Sr. Local Relations Representative

ATC; Town of Cottage Grove (WI); On-site; USD 96,000 - 112,000; Full time

Job summary

ATC is seeking a Local Relations Representative to serve as the trusted face of the company, guiding communities through critical infrastructure projects and building durable relationships that support project success. You will engage with local governments, landowners, customers, and community leaders, leading outreach efforts and articulating complex information in a clear, relatable manner.

A strong cross-functional collaboration mindset is essential for guiding transmission projects from

Qualifications

• Significant experience in public affairs or related field.
• Proven ability to build relationships with municipalities and stakeholders.
• Experience leading public outreach and community engagement.
• Strong presentation, written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate across cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute stakeholder engagement strategies that foster trust and transparency.
• Build trusted relationships with community leaders, officials, municipalities, landowners, customers and other stakeholders.
• Lead public outreach initiatives and engagement activities for transmission projects.
• Represent ATC at public meetings, open houses, forums and stakeholder discussions.
• Communicate complex technical information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Partner with engineering, environmental, regulatory, communications and project management teams.
• Provide insights into community priorities and local dynamics to project teams.

Skills

Public affairs

Relationship building

Public outreach

Project management

Facilitation

Presentation

Written communication

Verbal communication

Interpersonal skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Job description

At ATC, our work goes beyond building and maintaining the electric transmission grid—we connect communities to reliable energy that powers homes, businesses, and economic growth. As a Local Relations Representative, you'll serve as the trusted face of ATC, helping communities understand critical infrastructure projects while building the relationships that make those projects successful.

This is a unique opportunity for a relationship-focused professional who thrives at the intersection of community engagement, stakeholder relations, public affairs, and infrastructure development.

At ATC, you'll play a visible and meaningful role in supporting projects that strengthen the electric grid and help power the future of our region. You'll collaborate with talented professionals across engineering, environmental, communications, project management, and regulatory functions while building trusted partnerships with stakeholders throughout our service territory.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Serve as ATC's primary community and stakeholder liaison for major transmission projects.
• Influence project success through proactive engagement and relationship building.
• Work directly with local governments, elected officials, landowners, customers, and community leaders.
• Lead meaningful conversations that help shape communities’ understanding of critical infrastructure investments.
• Join a mission-driven organization committed to safely delivering reliable energy for generations to come.

What You’ll Do

As a Local Relations Representative, you'll develop and execute stakeholder engagement strategies that foster trust, transparency, and collaboration throughout the lifecycle of transmission projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with community leaders, elected officials, municipalities, landowners, customers, and other stakeholders.
• Lead public outreach initiatives and engagement activities for transmission infrastructure projects.
• Represent ATC at public meetings, open houses, community forums, and stakeholder discussions.
• Anticipate community concerns and proactively develop strategies to address issues before they become project barriers.
• Facilitate productive dialogue among stakeholders with varying perspectives and interests.
• Partner closely with engineering, environmental, regulatory, communications, customer relations, and project management teams.
• Communicate complex technical information in a clear, understandable, and relatable manner.
• Support project teams by providing insights into community priorities, stakeholder concerns, and local dynamics.
• Help foster informed participation in project planning and decision-making processes.

What You’ll Bring

Required Qualifications

• Significant experience in public affairs, government relations, communications, public relations, community relations, stakeholder engagement, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success building relationships with municipalities, community leaders, landowners, customers, elected officials, or other key stakeholders.
• Experience leading public outreach, community engagement, or stakeholder involvement initiatives.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Experience facilitating discussions among groups with differing viewpoints or interests.
• Exceptional presentation, written communication, verbal communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively within cross-functional teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within the electric utility, energy, renewable energy, infrastructure, transportation, telecommunications, or regulatory sectors.
• Knowledge of ATC's service territory and stakeholder landscape.
• Experience supporting infrastructure siting, permitting, construction, environmental review, or public involvement efforts.
• Experience working directly with local government officials and regulatory agencies.
• Advanced degree in Public Affairs, Communications, Business, Public Administration, Government Relations, Political Science, or a related discipline.
• Experience mentoring, coaching, or developing others.

ATC embraces flexibility in our work and our workplace. We trust our employees to get work done where and when it makes sense, depending on the schedule for the day and the needs of the business. If you are looking for position that strengthens our communities while helping to shape the future of energy, we want you to join our Great Place to Work!

The targeted base pay for this position is $96,000 to $112,000 annually.* Base pay is one component of our comprehensive total rewards package which includes an annual incentive bonus, employer-sponsored pension plan, 401(k) match, HSA contribution, life & disability insurance, health care benefits, generous time off plans, flexible work arrangements, and much more.