Director of State and Local Affairs, Northeast

Summary

The Director of State and Local Affairs, Northeast, provides strategic guidance and leadership in managing the organization’s relationships with state and local governments, community organizations, and non-profit stakeholders in support of JERA Americas’ power plants and development projects in the Northeast. (For these purposes, the Northeast includes Pennsylvania to Maine.) The incumbent is responsible for setting advocacy priorities, directing policy and community engagement initiatives, overseeing legislative and policy monitoring, and serving as a visible representative for the organization in the Northeast. The Director collaborates closely with the Vice President of Government & Regulatory Affairs, the respective Directors of Regulatory Affairs, as well as with executive leadership, internal teams, and external partners to advance the organization’s mission through impactful public policy and meaningful community engagement.

Position Description

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Working with business units and development teams, develop and implement strategies for state, local, and community government relations, public policy advocacy, and community engagement to support JERA Americas’ power plants and development projects in the Northeast.
• Lead the identification and analysis of legislative, regulatory, policy, and community trends affecting JERA Americas’ power plants and development projects in the Northeast.
• Work with the Vice President of Government and Regulatory Affairs, the Directors of Regulatory Affairs in the relevant markets, and other company leaders to establish and maintain relationships with relevant senior government officials, state regulatory agencies, community leaders, and grassroots organizations in the Northeast.
• Serve as the organization’s primary spokesperson and senior representative at public hearings, legislative sessions, coalition meetings, and community events in the Northeast.
• Oversee the preparation of policy briefs, testimony, official correspondence, and communications, in coordination with JERA Americas’ communications team, to articulate the organization’s policy positions and community commitments in the Northeast.
• Lead coalition-building efforts in the Northeast with peer organizations, industry associations, advocacy groups, and community organizations to advance shared objectives.
• Hire and manage a team of government and community affairs consultants to advance JERA Americas’ objectives in the Northeast.

Position Description Continued

Competencies

• Proven expertise in navigating complex legislative, regulatory, and community environments at the state and local levels.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and public speaking communication skills, with demonstrated success in public and community-facing roles.
• An ability to synthesize complex issues or concepts and develop messages that can be readily understood
• Strong ability to build and sustain influential relationships with senior government officials, community leaders, and diverse advocacy groups.
• Strategic, analytical thinker with effective organizational and project management abilities.
• Experience leading and mentoring advocacy or community engagement teams.
• Strong initiative, comfort working in unstructured environments and ambiguous situations.
• Strong organizational, analytical, project, and process management skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in dynamic, fast-paced settings.
• Willingness to travel for leadership, advocacy, and community engagement activities.
• A passion for community and building a company’s reputation in a community.
• An ability to work well with others – A passion for being a good teammate.
• Able to balance, prioritize and deal with multiple projects/issues at the same time.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Communications, Journalism, or a related field required.

• At least 10 years of progressively responsible experience in government affairs, public policy, community engagement, or related fields with energy or infrastructure companies.
• A demonstrated background in building strategies to gain support for energy projects.
• Experience developing and delivering high-level presentations, testimony, and community outreach programs.
• Track record of successful coalition management and cross-sector community partnerships.

Preferred Education and Additional Eligibility Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Political Science, Public Administration, Communications, Journalism, or a related field strongly preferred.
• Experience managing consultants, staff and/or interns.
• Extensive experience with lobbying, compliance, community affairs, and ethics processes.
• Familiarity with policy and community engagement tracking technologies.
• Familiarity with wholesale electricity markets in the Northeast.

JERA Americas does not accept unsolicited resumes from third party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of an executed Recruitment Services Agreement, JERA Americas shall have no obligation to pay any referral compensation or recruiter fee.