Project Outreach Specialist Senior-Principal

AEP; Tulsa (OK); On-site; USD 88,000 - 129,000; Full time

Job summary

AEP Transmission seeks a Project Outreach Specialist Senior-Principal in Tulsa, OK. This role leads field customer relations and public outreach for transmission projects, coordinating with landowners, officials, and project teams to surface issues and guide routing decisions.

The position requires excellent written and public speaking skills, strong interpersonal abilities, and solid business knowledge. Travel and multi-project coordination are expected.

Qualifications

• Excellent written and public speaking skills; strong interpersonal abilities.
• Good business knowledge and ability to surface issues with stakeholders.
• Ability to coordinate with external affairs teams and consultants.

Responsibilities

• Works directly with affected or potentially affected landowners to gain beneficial project routing information and resolves issues before and during the transmission line routing process.
• Represents AEP Transmission and projects to external affairs teams and educates the public about proposed transmission projects.
• Determines and guides customer outreach strategies that improve two-way communications and line routing success at the project level, directing outside consultants as needed.
• Provides field support to transmission siting, line engineering, right of way, and project management teams to ensure projects are executed on time.
• Collaborates with Project Management, Line and Station Engineering, Right of Way, Corporate Communications, and External Affairs to foster two-way communications with stakeholders and allocate resources.

Skills

Public speaking

Written communication

Interpersonal skills

Business knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in journalism, business, marketing, customer service, advertising, communications, public relations, or related field

Bachelor's degree in journalism, business, marketing, customer service, advertising, communications, public relations or public affairs, or related field

Job description

Project Outreach Specialist Senior-Principal

Location: Tulsa, OK

Category : Project Management/Controls

Job Summary

This position drives the primary field customer relations and communications resource for public interaction and outreach on AEP Transmission projects. Responsible for identifying, developing, and coordinating delivery of overall outreach strategies to support the goals, philosophies, policies, initiatives, and day-to-day activities of AEP Transmission and its affiliates, including joint ventures. Key member of project siting team who interfaces with or supports interaction with external audiences, including individual customers and local officials. Requirements include excellent written and public speaking skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and strong business knowledge. Able to meet with affected or potentially affected customers to surface issues, solve problems, and bring local knowledge and insight to the siting process.

Job Description

What you’ll do:

• Works directly with affected or potentially affected landowners to gain beneficial project routing information and resolves issues before and during the transmission line routing process.
• Represents AEP Transmission and projects to external affairs teams and educates the public (landowners, thought leaders, elected officials) about proposed transmission projects.
• Determines and guides customer outreach strategies that improve two-way communications and line routing success at the project level. Also will have the responsibility of directing outside consultants and resources in support of individual projects.
• Provides field support to transmission siting, line engineering, right-of-way, and project management team to ensure projects are executed on time.
• Works closely with Project Management, Line and Station Engineering, Right of Way, Corporate Communications, and External Affairs to foster two-way communications between key stakeholders and the project team to improve success in siting transmission projects. Coordinates deployment of resources accordingly.

What we’re looking for:

Project Outreach Specialist Senior SG7

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, business, marketing, customer service, advertising, communications, public relations, public affairs, or related field.

Experience:

• Four years' experience in Utilities, Corporate Communications, Customer Service, Marketing, Media Relations, Journalism, or related field

Project Outreach Specialist Principal SG8

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, business, marketing, customer service, advertising, communications, public relations or public affairs, or related field.

Experience:

• Minimum of six years' experience in Utilities, Corporate Communications, Customer Service, Marketing, Media Relations, Journalism, or related field.

In addition:

• Physical demand level is Sedentary
• These are additional expectations for the job and could include specific work experience, license / certifications, preemployment testing, expectations about travel, shift work, etc.
• The ability to handle multiple projects and assignments is critical.
• May require extended hours to accomplish assigned tasks to meet requirements and schedules.
• Some overnight travel to facilities and projects (field work) is required periodically.
• Twenty to thirty percent travel time associated with this position.
• Ability to hike one mile ten percent of the time.

In addition to competitive compensation, AEP offers a unique comprehensive benefits package that aims to support and enhance the overall well-being of our employees.

Where Putting the Customer First Powers Everything We Do
At AEP, we’re more than just an energy company — we’re a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you!

American Electric Power (On-Site)

#LI-Onsite

#AEPCareers

Compensation

$87,633.00 - $128,688.00

Physical Demands

The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met.

Equal Employment Opportunity

It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.

“Knowing that I am part of team that is making the power grid safer and more reliable gives me a real sense of responsibility and enthusiasm for coming to work every day.”

This role is responsible for shaping how technology delivery is carried out across the enterprise. This role goes beyond traditional project management—focusing on defining delivery practices, driving adoption, and establishing consistent measurement of execution performance across the Technology organization.You will partner with Technology leadership to improve delivery discipline, transparency, and predictability by embedding standard methodologies, governance, and performance tracking frameworks across teams.

In this role, you'll manage, or assist in the management of, base, intermediate, and/or complex projects and progressively develop to managing intermediate projects in a matrix team environment. Provide leadership, direction, coordination, and effective communication to initiate , plan, execute, monitor and control, and close projects in a safe, efficient, economical, risk-balanced approach to achieve short and long range goals and to obtain maximum customer satisfaction . Provide project transparency and develop relationships and effectively communicate with all stakeholders including internal customers, external customers, team members, suppliers, contractors, vendors, and industry peers, enabling them to make sound business decisions. Enable and promote team level continuous improvement activities that increase quality and optimize delivery of value.

This role will be responsible for coordinating team activities and supporting the Project Managers (PMs). With minimal supervision, perform role as scheduler and/or commodity tracker for major projects. Support the development and analysis of a wide range of scope of work types, especially complex schedules using the assigned system. Must be self-motivated, an excellent communicator, and team focused individual able to demonstrate competency in scheduling techniques and analyses on all scope of work aspects. Additional duties include schedule maintenance, collecting progress data, developing and implementing scope of work schedule/status reports, and providing consistent, accurate information to the senior management team. The candidate must be able to interface with site execution teams, contractors, and AEP senior management.

AEP offers generous time off, competitive pay, and educational opportunities to help employees advance their careers.

Our culture is purpose-driven and team-oriented: we combine innovation with a customer-first focus to deliver reliable energy and brighter futures.