Director of Community Engagement

At PGE, our work involves dreaming about, planning for, and realizing a smarter, cleaner, more enduring Oregon neighborhood. Its 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.

The Director of Community Engagement is a new, senior leadership position charged with developing and maintaining a best-in-class community

engagement program for Portland General Electric (PGE) with the numerous diverse communities we serve. We are seeking a dynamic and driven professional who thrives on building relationships, has experience in multicultural settings, and has established relationships or knowledge of community organizations serving the greater Portland and Salem metro regions. The ideal candidate will have the ability to craft and implement strategies that will support both PGE’s business and the goals and aspirations of communities in our service territory, particularly those representing underserved or underrepresented populations. This position reports to the Vice President of Public Affairs and will oversee a team who is engaging on a wide range of matters related to the electricity sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Community Engagement: Work with the manager of community engagement and team to engage community members and organizations representing environmental justice communities and other diverse constituencies to inform company economic, operational and policy decisions that consider community needs, reduce barriers to participation, and create equitable access to a clean energy future. This includes oversight of the utility’s recently launched Community Benefits and Impacts Advisory Group and other statutory and regulatory requirements related to community engagement.
• Community Impact: Provide strategic oversight and guidance to the senior manager of Community Impact and staff responsible for connecting resources of PGE, the PGE Foundation and other specified grant funds to support community investment priorities and community organizations whose mission aligns with company priorities. This also includes corporate sponsorships, employee community engagement programs, safety/energy education and PGE’s signature social impact initiative, Project Zero.
• Economic equity: Develop and implement strategies that bring economic benefits of the clean energy transition to the entire community through supporting the expansion of diverse suppliers and the implementation of community benefit plans that may be required by federal grants. This also includes overseeing creation and implementation of a robust supplier diversity program, working with the company’s power origination team to facilitate the growth of community-based renewable energy, as well as collaborating on initiatives that facilitate growth of the clean energy workforce and our responsible contractor policy.
• Business Outcomes: The position will work cross-functionally in the company to develop and achieve overall business outcomes through a strong culture of collaboration between customer and community facing employees and groups. This includes overseeing implementation of a customer relationship management system for tracking community outreach and engagement activities, and bringing learnings from the community back to company to inform updates to company policies, approaches and strategies that align with community goals.
• Public Affairs: Member of the Public Affairs leadership team and company senior leadership team. This includes being a key representative of the company in the community, which may include preparing or overseeing preparation of testimony, letters, reports, filings, and public presentations. Must ensure accurate maintenance of departmental systems and procedures.

Education/Experience/Certifications

• Requires a bachelor’s degree in political science, environmental science, economics, business, engineering or other related field or equivalent experience.
• Typically 10 or more years in a combination of roles demonstrating leadership and engagement with diverse communities, including roles in: community engagement or community relations, communications, public policy, government affairs, and/or business development.
• Experience/knowledge working with diverse constituencies in a regulated environment.

Competencies (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities)

Functional Competencies

Deep understanding and commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging principles, policies, and programs

Establish policies, goals, and performance standards; direct, motivate, and develop staff; evaluate and reward performance; provide constructive feedback; ensure a safe and healthy work environment

Implement improvements to structure, work design, technology, and performance expectations

Strong business acumen and ability to quickly learn the vertically-integrated utility model and operate from an enterprise-wide perspective

Continually evaluate and prioritize department resources

Provide updated reports to management on key initiatives to demonstrate the achievement of project goals, strategic alignment and cost effectiveness

Model and promote Company values and core practices

Advanced presentation development and delivery skills across a variety of communication channels

Advanced knowledge of PGE policies, practices, mission, vision and values

Advanced knowledge of change management planning elements, e.g., stakeholder analysis and engagement, communications strategy and planning, key message development and change agent networks

General Competencies

Advanced analytical thinking skills

Advanced conflict management skills

Advanced consulting skills

Advanced creativity and innovation skills

Advanced decision-making skills

Advanced diplomacy skills

Advanced enterprise/business awareness skills

Advanced influence skills.

Leader Practices

Drives Results

Plans and Aligns

Decision Quality

Drives Engagement

Courage

Physical and Cognitive Demands

Cognitive Level

Substantial: Consistent use of logic or scientific thinking to define problems, collect information, establish facts and draw valid conclusions (for example, engineer, HR director, plant manager, etc.).

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 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 [for part-time positions, change to part-time attendance]

Physical Capabilities

Driving/travel/commute: Daily within service territory – Occasionally (one to two times a month or less)

Driving/travel/commute: Overnight inside/outside the service territory – Occasionally (one to two times a month or less)

Computer use (use computer regularly for entire work shift)

Environment – Indoor/Outdoor

Office

Compensation Range:

$160,790.00 – $298,610.00

In addition, this position is eligible for a performance-based incentive bonus. Actual total compensation is commensurate with experience, skills, and education

PGE believes in rewarding dedicated performance. We provide a total rewards package that is designed to reward your contributions to the company, and, at the same time, support your well-being and professional development, both now and into the future. To find out more, click here.