Head of Permitting

Mesabi Metallics Company LLC; Northern (KY); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Mesabi Metallics Company LLC seeks a senior Permitting and Regulatory Affairs Lead to oversee all environmental permitting for the Mesabi Integrated Steel Plant project, coordinating with federal, state, and local agencies.

You will steer strategy, manage budgets and teams, engage EPA, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and state environmental agencies, ensure NEPA and related permits, and align permitting with engineering, construction, and commissioning schedules.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, or related discipline (advanced degree preferred).
• 25–30 years of experience in environmental permitting and regulatory affairs for large industrial projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy and execution of all federal, state, and local permitting activities for the Mesabi ISP Project.
• Develop and manage the permitting roadmap aligned with engineering, construction, and commissioning schedules.
• Oversee preparation and submission of environmental impact statements, air/water/waste permits and related approvals.
• Engage with EPA, state environmental agencies, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other regulatory bodies.
• Coordinate with environmental consultants, legal counsel, and engineering teams to meet regulatory requirements.
• Lead public engagement, stakeholder consultation, and community relations activities related to permitting.
• Identify and mitigate permitting risks and delays; monitor regulatory changes.
• Manage permitting budgets, schedules, and consultant performance.
• Provide permitting status reports and regulatory strategy updates to leadership.
• Ensure post-permit compliance planning including monitoring and reporting.

Skills

Environmental permitting leadership

Regulatory affairs

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science/Engineering

Job description

Role Summary:

Responsible for leading all permitting and regulatory approval activities for the Mesabi Integrated Steel Plant (ISP) Project, including environmental permitting, air/water/waste permits, and stakeholder and regulatory agency engagement. The role ensures timely and compliant permitting to support the project's development schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategy, planning, and execution of all federal, state, and local permitting activities required for the Mesabi ISP Project.


• Develop and manage the overall permitting roadmap, ensuring alignment with project engineering, construction, and commissioning schedules.


• Oversee preparation and submission of environmental impact assessments, air and water quality permits, wetlands and stormwater permits, and other regulatory approvals.


• Engage and manage relationships with federal and state regulatory agencies including EPA, state environmental agencies, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and other relevant bodies.


• Coordinate with environmental consulting firms, legal counsel, and engineering teams to ensure permit applications meet regulatory requirements.


• Lead public engagement, stakeholder consultation, and community relations activities related to permitting processes.


• Identify and mitigate permitting risks, proactively addressing potential delays or regulatory challenges.


• Monitor changes in environmental regulations, policies, and compliance requirements affecting the project.


• Manage permitting budgets, schedules, and consultant/contractor performance.


• Prepare permitting status reports, risk assessments, and regulatory strategy updates for project leadership and senior management.


• Ensure post-permit compliance planning, including monitoring, reporting, and mitigation commitments.


• Build and lead a permitting team, providing technical guidance and mentorship.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, or related discipline; advanced degree preferred.


• 25-30 years of experience in environmental permitting and regulatory affairs, preferably for large industrial or manufacturing projects.


• Proven track record of leading permitting for large-scale greenfield industrial projects in the United States.


• Strong knowledge of federal and state environmental regulations, including NEPA, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and related permitting frameworks.


• Established relationships with regulatory agencies and experience navigating complex, multi-jurisdictional permitting processes.


• Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.


• Ability to manage multiple concurrent permitting workstreams under demanding project timelines.

Working Conditions

• Based in the United States, leading permitting activities for the Mesabi ISP Project.


• Regular travel to project sites, regulatory agency offices, and consultant locations as required.

Preferred Experience

• Direct experience permitting greenfield integrated steel plant or heavy industrial projects.


• Familiarity with tribal consultation, cultural resource assessments, and community engagement processes for major infrastructure projects.