Reliability & Resilience Engagement Program Manager - Oahu

Hawaiian Electric Companies • Honolulu, HI

8d

About The Position

We recognize our competitive advantage -- our people. We believe in our people, who share our vision of meeting the needs of our employees, customers, and communities and who carry out the continued success of the company. Our employees are committed to the company's foundational values: integrity, excellence, teamwork, environmental stewardship, and community commitment. In turn, we invest in our employees, providing opportunities for challenge and advancement and offering a competitive compensation package. BRIEF POSTING DESCRIPTION: The P QP COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Department of the P COMMUNITY AFFAIRS Division at Hawaiian Electric Company has 1 Management vacancy available. (Role: Professional) JOB FUNCTION: Develops, implements and coordinates community engagement programs, strategies, and metrics to advance critical reliability and resilience initiatives, specifically wildfire mitigation and power generation, with communities, customers, and the general public across Hawaiian Electric’s service territories.

Requirements

• Expert knowledge of Company operations.
• Working knowledge of utility industry operations (specifically transmission and distribution, power supply, and system operation project management).
• Working familiarity with varying communities the Company serves, and the issues facing it and the industry.
• Working knowledge of key community organizations and business in general.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, economic, business, and political climates.
• Demonstrated knowledge of communications and information dissemination techniques.
• Working understanding of the ways people communicate, listen, learn, and react.
• Working knowledge of personal computers and related software applications such as spreadsheets, word-processing, etc.
• Working knowledge of budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Sound understanding of individual, group, and organizational behavior.
• People Skills Leadership skills and ability to work with a variety of individuals dealing with sensitive, difficult or confrontational issues and hostile environments. Ability to handle such issues with professionalism while using tact, courtesy, and discretion. Must genuinely like people. Strong interpersonal skills to influence and persuade various groups or individuals. Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong positive relationships with community and government personnel. Demonstrated ability to work independently, remain flexible in a demanding work environment, handle multiple tasks concurrently, and adapt to rapidly changing priorities. Demonstrated ability to work well with people at all levels and from diverse departments in the company. Ability to work collaboratively as a member of a team. After a decision is made, must have demonstrated ability to effectively represent company position in the community regardless of personal position. Demonstrated ability to successfully go into a community “cold” and gain long-term respect and credibility. Ability to handle difficult or sensitive challenges while using tact, courtesy, and discretion.
• Business Skills Excellent understanding of the value of community relations to the success of an organization. Excellent written and verbal communications, presentation and facilitation skills, including the ability to think on one’s feet and respond to media and customer inquiries in clear, credible and concise terms. Analytical and conceptual skills to assess issues, to recommend proper actions and to coordinate/follow through on implementation of details. Ability to take financial, statistical, and other highly technical information and accurately simplify for broad consumption. Able to maintain a flexible schedule including evening and weekend work in the community across service territories to ensure success. Established reputation for personal credibility and possessing high ethical values and conduct. Working knowledge of SafeStart principles and best practices to achieve a safe workplace environment.
• Extensive years (7 or more years) experience in active community outreach and engagement, public affairs or problem-resolution experience.

Nice To Haves

• Several years (5 or more years) of Company service is desirable, specifically experience in projects involving overhead, underground, and/or substation electrical facilities.
• Experience in providing testimony and fielding questions at public hearings and community meetings.
• Has a positive background and work history reflecting success in the communities likely to be focused on within the scope of the job (desirable).
• Few (1-2) years of related work experience in a team lead capacity or equivalent preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements strategic community outreach and engagement plans across service territories (O‘ahu, Maui County, and Hawai‘i Island) aimed at advancing the achievement of Company resilience and reliability goals and facilitating the acceptance of Company initiatives and programs as part of the Wildfire Safety Strategy, including Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) equipment upgrades, vegetation management, and strategic undergrounding. Plans should incorporate insight gained through building key relationships with residential customers, community leaders, neighborhood boards, and other civic, community, and charitable organizations.
• Provide community relations leadership and consultation to Company personnel and oversees preparation for meetings, presentations, and materials necessary for public outreach. Evening and/or weekend work will be necessary to ensure successful working relationships within the community.
• Functions as the Company’s community outreach and engagement lead across service territories for power generation capital projects designed, constructed, and operated by the Company, as part of the Company’s Development Team. Provides community relations direction, consultation, and strategy development for these projects to project personnel and assists in preparation of presentations for project managers across service territories. Conducts outreach and presentations before public groups and agencies in sometimes potentially hostile environments to explain the Company’s position and address sensitive community concerns. Responds to escalated concerns from customers or community members impacted by projects. Leads and coordinates project teams, including engineers, contractors, and suppliers. Engages regularly with communities, internal teams, and external stakeholders to manage project communications and ensure alignment. Ensures compliance with safety standards, regulatory requirements, and Company policies. Maintains project daily records and prepares incident and other project reports to maximize overall performance of the work group. Schedules and attends project meetings. Manages project costs, ensuring projects stay within budget and identifying cost-saving opportunities.
• Apprise, inform, and educate Company management and employees about customer and community concerns that may impact operations to assure that the Company is fully aware of the environment in which it is operating and doing business. Solicit, monitor, and assess customer and community issues, community newsletters and other communications to track community sentiment and feeling. Also provides community relations support and training to employees and contractors to ensure awareness and sensitivity to customer and community member needs.
• Participates in Company emergency response activities as assigned (on standby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week), with a focus on PSPS Incident Management, including any activities required to prepare for such emergency response.
• Collaborates with Government Relations on critical issues being discussed with public and elected officials, including state and local agencies. Conducts research as needed to assist with responding to inquiries from federal, state, and county elected officials and government agencies. Works closely with Corporate Communications and Government Relations on external communications.
• Participates in Company emergency response activities as assigned, including any activities required to prepare for such emergency response.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees