Community Relations & Economic Growth Lead

NiSource Inc.; Merrillville (IN); On-site; USD 114,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

NiSource Inc. seeks a Community & Economic Development Manager to serve as the primary representative in growth communities, building relationships with local governments, economic development groups, businesses, and stakeholders to support transmission, generation, and infrastructure investments.

The role leads community engagement, public outreach, and stakeholder partnerships, collaborating with Operations, Generation, Transmission, Engineering, Government Affairs, Regulatory, Customer

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 5+ years in community relations, public administration, engineering, economic development, government/public affairs, or related fields.
• Experience with local government, municipalities, and economic development groups.
• Strong relationship-building skills to partner with community leaders, officials, businesses, and internal teams.
• Excellent communication, public speaking, and executive presence for community, industry, and governmental settings.
• Knowledge of community engagement, economic development, and growth strategies.
• Understanding of local government processes, planning, zoning, and regulatory considerations in infrastructure projects.
• Ability to manage stakeholder concerns, resolve conflicts, and navigate sensitive issues.
• Ability to collaborate across functions, influence without authority, and drive results through partnerships.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities in complex stakeholder environments.
• U.S. Driver's License.

Responsibilities

• Serve as NiSource's primary liaison with mayors, councils, and economic development groups for large projects.
• Build and maintain strategic relationships within service territory communities.
• Represent NiSource and GENCO at community meetings, forums, conferences, and engagements.
• Develop and execute community engagement strategies aligned with business objectives.
• Lead public meetings and stakeholder sessions related to generation, transmission, and infrastructure projects.
• Communicate project benefits, timelines, economic impact, and reliability outcomes to stakeholders.
• Support workforce development and community investment initiatives.
• Coordinate outreach with Government Affairs and Public Affairs teams.

Skills

Relationship building

Public speaking

Executive presence

Stakeholder engagement

Economic development

Regulatory awareness

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

NiSource Inc. seeks a Community & Economic Development Manager to serve as the primary representative in growth communities, building relationships with local governments, economic development groups, businesses, and stakeholders to support transmission, generation, and infrastructure investments.

The role leads community engagement, public outreach, and stakeholder partnerships, collaborating with Operations, Generation, Transmission, Engineering, Government Affairs, Regulatory, Customer