Public Engagement & Outreach Lead

Jacobs Solutions Inc.; Richmond (VA); Hybrid; USD 94,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) plan

Stock purchase program

Unlimited PPTO and holidays

Job summary

Jacobs Solutions Inc. is hiring a Public Engagement & Outreach Lead to plan and deliver inclusive, transparent engagement for electric transmission projects.

You will build relationships with landowners, public officials, regulators, Tribal entities, and other stakeholders throughout planning, permitting, construction, and closeout. The successful candidate will demonstrate sound judgment, strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across engineering,

Qualifications

• Eight or more years of progressive stakeholder engagement, public affairs, community relations, or communications experience.
• Experience with electric transmission, utilities, renewable energy, major infrastructure, or environmental permitting.
• Demonstrated success leading engagement strategies for complex projects.
• Strong facilitation, negotiation, issue-management, and executive communication skills.
• Experience directing consultants, leading project teams, or coaching engagement professionals.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment independently and represent the organization in sensitive public and regulatory settings.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel up to 25%.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement public engagement plans for electric transmission projects.
• Coordinate open houses, workshops, public hearings, community meetings, site visits, and other outreach activities.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with landowners, community groups, municipalities, regulators, elected officials, Tribal entities, and partner organizations.
• Prepare stakeholder materials, including presentations, fact sheets, newsletters, meeting notices, FAQs, web content, comment forms, and other project communications.
• Assist with venue selection, invitations, registrations, accessibility, logistics, staffing, materials, and documentation for engagement events.
• Explain project purpose, routing, schedule, potential impacts, benefits, and mitigation approaches in clear, accessible language.
• Collect, document, track, and summarize stakeholder questions, concerns, and feedback.
• Maintain accurate outreach records, contact lists, issue logs, commitments, and engagement metrics.
• Coordinate with project managers, engineering, environmental, permitting, real estate, regulatory, and construction teams.
• Support compliance with applicable public participation, environmental review, and permitting requirements.
• Identify emerging stakeholder issues and recommend timely, practical response strategies.
• Promote culturally appropriate, equitable, and accessible engagement practices, including outreach to historically underserved communities.
• Assist with preparing responses to comments and developing project communications that reflect agency and community input.

Skills

Public engagement

Stakeholder outreach

Facilitation

Executive communication

Project coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications or related field

Job description

At Jacobs, we're challenging today to reinvent tomorrow by solving the world's most critical problems for thriving cities, resilient environments, mission-critical outcomes, operational advancement, scientific discovery and cutting-edge manufacturing, turning abstract ideas into realities that transform the world for good.

Your impact

The Public Engagement & Outreach Lead executes the planning and delivery of meaningful, inclusive, and transparent engagement for electric transmission projects. This role builds relationships with communities, landowners, public officials, agencies, Tribal representatives, environmental justice communities, and other stakeholders throughout project planning, permitting, construction, and closeout.

The successful candidate will demonstrate sound judgment, strong organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work collaboratively across engineering, environmental, regulatory, real estate, legal, and stakeholder-engagement disciplines.

Core functions of the job may include:

• Develop and implement public engagement and stakeholder outreach plans for electric transmission projects.
• Coordinate open houses, workshops, public hearings, community meetings, site visits, and other outreach activities.
• Build and maintain productive relationships with landowners, community groups, municipalities, regulators, elected officials, Tribal entities, and partner organizations.
• Prepare stakeholder materials, including presentations, fact sheets, newsletters, meeting notices, FAQs, web content, comment forms, and other project communications.
• Assist with venue selection, invitations, registrations, accessibility, logistics, staffing, materials, and documentation for engagement events.
• Explain project purpose, routing, schedule, potential impacts, benefits, and mitigation approaches in clear, accessible language.
• Collect, document, track, and summarize stakeholder questions, concerns, and feedback.
• Maintain accurate outreach records, contact lists, issue logs, commitments, and engagement metrics.
• Coordinate with project managers, engineering, environmental, permitting, real estate, regulatory, and construction teams.
• Support compliance with applicable public participation, environmental review, and permitting requirements.
• Identify emerging stakeholder issues and recommend timely, practical response strategies.
• Promote culturally appropriate, equitable, and accessible engagement practices, including outreach to historically underserved communities.
• Assist with preparing responses to comments and developing project communications that reflect agency and community input.

Primary responsibilities:

• Provide strategic direction for engagement on complex, high-profile, or multi-jurisdictional transmission projects.
• Serve as a senior point of contact for significant stakeholder relationships and sensitive community issues.
• Develop comprehensive engagement strategies, escalation approaches, and long-term stakeholder management plans.
• Direct outreach programs that involve multiple communities, agencies, contractors, and internal workstreams.
• Lead major public meetings and facilitate discussions involving competing interests or elevated public concern.
• Advise project leadership on stakeholder sentiment, reputational risk, permitting strategy, and community acceptance.
• Review or direct the preparation of regulatory filings, reports, testimony support materials, and executive-level briefings.
• Establish engagement standards, tools, metrics, and quality-control processes across projects.
• Mentor outreach staff, supervise consultants or employees, and help shape departmental practices.
• Act as a trusted representative of the organization in high-stakes discussions with public officials, community leaders, regulators, and other key stakeholders.

Here's what you'll need

Bachelor's degree in communications, business, public relations, public policy, environmental studies, planning, political science, community development, or a related field (or equivalent relevant experience).

Eight or more years of progressive stakeholder engagement, public affairs, community relations, or communications experience.

Experience with electric transmission, utilities, renewable energy, major infrastructure, or environmental permitting.

Demonstrated success leading engagement strategies for complex, controversial, or highly regulated projects.

Strong facilitation, negotiation, issue-management, and executive communication skills.

Experience directing consultants, leading project teams, or coaching engagement professionals.

Ability to exercise sound judgment independently and represent the organization in sensitive public and regulatory settings.

Valid driver’s license and ability to travel up to 25% of time for site visits, community events, agency meetings, and evening/weekend public events.

Ideally, you'll also have:

• Knowledge of local, state, or federal siting and permitting processes.
• Experience engaging landowners and communities affected by linear infrastructure.
• Experience with environmental justice, equity-focused engagement, or Tribal consultation.
• Familiarity with stakeholder relationship-management databases, GIS-based outreach tools, or survey platforms.
• Ability to communicate in languages commonly used within the project area.
• Experience coordinating with regulatory agencies, municipal governments, or elected officials.

Our health and welfare benefits are designed to invest in you, and in the things you care about. Your health. Your well-being. Your security. Your future. Employees have access to medical, dental, vision, and basic life insurance, a 401(k) plan, and the ability to purchase company stock at a discount. Eligible employees may also enroll in a deferred compensation plan or the Executive Deferral Plan. Jacobs has an unlimited U.S. Personalized Paid Time Off (PPTO) policy for full-time salaried/exempt employees, seven paid holidays, and caregiver leave. And certain roles may be eligible for additional rewards, including merit increases, performance discretionary bonus, and stock.

The base salary range for this position is $93,500.00 to $150,000.00. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

At Jacobs, we’re partnering across the globe to create the best project outcomes by maximizing the design, digital technology, and support capabilities of our Global Integrated Delivery (GID) teammates. By joining Jacobs, you’ll commit to supporting and engaging with these teams, as we work to build a company like no other.

We value collaboration and believe that in-person interactions are crucial for both our culture and client delivery. We empower employees with our hybrid working policy, allowing them to split their work week between Jacobs offices/projects and remote locations enabling them to deliver their best work.