how autonomous aviation gets approved and scaled in new markets, we want to talk to you.

About the Role

As the EMEA Regulatory Lead, you will be the face of drone delivery to aviation regulators in the UK, the EU and the Middle East. Regulation here is built on relationships and trust as much as paperwork, and you’ll be the person who builds both. You’ll set the regulatory strategy, steer a specialist consultant team through permits and operational approvals, and shape how a new category of aircraft operation is approved in major markets.

This is a new role. Consultants are already working on approvals to fly. You’ll take over those relationships and that workstream, and build the in-region regulatory function from the ground up. You’ll report to DoorDash's Drones Regulatory and Policy Lead in the US, and work alongside the operations team based at Deliveroo’s London office.

What You’ll Do Day to Day

Own the Regulator Relationships:

• Be the primary point of contact for the UK CAA, the Irish Aviation Authority, EASA and national authorities, and other regulators.
• Meet regulators directly to explain our concept of operations, technology and safety case, and build the trust needed to unlock new markets and capabilities.
• Advocate for policy changes that address authorities’ concerns while enabling scalable, risk-proportionate deployment beyond trials and demonstrations.

Drive Approvals:

• Own SORA-style application packages end to end, pulling technical, safety and operational input from engineering, product, safety and operations into complete submissions, and driving them through approval.
• Manage the consultants who do the groundwork on permits and operational approvals, including scope, timelines and quality.
• Help sequence target markets and capabilities based on regulatory feasibility, timeline and risk, so expansion decisions rest on regulatory reality. 
• Support the permit push once the launch aircraft is confirmed.

Shape Strategy and Policy:

• Partner with DoorDash leadership on international deployment strategy for the EU, UK and Middle East.
• Align with our US-based UAS Regulatory & Policy Lead to share playbooks and precedents and keep our position consistent on cross-border issues such as standards and cross-recognition of approvals.
• Act as the link between DoorDash Air and Deliveroo’s policy and go-to-market teams, so aviation positions fit with Deliveroo’s wider European government affairs work.
• Track legislative, regulatory and industry developments in UAS, U-Space and UTM, and turn them into clear recommendations for leadership.

Represent Us Externally:

• Speak for the company at European and Middle Eastern conferences and industry forums. Travel is occasional, mainly regional events and regulator meetings.
• Engage with UAS and UTM advocacy and standards bodies (for example JARUS) so our operational and technical needs are reflected in emerging frameworks.

Build the Function:

• Set up the processes, governance and relationships that let us run regulatory work across the region, and shape what the team looks like as we grow.

What We’re Looking For

• A traditional aviation background, either as a pilot or aviator or as a regulator, with a solid understanding of the drone and unmanned aircraft industry and its key issues.
• 10+ years in aviation regulatory affairs, government affairs or public policy, with current depth in UAS regulation. This is a mid-senior role that needs subject-matter expertise from day one.
• Working command of JARUS SORA and of the national and European authority processes (UK CAA, IAA, EASA) for UAS and BVLOS approvals.
• Detailed knowledge of how the airspace system works, including how unmanned aircraft are kept clear of crewed and other unmanned aircraft.
• Experience assembling and submitting SORA-style packages, or assessing them from the regulator side.
• The gravitas and communication skills to represent a company to regulators and argue its case, and to turn complex regulatory issues into clear decisions for senior leaders.
• Basic project management skills, with experience managing consultants or external partners.
• Based in, or willing to relocate to, London or elsewhere in Europe.
• Fluent English.

Bonus Qualifications

• Experience as a regulator, or an existing network of regulator relationships across the UK, EU and Middle East.
• Experience in the Middle East or familiarity with the UAE regulatory landscape.
• A second European or regional language (for example French, German or Arabic).
• Experience representing an organisation in UAS or UTM standards bodies and industry conferences.
• Experience in commercial drone delivery or other industry operations.