Community Engagement Lead

Deriva Energy; Charlotte (NC); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) with matching

Employee assistance program

Flexible spending account

Life insurance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Attractive Bonus Potential

Job summary

Deriva Energy in Charlotte, NC seeks a dynamic Community Engagement Specialist to drive outreach for wind, solar, and storage projects. You will coordinate with internal teams, governments, landowners, and the public to ensure transparent, science-based communication and robust stakeholder engagement.

The role emphasizes grass roots advocacy, event coordination, and storytelling, requiring strong organizational skills and the ability to navigate regulatory processes while supporting project

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in a related field is required.
• 5+ years in community engagement, communications, or mediation, preferably in energy.
• Proficiency with MS Office; strong writing and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and implementation of comprehensive community engagement plans to support Deriva Energy's objectives.
• Collaborate with Development & External Affairs on landowner and community outreach for development projects.
• Coordinate with Environment and Permitting to secure local permitting, zoning, and social licenses.
• Draft press releases, articles, pamphlets, and multimedia assets to support engagement initiatives.
• Prepare subject matter experts for hearings, meetings, and conferences as needed.
• Develop targeted messaging from industry insights to resonate with stakeholders.
• Capture feedback from landowners and communities and translate into project changes.
• Coordinate employee engagement activities and maintain community relations with operating projects.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Community outreach

Event coordination

Communications

Storytelling

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, communications, public relations, public policy, non-profit management, environmental or social sciences

HS Diploma/GED with 10 years of relevant work experience

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Job Description

Deriva Energy is a leading Independent Power Producer in the US renewables market, with over 6.5GW of operating or under construction wind, solar and storage projects across the country. Formerly the division of Duke Energy, Deriva is now backed by Brookfield Renewable and is poised for dynamic growth across its wind, solar, and storage portfolios. Join a dynamic team committed to excellence and innovation who envision a future of energy independence using resilient, carbon-free generation. We offer competitive compensation, comprehensive benefits, and the opportunity to make a significant impact on the rapidly evolving renewable energy industry. Deriva empowers customers with innovative clean energy solutions that strengthen communities and serve future generations

Position Summary

Deriva Energy is seeking a dynamic and talented Community Engagement Specialist to join our team reporting to the Director of Environment and Permitting. The ideal candidate will be passionate about renewable energy, community outreach, grass roots advocacy, and storytelling, with a keen eye for detail and a drive for excellence.

The job requires the ability to work with various internal and external stakeholders. External contact can include interacting (both in written and verbal forms) with elected officials, landowners, concerned members of the public, regulators, and non-governmental organizations. Internal interactions will include coordinating information between functional groups, preparing materials for community meetings (open houses, commissioner meetings, regulatory hearings, etc.) and conference coordination.

The job requires the ability to listen and understand the concerns of a diverse set of stakeholders and key constituencies and summarize that learning into actionable steps. The ideal candidate has a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. This is a position for an innovative thinker who communicates well and is organized and diligent.

This position will be based at Deriva Energy Headquarters located in Charlotte, NC.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive community engagement plans to support Deriva Energy's objectives
• Collaborate with the Development & External Affairs Teams on landowner and community leader outreach for early to late-stage development projects
• Work with the Environment and Permitting Team to secure local permitting, zoning, and community social licenses to develop projects
• Partner with the Corporate Communications Team to help draft press releases, articles, leave behinds, pamphlets, letters, and help to design and create multimedia assets, including graphics, presentations, print materials, and electronic information resources, to support development, engagement, and community specific initiatives tied to projects
• Coordinate and prepare subject matter experts, partnered with the External Affairs team, for hearings, landowner meetings, public meetings, open houses, conferences, leadership meetings, and internal employee events as needed
• Use insights from industry research, industry engagement, and science-based information to develop targeted messaging and positioning strategies that resonate with key stakeholders and present truthful, transparent, science-based information
• Work with landowners and community members to encapsulate feedback and effect changes in project development and operations
• Work with Operations staff to ensure community connections to all operating projects, including volunteer events, charitable giving, project information, and routine check-ins with community leaders

Required /Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in urban planning, communications, public relations, public policy, non-profit management, environmental or social sciences, or related disciplines
• In addition to a bachelors degree, five (5) years or more of relevant work experience
• In lieu of a bachelors degree, HS Diploma/GED AND 10 years of relevant work experience

Desired Qualifications

• Five (5) years or more of experience in a related field of urban planning, communications, public relations, public policy, non-profit management, environmental or social sciences
• Proven experience with five or more years in a community engagement, communications, or a mediation role, preferably within the energy sector or a related industry
• Demonstrated experience in event coordination and project management
• Renewable energy experience or related industry
• Proficiency with Excel, PowerPoint, and other Microsoft Office tools
• Professional with a positive attitude and capable of contributing to a collaborative, dynamic, and team-oriented culture
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft clear and compelling messages for diverse audiences
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams
• Ability to work effectively and maintain flexibility in a fast-paced environment, prioritize tasks, and meet deadlines

Working Conditions

• This position is located in Charlotte, NC
• Hybrid position with opportunity to work remotely
• Employees should live within a reasonable daily commute to the designated office location
• Travel: 50%

Benefits

• Health Insurance
• Dental Insurance
• Vision Insurance
• 401(k) with matching
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Parental leave
• Attractive Bonus Potential

Additional Information

Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Deriva welcomes veterans of the United States Armed Forces to apply for this position. Deriva includes veterans of all branches and a diverse set of occupational specialties. We value the independent thinking, problem solving, leadership, and teamwork that our veterans have developed through their service. We welcome applications from any service and any military occupational specialty.

Deriva Energy is an Equal Opportunity and Aff