Community Engagement Manager

Role: Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager / NatPower UK

Role: Community and Stakeholder Engagement Manager

Full time, Permanent, 37.5 hours per week, Monday-Friday

Location: London, UK/ /Hybrid/Flexible

Role: Full Time

Salary: up to £60000 depending on experience

The Company :

NatPower is a global group specialised in renewable energy assets development, with operations in several countries. We are launching in the UK market, aiming at becoming one of the UK sector leaders in the next 3-5 years as we successfully have in other geographies. As part of our expansion, we are looking to grow the Development Team, and are looking for a likeminded individual to join us.

We will also be expanding into new markets and there will be opportunities to contribute to this expansion and increase responsibilities and experience across different geographies.

The role will be part of a very impressive development team with some of the strongest track records in the sector, affording an excellent opportunity to learn and advance your career. You will need to be ready to work in a flexible environment where everyone is aligned to company development.

The Working Environment

This is a real long-term opportunity to work with experienced professionals and utilise experience gained in a dynamic and friendly environment, which put People at the centre. We encourage flexibility in the workplace and remote working. We treasure team-work and we want everyone to enjoy the chances of self-development and growth with the help of colleagues. We are informal, direct and no time waster. We believe in independence, in fairness and sustainability. We are looking for entrepreneurial people seeking to make an impact, who will be remunerated accordingly. We offer a strong base compensation and tailor-made incentive package, including cash bonuses with the added benefit of a substantial profit share scheme. Also included are benefits like provision of an electric car for salary sacrifice, private health care and life insurance depending on the role level.

The Role

This is a new role primarily to support the Marketing & Comms Director and work with the Stakeholder Workstream Lead to coordinate engagements on our renewable energy projects.

Working closely with the Marketing & Comms Director as well as the Development Director, your primary responsibility will be to synchronize day-to-day coordination of community consultation, stakeholder engagement, which includes the leadership team along with the wider project management and development team. You will play a key role in shaping the development community engagement strategy and providing support to various facets of the business, including project construction and operational phases, ensuring effective community feedback and the company\’s integration as a valued community member.

The Successful Applicant

Culturally we are looking for a hard worker and team player with a hands-on approach. This is especially important whilst we scale up.Humility and a good sense of humour is high up on our lists of desired character traits. There will be some hands-on work to assist with setting up processes in managing stakeholders and engaging communities where we develop our projects.

Stakeholder engagement Responsibilities:

• Manage engagement for multiple projects with different stakeholders across local authorities, Central Government, statutory and non-statutory bodies (including environment & technical organisations), industry & business, land & property, communities and other parties to establish strong working relationships.
• Development and successful delivery of stakeholder engagement plans in accordance with the overarching development strategy of particular projects.
• Manage stakeholder mapping and prepare communications to stakeholders and respond to stakeholder enquiries.
• Manage stakeholder engagement coordinators, providing guidance and directing their workload activities to ensure timescales and requirements are met.
• Work collaboratively with other members of the project team, liaising with other Stakeholder Managers in the stakeholder team and the PMO (project management office)
• Provide briefings and support to technical teams for meetings with stakeholders, implement an internal stakeholder reporting program within the development team to maintain a high level of engagement and awareness of stakeholder activities across the project portfolio.
• Arrange and attend stakeholder meetings with technical team members and ensure feedback of stakeholder responses and requests to technical teams are responded to within agreed timescales.
• Prepare and manage workshops, roundtable and forum logistics including developing agendas, project plans, minute taking and production of reports.
• Ensure accurate audit trail maintained of all stakeholder engagement and all contact/activities are recorded on stakeholder database.
• Attend client-facing meetings, collaborative planning workshops and report to client on progress.
• Provide input into weekly/monthly reports for Project Managers and Project Board
• Attend Stakeholder Engagement Working Group and expedite actions arising.

Community Engagement Responsibilities (currently work with consulting agency, to take over completely):

• Formulate and execute community and stakeholder engagement strategies to bolster project portfolio development, including establishing communication channels with indigenous communities to foster goodwill in the regions of operation.
• Develop, execute, and manage work programs to implement engagement initiatives, fostering growth opportunities and building relationships to enhance the brand\’s reputation.
• Proactively seek opportunities for community-oriented brand awareness and enhancement across the development portfolio.
• Create and execute a community and communications strategy to support the delivery of organizational and project strategies, conveying key messages to key stakeholders.
• Identify and implement community funding opportunities in accordance with Development Application (DA) requirements and lead communication strategy for the community foundation.
• Develop and implement a digital and social media strategy, ensuring that communication channels remain current and relevant to the audience, in collaboration with the Marketing and Communications Manager.
• Oversee the development, distribution, and maintenance of all print and electronic collateral.
• Act as the company\’s local representative in rural project areas where we operate.
• Provide management with advice on new engagement initiatives to ensure that community, stakeholder engagement, and communication plans are integrated into business planning activities.
• Develop and guide the strategy for all communication media and materials to consistently convey key messages, strategy, and mission to staff and external stakeholders.
• Foster and maintain positive, collaborative relationships across the organization, working as part of cross-functional teams when necessary.
• Lead and mentor other team members to produce engaging and high-quality communication materials.
• Coordinate and participate in community open days for renewable energy projects, ensuring successful engagement with the community.
• Support the development team in discussions with relevant stakeholders, including landholders, government authorities, local communities, and other parties involved.

Experience and Skills Required:

• A minimum of 5-7 years of experience in stakeholder engagement, preferably with experience in managing community engagement in the renewable energy sector.
• Project management experience, as well experience leading on-site engagement campaigns with high degree of accuracy in executing work, ability to schedule work and deliver to tight deadlines.
• Tertiary qualifications in marketing & communications/stakeholder engagement (preferred) and/or journalism.
• Certified professional qualifications/training in stakeholder engagement such as IAP2 (desirable) or equivalent.
• Appreciation of the Energy infrastructure-related political environment, and passion for Renewables and Delivering a Net-Zero Environment
• Experience in developing and successfully implementing stakeholder engagement plans.
• A clear understanding of issues pertaining to project development and preferably familiarity with the requirements of authorisation processes for Development Consent Orders and Town and Country Planning applications.
• Proven ability to work and multi-task under pressure, respond quickly to changing situations in complex project environments, prepare responses/narrative quickly and clearly and use personal initiative.
• Good interpersonal and networking skills, highly articulate team player
• Strong project management and people management skills
• Familiarity with using various CRM systems essential.
• Valid UK driving license

Benefits

Generous compensation: up to £60k per annum, Depending on experience.

Cash bonus and profit participation (long term incentive plan) as defined by the group policies

Benefits in line with NatPower UK policies.

Probation period: 3-6 months

References and DBS checks required

Flexible working