Director, Stakeholder Engagement South Region

RWE • Austin, TX

1d • Remote

About The Position

The Director, Stakeholder Engagement will lead the strategy, execution, and management of stakeholder & community engagement activities in the South Region (Texas, Plains and Southeast states) that identify and mitigate social impacts and risk to enable license and social license to operate across RWE Americas’ portfolio of onshore wind, solar, battery energy storage system (BESS), and flex-gen projects. Manage two Stakeholder Engagement Managers as part of a regionally matrixed Corporate Affairs team, ensuring close collaboration and partnership with Development, Project Execution / Construction, Operations, and other relevant departments, leading to successful project permitting, favorable energy policies, and positive long-term relationships with local communities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, political science or other relevant areas
• Minimum 7-10 years of community engagement, campaign and advocacy experience for energy-related projects, campaign or community organizing, social risk and impact management
• Previous management experience and collaboration with multiple internal and external stakeholders, including for projects requiring navigation of complex community engagement issues
• Demonstrated ability to work with teams across multiple locations and collaborate effectively to achieve business outcomes
• Strong leadership and communication skills and proven ability to meet deadlines
• Strong organization skills and ability to coordinate multiple tasks and deliverables, while working independently and managing direct reports as part of an integrated regional delivery team
• Motivated self-starter, goal-oriented, and strong problem-solving abilities
• Proven ability to achieve deliverables amid ambiguity and provide direct and transparent feedback to peers and leadership
• Proven ability to empathize, build relationships, and effectively communicate with people from a diverse set of backgrounds
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations
• Strong interpersonal skills, with ability to manage customer relationships
• Demonstrated desire to learn about the Company and the energy space
• Excellent proficiency with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and Teams
• Responds well to direction, is easy to challenge and develop, and is coachable
• Detail-oriented, strong business acumen, and a sound understanding of business concepts

Nice To Haves

• Experience working in renewable energy or infrastructure development, rural communities, community development, environmental management, organizing, or local government a plus
• Knowledge of the structure and function of US, state, regional and local government including experience with renewable energy permitting and regulatory issues is preferred
• Proficiency in Salesforce preferred

Responsibilities

• Design and execute strategic social risk assessment and mitigation programs for all development, construction and operational projects (project lifecycle) in the South Region (Texas, Plains and Southeast states)
• Develop and execute stakeholder engagement plan to create and nurture long-term relationships in project communities (community members, landowners, local officials, NGOs, and other stakeholders) and secure RWE’s social license to operate through the project lifecycle
• Utilize CRM to track interactions with local stakeholders, record grievances and commitments, ; coordinate communications internally; ensure continuity of relationships across project lifecycle; and identify trends, risks, and supporters through centralized data
• Manage two Stakeholder Engagement Managers, coordinating close partnerships with the Development, Operations, Project Execution, Communications, Government Affairs, and other relevant teams
• Monitor local sentiment, identify emerging issues, and escalate risks to Corporate Affairs and project leadership as needed
• Support proactive problem-solving to maintain community trust and minimize project delays
• Work closely with Development, Permitting, Operations, and Corporate Affairs teams to provide localized insights and engagement strategies and ensure necessary budgets and resources are secured to mitigate risks
• Provide regular updates, reports, and insights to internal stakeholders to inform decision-making
• Create strategic frameworks to guide team in identifying, evaluating, and directing external consultants in promoting the Company’s projects, negotiate contracts, and ensure compliance with all RWE policies and performance standards
• Coordinate coalition building and strengthen relationships with strategic non-profit organizations, associations, and other national or regional partners who support renewable and flex-gen energy siting
• Manage community benefit initiatives from early‑stage contributions to long‑term Community Benefit Agreements and partnerships
• Work closely with Stakeholder Engagement Team and Senior Director on cross-team initiatives to create, implement and improve team workflows, processes, tools and practices
• Track and report on social performance metrics when required

Benefits

• 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
• Holidays
• short-term incentives

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director