Community Engagement Strategist - South

RWE Clean Energy, LLC

Functional area: Regulation / Risk Management 

Remuneration: Exempt

The Community Engagement Strategist – South Region works with internal Development, Operations, Communications, and Government Relations teams to achieve a social license to operate for RWE’s onshore renewable energy projects in the South Region. This position will be responsible for creating and implementing community engagement plans,  educating local stakeholders, organizing public events and recruiting attendees, building relationships with renewable energy supporters, managing external vendors, and representing RWE in communities that host our projects. This position reports to the Senior Director of Community Engagement.

Responsibilities: 

• Support community engagement and outreach activities across RWE Clean Energy’s portfolio of operating and development projects in the South Region (primarily TX, OK, CO, KS)
• Collaborate with onshore wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen project development teams to integrate community engagement and public education into development plans to achieve a “social license to operate” for RWE’s renewable energy projects
• Conduct Social Risk and Community Assessment research and stakeholder mapping exercises to analyze the relative likelihood of organized opposition and identify strategies to ensure local approval of development projects
• Create and implement community engagement plans for onshore development projects
• Support development and operations teams with maintaining a contact or Customer Relationship Management (CRM) database for local stakeholders at each assigned RWE onshore renewable energy project in the South Region
• Plan and attend in-person community events, including wind farm tours, open houses, landowner dinners, school or community group presentations, and local fairs or festivals
• Provide input to Communications on project-specific marketing, such as project websites, newsletters, fact sheets, and other communications materials
• Manage community relations purchases, invoices, and external consultants supporting social media, digital marketing, media relations, project logos, or other community engagement campaign activities
• Work with project development teams to set up local offices and, where requested, recruit local hires as community liaisons
• Meet with project stakeholders, track community concerns, and report on organized opposition around development projects
• Design social investment plans that help RWE achieve its corporate goals while meeting the particular needs of local communities
• Enhances relationships and networks with senior internal/external partners who are not familiar with the subject matter often requiring persuasion. Adapts style to differing audiences and often advises others on difficult matters
• Works on problems of diverse scope where analysis of information requires evaluation of identifiable factors. Devises solutions based on limited information and precedent and adapts existing approaches to resolve issues. Uses evaluation, judgment, and interpretation to select the right course of action. Work is done independently and is reviewed at critical points
• Complete knowledge and full understanding of the area of specialization, principles, and practices within a professional discipline. Assesses unusual circumstances and uses sophisticated analytical and problem-solving techniques to identify causes. Resolves and assesses a wide range of issues in creative ways and suggests variations in approac

Qualifications: 

• Bachelor's degree strongly preferred 
• Minimum 5 years experience working in community organizing, outreach, strategic communications, or political campaigns, strongly preferred
• Knowledge of the structure and function of US, state, regional and local government including experience with renewable energy permitting and regulatory issues is preferred
• Experience working in renewable energy, rural communities, political organizing, environmental management, agriculture, or real estate development is a plus
• Strong interpersonal skills, with ability to manage customer relationships
• Demonstrated desire to learn about the Company and the renewables space
• Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Teams
• Strong leadership and communication, and ability to meet deadlines
• Strong organization skills and ability to coordinate multiple tasks and deliverables
• Ability to multi-task, while working independently and as part of a team
• Motivated self-starter, goal-oriented, and strong problem-solving abilities
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds
• Responds well to direction, is easy to challenge and develop, and is coachable
• Is detail-oriented, has strong business acumen, and a sound understanding of business concepts
• Willingness to travel up to 40%. Comfortable with overnight stays in remote areas.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, Long-Term Disability, 401(k) match, Flexible Spending Accounts, EAP, Education Assistance, Parental Leave, Paid time off, and Holidays. Eligible employees also participate in short-term incentives, in addition to salary.

RWE is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

For 125 years RWE has been the source of energy for millions of people across the globe. Now we’re making all that energy green. This decade alone we’re investing €50bn into renewables and will be carbon neutral by 2040 – ten years earlier than most other global targets. This is a chance to play a key role on our journey.

Join our renewables specialists, working across the clean energy spectrum to grow our operations to 50 GW by 2030 – with some of the world’s largest on and offshore wind farms and industry-leading hydrogen initiatives. We’re also considered innovators in solar development including floating photovoltaics and agri-photovoltaics. Or add your expertise to our supply and trading operations, brokering renewable electricity, green gas, commodities, and CO2 emission allowances from one of our advanced energy trading floors.

We look forward to meeting you! Apply now with just a few clicks: ad code 86571  

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