Senior Stakeholder Engagement Manager

Duke Energy Corporation•Wilmington, NC

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Infrastructure (public) Engagement team comprises communications professionals who advance key infrastructure projects through proactive community outreach and public engagement. The Senior Public Engagement Manager creates and implements project-specific engagement plans to ensure proactive external engagement and communications throughout each project’s lifecycle. The role requires in-depth external engagement knowledge and experience, the ability to build strong relationships across a highly matrixed organization, skill in developing and executing complex internal and external communications, and the ability to document and report progress. The successful candidate works independently with minimal oversight and direction. The position is hybrid, with work performed remotely and onsite after the onboarding period. Employees must live within a reasonable commute—no more than 50 miles one way—to their designated Duke Energy facility and are expected to report there as required by their manager, averaging three full workdays per regular workweek. The role involves travel throughout the assigned territory and occasionally the state, as well as attendance at early morning, night, and weekend community meetings and activities as needed. Availability is required 24/7 for storm response or other issues and emergencies.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and at least three years of related work experience; alternatively, a high school diploma or GED and at least seven years of related work experience.
Valid driver's license.

Nice To Haves

Excellent presentation and facilitation skills with internal and external audiences at all levels.
Experience serving as a strategic advisor to project teams and leaders, providing recommendations that inform decisions and improve project outcomes.
Ability to maintain composure and clarity of thought and purpose in highly stressful or escalated situations.
Ability to advocate for customers and stakeholders, influence decisions across functions, navigate competing priorities, and drive stakeholder-focused solutions.
Comfort working in a highly matrixed environment.
Demonstrated experience in project and initiative management.
Exceptional teamwork skills, including cross-functional collaboration, change management skills, and a customer-service mindset.
Ability to identify trends, capture lessons learned, and implement process improvements that enhance organizational effectiveness and consistency.
At least three years of demonstrated management experience and/or experience in a lead or leadership role.

Responsibilities

Create and implement custom, project-specific external engagement plans aligned with business-unit milestones, including distribution, transmission, regulated renewables, energy storage, and new electric generation.
Coordinate and implement strategic, proactive outreach for projects and other activities that affect customers and the public.
Prepare and coordinate external written communications; respond to, dispatch, and track external project inquiries; and monitor and track project information.
Coordinate closely with project management and relevant business units to understand key project milestones.
Maintain collaborative relationships with Government and Community Relations managers to understand local communities and jointly develop engagement strategies.
Approve letters, collateral, and presentations as needed in coordination with corporate communications, and help coordinate printing, mailing, and emailing external communications.
Initiate and follow up on phone calls and conduct personal visits with customers as appropriate to the issue.
Monitor and manage property-owner inquiries on assigned projects, including responses and documentation; maintain master site lists, project documentation, and reporting.
Lead the preparation and implementation of public information meetings and participate in public hearings as required.