Sr Community Affairs Specialist - Oahu

Hawaiian Electric•Honolulu, HI

About The Position

The Senior Community Affairs Specialist collaborates with management and takes a lead role in managing the company’s reputation, preparing for and addressing complex or potentially controversial issues, and advancing Hawaiian Electric’s goals and priorities. The specialist develops strategies, programs, and communications that foster positive relationships with employees, customers, regulators, elected officials, communities, and other key stakeholders. The role plans and manages programs, workshops, communications, and services to build customer and community understanding of major company initiatives, including Integrated Grid Planning, grid reliability and resilience, energy-system hardening, and wildfire mitigation. It also manages customer concerns and escalations, researches best practices, monitors community sentiment, and serves as a company spokesperson and liaison. The position works across Corporate and Digital Communications, Government Relations, and other company areas; leads volunteers on high-visibility community projects; manages program budgets; and may participate in company emergency response activities as assigned.

Requirements

At least 7 years of related business experience, preferably with progressive responsibility in consumer-related or community affairs fields, or equivalent.
Knowledge of finance and accounting concepts and working knowledge of budgeting and forecasting processes.
Working knowledge of utility ratemaking and regulatory concepts and processes.
Working knowledge of the communities and organizations served by the company, issues facing the company and industry, and federal, state, economic, business, and political climates.
Knowledge of communications and information-dissemination techniques and an understanding of how people communicate, listen, and learn.
Working knowledge of computers and related software applications.
Ability to handle difficult or sensitive issues with tact, courtesy, and discretion, and to navigate internal and external organizational networks with interpersonal and political savvy.
Excellent oral, written, facilitation, and presentation skills, including the ability to respond to customer or community inquiries clearly, credibly, and concisely.
Ability to enter a community without prior connections and build long-term respect and credibility.
Ability to adapt to changing priorities, remain flexible in a demanding environment, and deliver work efficiently and on time.
Ability to quickly conceptualize ideas and explain complex issues to a broad range of audiences.
Analytical and conceptual skills to assess issues, recommend appropriate actions, and coordinate and follow through on implementation details.
Strong initiative and ability to work with minimal supervision.
Strong organizational and project-management skills to handle multiple concurrent projects and programs.
Ability to work well with people at all levels and across diverse company departments, and to collaborate as a team member.
Ability to accurately simplify statistical, complex, and highly technical information for a broad range of audiences.
Ability to provide work direction and manage department personnel or volunteer groups when required.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license issued by Hawaii or another U.S. state or territory and meet the standards for driving positions in the Company Driver Safety policy.

Nice To Haves

Experience in strategic planning, community development, program development, or a related field.
Background in a utility environment, financial analysis, or technical analysis.
Working understanding of utility industry operations.

Responsibilities

Plan, develop, and manage programs, workshops, communications, and services that foster customer and community understanding of company initiatives, including Integrated Grid Planning, grid reliability and resilience, energy-system hardening, and wildfire mitigation.
Use business and technical knowledge to communicate with customers and manage concerns and escalations to maintain customer satisfaction.
Research and evaluate strategies, educational resources, regulatory applications, and programs, sharing best practices and knowledge internally to support company goals and customer satisfaction.
Serve as a credible company spokesperson and community liaison, developing and strengthening relationships with community organizations, leaders, and groups.
Facilitate two-way communication and communicate company strategic goals and priorities with a knowledgeable company perspective.
Monitor community meetings, social media, and other communications to track community sentiment and provide proactive advice to the company.
Develop and implement strategies and projects that build stakeholder relationships, public understanding, and favorable attitudes toward the company.
Anticipate, analyze, plan for, and manage critical company issues, including controversial community perspectives, environmental issues, major projects and programs, and complex regulatory and technical matters.
Develop understanding of political, community, business, and technical issues; formulate and implement issue-management strategies; and participate in corporate task forces to provide community perspectives on projects of public interest.
Work with Corporate and Digital Communications, Government Relations, and company process areas to support company goals, policy positions, and projects.
Recruit, manage, and supervise large groups of company volunteers for high-visibility community projects, ensuring safe work practices and conditions.
Provide volunteers with communication and information tools to prepare them to respond to customer and community inquiries about company goals, projects, and services.
Plan, implement, and monitor program budgets to ensure compliance with approved expenditures.
Participate in company emergency response activities as assigned, including activities required to prepare for emergency response.