Senior Stakeholder Relations Associate

Senior Stakeholder Relations Analyst Central

Are you ready to be part of a company that's not just talking about the future, but actively shaping it? Join The AES Corporation, a Fortune 500 company that's leading the charge in the global energy revolution. With operations spanning 14 countries, AES is committed to shaping a future through innovation and collaboration. Our dedication to innovation has earned us recognition as one of the Top Ten Best Workplaces for Innovators by Fast Company in 2022. And with our certification as a Great Place to Work, you can be confident that you're joining a company that values its people just as much as its groundbreaking ideas.

AES is proudly ranked #1 globally in renewable energy sales to corporations, and with $12.7B in revenues in 2023, we have the resources and expertise to make a significant impact as we provide electricity to 25 million customers worldwide. As the world moves towards a net-zero future, AES is committed to meeting the Paris Agreement's goals by 2050. Our innovative solutions, such as 24/7 carbon-free energy for data centers, are setting the pace for rapid, global decarbonization.

If you're ready to be part of a company that's not just adapting to change, but driving it, AES is the place for you. We're not just building a cleaner, more sustainable future - we're powering it. Apply now and energize your career with a true leader in the global energy transformation.

The Senior Stakeholder Relations Analyst Central will work within AES Clean Energy's Stakeholder Relations team, specifically MISO, SPP, and ERCOT. This is an exciting opportunity to have a career in industry-leading engagement strategies to empower communities and advance a carbon-free future. This role will support AES's strategic renewable energy-related stakeholder engagement, local community relations, drafting communications and collateral materials for strategic planning and social impact partnership development. This role will report to the Senior Manager of Stakeholder Relations, CENTRAL.

Travel for this role is estimated at 50% in and around states in ERCOT, SPP, and MISO territories. Candidates will work from the Houston, Texas office.

As an AES Senior Stakeholder Engagement Analyst, your primary focus is to:

• Lead engagement efforts for clean energy projects, as assigned.
• Develop and implement state and project-specific engagement plans with key stakeholders for AES Clean Energy. Key stakeholders include local government officials, business leaders, landowners, emergency responders, and non-government organizations. Where this involves Indigenous people, this engagement is consistent with the principles contained in AES's Voluntary Tribal Engagement Policy.
• Maintain, cultivate, and document relationships and engagement activities with key leadership within affected communities, local organizations, and Indigenous communities.
• Build and maintain strong internal relationships with cross-functional teams, including development, permitting, execution, construction and others.
• Must have knowledge and understanding of our business, issues, risks, and opportunities associated with respective communities, organizations, and Indigenous communities.
• Inform the team of stakeholder concerns and critical activities.
• Accountable for contributing to the development, implementation, and modification of state engagement plans and related budgets that align with the company's brand positioning and support its development objectives.

Specific Accountabilities:

• Plan and execute in-person and virtual community engagement in alignment with project educational and collaboration needs.
• Create and maintain accurate lists of stakeholders in project areas and document stakeholder interactions through the utilization of our digital stakeholder relations management tool.
• Research, engage, and build strategic partnerships within local communities hosting AES projects, in alignment with AES's Social Impact Program.
• Collect and analyze stakeholder feedback through various channels and document and manage this data utilizing various stakeholder interaction and tracking tools.
• Monitor toll-free phone lines and project emails.
• Write, format, and coordinate with AES communications to create and maintain state and project websites.
• Complete needed administrative tasks such as processing invoices, mailings, ordering marketing materials, and managing an events and communications calendar.
• Draft targeted external communications, such as informational handouts, talking points, presentations, and public meeting displays, to bolster local presence.
• Monitor social and traditional media, including local media.
• Network with peers, AES leaders, and other like-minded employees in dedicated events, lunch and learns and speaker series.
• Participate in formalized AES-specific learning opportunities to further your knowledge and understanding towards accelerating the responsible energy transition.
• Other duties as assigned.

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:

Personal Traits

• Values reflect the AES values: Safety first, Highest standards, All together.
• High achievement and action-oriented.
• Self-confident.
• Collaborative.
• Character that is reliable, open, curious, considerate, accommodating, courageous, and bold.

Knowledge

• University degree from a related post-secondary program.
• Minimum of 3 years of related work experience in stakeholder engagement, preferably in the energy sector, particularly in the energy industry/energy transportation infrastructure sector.
• Awareness of and experience in engaging with diverse, thriving communities of all sizes, from small and/or rural to city centers.
• Familiarity with applicable government and regulatory requirements, present-day issues and community dynamics.

Technical Skills:

• Ability to interact effectively and establish credibility with a wide audience, including leaders and community representatives, field and corporate staff, external stakeholder groups, partners and contractors.
• Experience with MS Office Suite, QuickBase, Box, and Microsoft Teams.
• Experience or willingness to learn and utilize new tools & systems
• Experience in cross-cultural stakeholder and community engagement.
• Knowledge of community development practices and organizational effectiveness strategies.
• Solid written and verbal communication, presentation, and organizational abilities.
• Persistence, patience, and the ability to work independently with minimal direction.
• Sense of urgency, with well-developed prioritization, time management and multi-tasking skills.
• A high degree of flexibility to adapt to multiple and competing priorities.
• Able to deal with a variety of external and internal disciplines and senior management and manage multiple projects at once, under constant deadline pressure.
• Ability to prioritize and complete multiple tasks and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Good judgment in determining relevant content for employees.
• Strong customer focus with the ability to listen, identify key issues, advise, and maintain confidentiality.
• Strong analytical skills to quickly analyze complex situations, determine key issues and messages, and implement solution-focused programs.
• Strong research skills in subject matter field.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Social Process (Soft) Skills:

• Team-oriented attitude and the ability to work independently.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, internal and external.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including consultation, negotiation, facilitation, risk communication and conflict resolution.
• Passionate about and experienced in building employee engagement and organizational alignment through effective internal communications.
• Global mindset and comfort with working with people from multiple different backgrounds and cultures.

AES is an Equal Opportunity Employer who is committed to building strength and delivering long-term sustainability through diversity and inclusion. Respecting all backgrounds, differences and perspectives enables us to improve the lives of our people, customers, suppliers, contractors, and the communities in which we live and work. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and/or expression, race, national origin, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical condition, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. E-Verify Notice: AES will provide the Social Security Administration (SSA) and if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each new employee's I-9 to confirm work authorization.