Strategic Community Relations Manager – Growth Projects

Xcel Energy Inc; Amarillo (TX); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 139,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Program

Medical/Pharmacy Plan

Dental

Vision

Pension

401(k)

Job summary

Xcel Energy is seeking a strategic leader to build and maintain community relationships to support large-load growth projects across multiple jurisdictions. You will craft engagement plans, build ties with officials and local organizations, and coordinate with regulatory and site development teams to keep communities informed.

The role requires 7+ years in community engagement or public affairs, a relevant degree, strong communication skills, and willingness to work non-traditional hours.

Qualifications

• College degree in communications, public affairs, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 7 years of experience developing community engagement or public affairs strategy, ideally in an energy, infrastructure, or large-scale development context.
• Very strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to work with complex issues in a public setting.
• Ability to work independently and be a self-starter.
• Must be willing to work non-traditional hours to attend community and local government meetings.

Responsibilities

• Build community- and jurisdiction-specific engagement plans for large-load growth projects, tailored to local context and stakeholder landscape
• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, community leaders, relevant economic development or governing bodies, and local organizations
• Respond to, listen for, and elevate community concerns and questions related to growth projects, including monitoring local regulatory or approval processes that may affect project timing
• Keep internal teams informed of community sentiment and local developments; coordinate with counterparts from other OpCos and central communications team
• Partner with existing Community Relations, Account Management, and/or local partners (e.g., NGOs, EDCs, governments) to ensure coordinated outreach and share learnings across the territory
• Tailor messaging to jurisdiction-specific priorities and keep engagement aligned as regulatory filings and site development progress
• Perform special projects and other duties, as required

Skills

Interpersonal communication

Public affairs strategy

Independent work

Stakeholder engagement

Flexibility with hours

Education

College degree in communications, public affairs, or related field

Job description

Xcel Energy is seeking a strategic leader to build and maintain community relationships to support large-load growth projects across multiple jurisdictions. You will craft engagement plans, build ties with officials and local organizations, and coordinate with regulatory and site development teams to keep communities informed.

The role requires 7+ years in community engagement or public affairs, a relevant degree, strong communication skills, and willingness to work non-traditional hours.