Manager, Stakeholder Engagement

Vena Malaysia Sdn. Bhd.; Puchong; On-site; MYR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Vena Malaysia Sdn. Bhd. seeks a dynamic Stakeholder Engagement Manager to lead government and regulatory engagement for data centre and renewable energy projects across Malaysia.

You will collaborate with ministries, regulatory bodies, and GLCs to streamline approvals and ensure compliance. The role requires strategic communication, strong writing, and cross‑agency relationship building across federal and state authorities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, public policy, Law, Communications or related field.
• 5–7 years of experience in government liaison, permitting, policy advocacy, or public sector engagement.
• Experience with agencies such as MIDA, MDEC, CGSO, MITI, MCMC or similar.
• Strong writing and communication in English and Malay.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity across levels.
• Experience in data centre, digital infrastructure or renewable energy is advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary liaison with Malaysian government agencies and investment bodies.
• Map permitting requirements and timelines for data centre and renewables projects.
• Coordinate applications and submissions for permits and approvals across Malaysia.
• Develop white papers, briefing notes, and talking points for external engagements.
• Collaborate with internal teams to align permitting efforts with project timelines.

Skills

Stakeholder engagement

Government liaison

Policy advocacy

Strategic communications

Regulatory compliance

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, public policy, Law, Communications or related field

Job description

We are seeking a dynamic and highly capable Stakeholder Engagement Manager to lead government and regulatory engagement for our digital infrastructure (e.g. data centre) and renewable energy development projects across Malaysia. This role requires a strategic communicator with a proven track record of working closely with ministries, regulatory bodies, and government-linked agencies to facilitate investment approvals, align with national priorities, and secure timely permits. You will be embedded in our Malaysia development team, collaborating with internal project leads, external consultants, legal advisors, and JV partners to ensure successful stakeholder engagement and regulatory compliance.

Key Responsibilities

Government & Stakeholder Liaison

• Act as primary liaison with Malaysian government agencies, including MITI, MIDA, MDEC, CGSO, MCMC, EC, PLANMalaysia, TNB, and state-level authorities
• Arrange and support high-level engagements (Ministerial, PMO, regulatory heads) for project approvals, briefings, or site visits
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with key stakeholders in federal and state governments, GLCs, and investment promotion agencies

Permitting & Regulatory Strategy

• Map out all permitting requirements and timelines for data centre and renewable energy projects (including but not limited to land conversion, planning approvals, grid connection, environmental compliance, water use, telecommunications, and fire safety)
• Manage the application process for all required permits and approvals for both renewable energy and data centre projects, including coordinating with relevant local governmental authorities, attending meetings, and travelling across Malaysia as needed to facilitate submissions and approvals
• Support the identification, application, and documentation of available tax incentives, subsidies, and strategic investment programs (e.g. DESAC, GITA, Green Technology incentives)
• Coordinate permitting consultants and internal teams to prepare, track, and submit applications
• Ensure regulatory compliance across all project phases by engaging with authorities and anticipating policy shifts

Strategic Communications & Policy Advocacy

• Support development of white papers, briefing notes, or talking points for external engagements and internal updates
• Translate complex policy or technical information into persuasive messages tailored to different agencies or stakeholders
• Monitor and engage in ongoing discussions around data economy regulations, cloud infrastructure, ESG and digital policy frameworks

Internal & External Coordination

• Collaborate with investment, legal, engineering, and project management teams to align permitting efforts with project timelines.
• Assist in stakeholder reporting, media briefings, and event management (e.g. project launches, conferences, ribbon cuttings).

Prerequisites

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, public policy, Law, Communications or related field
• Minimum 5–7 years of experience in government liaison, permitting, policy advocacy, or public sector engagement
• Proven experience working with agencies such as MIDA, MDEC, CGSO, MITI, MCMC or similar
• Strong writing and communication skills in both English and Malay.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and cultural sensitivity in engaging with stakeholders at all levels.
• High attention to detail and ability to manage multiple workflows simultaneously.
• Experience in the data centre, digital infrastructure or renewable energy sector is strong advantage.

Good to Have

• Exposure to investor facilitation and strategic communications for high‑tech or cloud companies (e.g. Google, AWS, Microsoft) preferred.
• Familiarity with DESAC, GITA, USP Fund, cloud/data regulations or strategic infrastructure incentives preferred.

At Vena Group, we believe in a world with no compromises, where the strength of our business lies in the diversity of our people.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we are committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where every individual feels valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential.

Vena Group is dedicated to our mission of accelerating the energy and digital infrastructure transition to sustainable and affordable development of green solutions that deliver lasting economic, social, and environmental benefits to our host communities and stakeholders.

Together, we are actively working to combat climate change, and we invite you to join us in engineering a greener and more sustainable future.