Senior Community Engagement Specialist

At PGE, our work involves dreaming about, planning for, and realizing a smarter, cleaner, more enduring Oregon. It’s core to our DNA and we haven’t stopped since we started in 1888. We energize lives, strengthen communities, and drive advancements in energy that promote social, economic, and environmental progress. We’re always on the lookout for people passionate about leading and being a part of teams that are advancing innovative clean energy solutions that are also affordable and accessible to all.   
  
Innovators, relationship gurus, and team players – we are looking for you! PGE’s Community Engagement team has an exciting opportunity to help the company reimagine how we engage with communities in more collaborative and inclusive decision-making processes. The position will be regionally focused on Multnomah and Washington counties within the Portland-metro area.  
  
As a Senior Community Engagement Specialist, you will:  
1. Become the expert on your community to advise internal teams in support of making informed decisions.  
2. Develop and maintain positive community relationships to support engagement on all PGE projects and programs within your assigned community, including planning and constructing capital infrastructure projects.  
3. Support the management of Community Advisory Councils and town hall meetings in your counties.  
4. Identify meaningful input opportunities for communities on PGE projects and programs.  
5. Prepare engagement plans and incorporate tools to help communities understand and inform PGE projects and programs.  
6. Partner with internal teams to develop strategies to support community education and awareness about PGE programs and projects.  
7. Drive innovative thinking on new ways to reach communities who have not historically been a part of the decision-making process or engaged in public processes.   
  
The ideal candidate is someone who:  
• Brings experience in engaging communities on infrastructure projects and/or within complex regulatory environments   
• Is passionate about building relationships within communities   
• Is comfortable in a fast-paced environment where multi-tasking and meeting deadlines is par for the course  
• Embraces collaboration to advance meaningful engagement with internal and external partners  
  

Key Responsibilities  

Community Engagement Planning Prepares and implements community engagement plans for capital infrastructure projects that are aligned with company objectives and community needs.  

Power Together Supports PGE’s community engagement program of town hall meetings throughout the service area as well as the Multnomah and Washington County Community Advisory Councils.  

Program Management Designs and implements workstream initiatives, events, and programs based on evolving business needs. Monitors and evaluates effectiveness, driving continuous improvement aligned with best practices. Provides guidance to team members on initiative execution.  

Reporting, Policy and Compliance Contributes to regulatory, grant, and/or policy reports ensuring compliance with all requirements. Monitors new or revised laws and regulations, assesses impacts, and recommends program and/or policy changes. Supports policy updates and process improvements to maintain alignment with compliance standards.  

Consultation Serves as an experienced advisor on community and stakeholder engagement strategies within the organization. Supports internal consultations to help project teams design effective engagement plans aligned with organizational goals. Analyzes feedback and engagement outcomes to recommend improvements and best practices. Supports and advises other departments on sponsorships and contributions.  

Community and Stakeholder Engagement Leads engagement activities for moderately complex initiatives and collaborates across departments to align outreach. Maintains strong relationships with external stakeholders and ensures accurate, timely communication. Represents PGE at stakeholder meetings, public forums, and project briefings.  

This is a hybrid position with an expectation of a minimum of 3 days in the office per week. Use of personal vehicle with mileage reimbursement or checking out a PGE fleet vehicle to attend events is require 

Education 

Typically a bachelor’s degree in public policy, communications, business, political science, environmental policy, or other related field or equivalent experience 

Experience 

Typically five or more years in human resources with at least two years in the area of discipline or equivalent and experience engaging with diverse communities.   

Functional Competencies 

• Intermediate knowledge of the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) principles of community engagement   

• Intermediate skills in facilitation and presentations  

• Intermediate skills using MS Office Suite, writing and working with graphics  

• Intermediate interpersonal skills  

• Working project management skills  

• Basic skills in negotiation and influence without authority  

General Competencies 

• Advanced customer focus skills  

• Intermediate safety leadership skills  

• Advanced skills in change leadership  

• Intermediate skills in analytical thinking  

• Advanced skills in problem solving  

• Intermediate risk management skills  

• Advanced oral and written communication skills  

• Advanced interpersonal skills  

• Intermediate decision-making skills  

• Advanced organization and prioritization skills  

• Intermediate knowledge of business process interrelationships  

• Advanced business acumen  

Cognitive Level 

Substantial: Consistent use of logic or scientific thinking to define problems, collect information, establish facts and draw valid conclusions  

Cognitive     

• Ability to adhere to set response times, deadlines and time-sensitive tasks 

• Ability to follow accuracy standards 

• Ability to follow through on decision-making tasks 

• Ability to interact effectively and collaboratively within a team environment 

• Ability to communicate and problem solve when under stress 

• Ability to respond and adapt to frequent change 

• Ability to accept and demonstrate self-awareness when provided constructive feedback 

• Ability to discern feedback and acknowledge ownership of areas of improvement 

• Ability to avoid future mistakes by applying reasonable skills to new but similar work situations or tasks 

• Ability to successfully collaborate with peers, managers and others within the organization 

• Demonstrates sound memory 

• Ability to process new information to be applied consistently to work tasks 

Schedule/Attendance 

• Ability to adhere to pre-established schedule, including start/stop time and break/lunch schedule 

• Ability to work long hours 

• Ability to work a variable schedule 

• Ability to report to work and perform work during periods of severe inclement weather  

• Ability to consistently meet attendance standards for regular, reliable, predictable, full-time attendance 

• Ability to work shift schedule 

• Ability to work on-call schedule 

Physical Capabilities 

• Driver's license required  

• Driving/travel/commute: Daily within service territory  

• Travel/commute: Occasionally (one to two times a month or less) and overnight inside/outside the service territory  

• Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)  

• Lifting/pushing/pulling up to 10 lbs. 

Environment - Indoor/Outdoor 

• Office environment 

• Plant environment 

• Field environment