Community Engagement Manager

Orenda•New York, NY

2h•$115,000 - $160,000•Onsite

About The Position

Orenda is seeking a Community Engagement Manager to lead community engagement for their renewable energy projects. This role is crucial for shaping the company's presence in local communities, mitigating opposition risks, and building support for projects from development through operations. The position reports directly to the Director of External Affairs and is based in Brooklyn, NY, with travel to project sites within the NYC area.

Requirements

Bachelor degree required, preferably in communications, political science, community development, renewable energy, environmental studies, urban planning, or relevant field.
5+ years of experience in community organizing, advocacy, campaign management, local government, or stakeholder engagement in renewable energy.
Established and active relationships with key stakeholders in the New York City area and strong understanding of local governmental structures; familiarity with renewable energy and infrastructure permitting preferred.
Excellent organization and project management skills; ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines.
Prior experience managing and overseeing external engagement liaisons.
Demonstrated ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences, including public officials and community groups.
Strong interpersonal and relationship‑building skills.
Motivated self‑starter with strong problem‑solving abilities and sound business judgment.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with renewable energy and infrastructure permitting

Responsibilities

Diligence projects in early stage of development
Collaborate with the Origination team on early maturity projects to understand community context and risk factors, and identify associated engagement needs.
Create a process to identify risks and lead project-level due diligence on political, community, and permitting dynamics in a fast-paced, evolving landscape.
Build project engagement strategies
Facilitate the design and implementation of engagement plans including crafting project-level messaging and coalition building.
Manage critical stakeholder relationships, including with government officials, project area influencers, landowners, and local community groups.
Manage project communications campaigns in support of project development efforts including the development, editing, and dissemination of communications and advocacy materials such as, fact sheets, FAQs, presentations, briefing documents, website updates, social media, data analysis, etc.
Coordinate local events, sponsorships, and educational opportunities to build long-term support.
Create key regional partnerships and raise the company’s profile
Position the company to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders across the region such as environmental justice advocates, business and civic organizations, workforce and educational institutions, etc.
Position the company as a leader in responsible siting, identifying opportunities for industry thought leadership through conferences, forums, op-eds, etc.
Scale project processes and execution
Support management of external consultants, engaging them in strategy development, campaign execution, and post-project analysis.
Oversee internal team training and create company-wide standards for community engagement practices.
Capture lessons learned and ensure repeatable, scalable processes across the project portfolio.
Ensure compliance with applicable laws, permitting requirements, and regulatory expectations.