COMMUNITY RELATIONS ASSOCIATE

EDP Renewables is a global leader in the renewable energy sector and currently operates in more than 25 markets. With eight offices and several sites, at EDP Renewables North America, we are experienced developers and operators of renewable energy. Our portfolio includes wind farms, solar parks, energy storage projects, and green hydrogen solutions throughout the continent. We are ranked among the top 5 in the U.S. in operational renewable energy capacity.

Our company is part of EDP, a global energy group present in around 30 markets with a particular emphasis on renewable energies. With more than 45 years of experience, we have been consolidating a relevant presence on the world energy scene based on the commitment to be all-green by 2030, leading the energy transition. With more than 13,000 employees around the world, we are committed to using our energy and heart to drive a better tomorrow.

What You Will Do

Role Overview:

The Community Relations Associate supports EDPR NA’s community relations and grassroots efforts across North America’s project communities, working to create a favorable atmosphere for renewable energy development.

The Community Relations Associate helps drive coalition building within project communities and local government institutions, enhancing the Company’s image and reputation, and promoting positive, long-term relationships with those who live, work, or lead in EDPR NA’s project areas. This person works closely with internal and external parties to create and implement grassroots outreach programs, promotes renewable energy and the EDPR brand, ensures social license to operate, and mitigates risks posed by misinformation. The Community Relations team is responsible for devising and implementing the right resources, tools, and strategies to grow the local relationships necessary for the successful construction and operation of utility-scale wind, solar, and storage projects across North America.

Main responsibilities:

• Supports the development and execution of community relations strategies to optimally position EDPR development projects and mitigate social risk
• Collaborates with Development and State Affairs teams to execute community engagement plans which include grassroots and public relations strategies
• Serves as an internal advocate for the perspective of residents living near wind, solar, and storage projects
• Drafts stakeholder maps, engagement calendars, and stakeholder profiles for development projects, in collaboration with Development teams
• Leads the logistics of EDPR’s project-focused events, including open houses, landowner dinners, construction kickoff events, career days, etc. Includes scheduling, site selection, venue set-up and breakdown, content plan, swag, invitations, photography, décor, catering, and other responsibilities.
• Organizes requested tours of operational wind farms and solar parks in collaboration with site Operations team, including scheduling, logistics, tailoring age-appropriate content, safety briefings, sign-in records, and photography
• Conducts regular research on industry topics to ensure our external resources are as up-to-date and effective as possible
• Supports the recruitment, training, and management of contracted development project Community Relations Coordinators in project areas
• Plans, researches, drafts, and designs new external-facing educational resources, promotional content, and outreach tools to support project Development.
• Drafts and designs project-level externally facing written materials, including newsletters, posterboards, ads, informational packets, etc.
• Tailors externally facing materials to specific and continually evolving project dynamics
• Monitors project communities’ sentiments toward projects and EDPR, alerting team to shifts
• Curates existing resources from the CR archives (talking points, FAQ responses, materials developed for other projects, etc.) to support Development team needs
• Assures all project-level branding, messaging, and communications work is factual, consistent with EDPR NA’s brand image, and EDP Group’s global branding and messaging
• Helps maintain up-to-date records of project-level activities and CR team initiatives
• Serves as primary manager of community relations-related purchases and invoices
• Additional duties as required

Employment type

Fulltime/Hybrid Schedule

Work site

Indianapolis, Indiana & Chicago, Illinois

What Are We Looking For

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Political Science, Education or a related field
• 3+ years of experience in community engagement, campaigning, teaching or organizing
• Competency in Analytical Problem Solving, Strong Communication
• Understanding of Microsoft products required; understanding of Adobe InDesign and Illustrator preferred
• Familiarity with American government structure, particularly at the local and state level
• Ability to comprehend industry and academic research at the level necessary to effectively use and synthesize it to a lay audience
• Basic graphic design abilities preferred

Travel:

Up to :40%, primarily to remote/rural areas

Behavioral Requirements:

• Demonstrated project management, stakeholder engagement, and time management skills
• Strong attention to detail
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills
• Passion for working with diverse geographic communities and navigating differing social and political ideologies
• Desire to work with rural American populations
• Ability to handle disagreement/conflict, including in-person
• Ability to be self-motivated and problem solve
• Planning and organizational skills
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize responsibilities in a dynamic environment
• Ability to collaborate with colleagues and vendors in various geographic locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Iberia, ranging from rural to urban or corporate

Physical demands & working conditions:

• Sitting/Standing/Flexibility: Ability to stand and sit for 8 or more hours when in an office environment
• Walking: Ability to walk .5 to 2 miles per day, including across unpaved and rough surfaces when on project sites.
• Speech/Reading: Ability to speak, read, and write English proficiently and deliver a variety of instructions furnished in written verbal, diagram, or scheduled form
• Lifting: Ability to lift items weighing up to 10 pounds
• Vision/Hearing: Ability to understand a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form

Equal opportunities for all

Our vision is that each person combines their unique characteristics and experiences to fulfill our mission of creating new energy for the planet. We are an inclusive employer, ensuring all candidates are treated fairly throughout the recruitment process. We welcome and value all people, and we are committed to fostering a sense of belonging for each person who is part of the EDP group.

This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeship. EDP makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time. For further information, please review this notice from the Department of Labor: EEO is the Law poster (https://www.eeoc.gov/poster). You may have additional rights pursuant to recent amendments to federal labor laws. Please review these protections from the EEO is the Law Supplement (https://www.eeoc.gov).

Need more reasons to apply?

As a top employer we:

• Empower our employees through a positive and innovative work environment that promotes collaboration and agile decision-making;
• Respect and value each person, providing a flexible, healthy, and inclusive workplace with a range of attractive benefits;
• Provide a meaningful work experience and prepare our people for future challenges through different opportunities for development and internal mobility;

Our efforts have resulted in several distinctions over time, highlighting the EDP group’s strong positioning and its dedication and commitment to attracting and retaining the best talent:

• Top employer certification by Top Employers Institute
• Part of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index
• Global certification as a family-responsible company by Fundación Másfamília
• Top 100 Workplaces by Houston Chronicle

Discover our tips to enhance your performance during the recruitment process and apply until September 30th, 2024, if you think you are the right fit for this opportunity.