Community Impact and Partnerships Manager

FLSA Classification: Exempt

Salary Range: $100,000 - $125,000 plus bonus and incentive stock options

Reports to: VP, Project Development

About The Company:

NineDot's name derives from the classic mathematical puzzle for sparking out-of-the-box solutions. As a leading community-scale, clean energy developer with a growing portfolio of projects across a range of technologies, NineDot Energy is creating innovative energy solutions that support a more resilient electric grid, deliver economic savings, address environmental justice and reduce carbon emissions. and reduce carbon emissions. We plan to develop, build and operate more than 400 MW of clean energy systems by 2026 that will strengthen the local power grid infrastructure and provide clean, reliable and resilient power to tens of thousands of New York households and businesses. This is all in support of New York State’s mission to achieve 100% clean energy by 2040.

With the backing of Manulife Investment Management and Carlyle Group - two of the world’s leading infrastructure investors - NineDot is continuing to expand its core battery energy storage pipeline, deliver enhanced products and services, explore new regions and consider potential acquisitions all to advance the decarbonization of New York’s grid. This is an exciting opportunity to build a platform from the ground-up with a world-class team of developers and innovators. NineDot is committed to building a company that exemplifies diversity, equity and inclusion values in its team culture, as well as business practices and community engagement.

Job Summary

As the Community Impact and Partnerships Manager, you will play a pivotal role in establishing and maintaining positive relationships between NineDot and various community stakeholders (including neighbors and organizations) who might be impacted by or want to have a voice in our specific development projects. Your primary responsibility will be to ensure effective communication, collaboration, and community engagement with these stakeholders throughout all stages of our projects.

Responsibilities

Community Engagement:

• Conduct due diligence about the community of a proposed site location. “Community” includes individuals, non-profits, businesses and other local stakeholders who want to, need to and should have a channel to convey their thoughts to NineDot about our developments.
• Collaborate with internal teams to incorporate community feedback into project planning and decision-making processes, from messaging to site design and other community benefits or mitigations
• Develop and implement community engagement strategies to inform, educate, and involve local residents and community groups in our local renewable energy initiatives.
• Organize and facilitate community meetings, workshops, and outreach events to foster dialogue, address concerns, and gather input from community members.
• Build relationships with community leaders, neighborhood associations, and advocacy groups to promote understanding and support for our projects.
• Develop and help implement communication plans to keep these constituencies informed about NineDot’s progress and the benefits we bring.
• Propose and manage a budget for supporting these organizations, and measure the impact of that spending and our overall project-related community activities.
• As needed and appropriate, identify third-party consulting firms that can help interface with these organizations as we scale up.

Additional Responsibilities, as Experience, Workload and the Need Arise:

• Serve as a liaison between our company and broader external community partners, fostering strong relationships and coordinating collaborative efforts to advance renewable energy goals.
• Participate in relevant industry conferences, meetings, and networking events to stay updated on the latest trends and foster new partnerships.
• Support our work with government agencies to navigate regulatory processes and secure necessary permits and approvals for our projects.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop materials, including brochures, fact sheets, and presentations, for community outreach and education purposes.
• Collaborate with internal teams to develop and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks to assess the social, economic, and environmental impact of our renewable energy projects.
• Prepare regular reports and presentations on community affairs and partnership activities for internal and external stakeholders.

Competencies for Success

• Problem Solving - Uses rigorous logic and methods to solve difficult problems with effective solutions.
• Interpersonal Savvy - Relates well to all colleagues inside and outside the organization.
• Intellectual Horsepower - Deals with concepts and complexity comfortably.
• Perseverance - Pursues everything with energy, drive, and a need to finish; seldom gives up before finishing, especially in the face of resistance or setbacks.
• Technical Learning - Picks up on technical things quickly; can learn new skills and knowledge; is good at learning new industry, company, product, or technical knowledge.
• Creativity - Comes up with a lot of new ideas; easily makes connections among previously unrelated notions; tends to be seen as original and value-added in brainstorming settings.
• Dealing with Ambiguity - Can effectively cope with change; can decide and act without having the total picture; can comfortably handle risk and uncertainty.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in environmental studies, communications, public relations, urban planning, or a related field. A master's degree is a plus.
• 5+ years of proven experience in community engagement, community impact, or related fields, preferably in the renewable energy sector.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to effectively engage and collaborate with diverse stakeholders.
• Strong organizational and project management abilities to handle multiple tasks and prioritize accordingly.
• Familiarity with local government processes, regulatory frameworks, and environmental policies related to renewable energy in New York City.
• Knowledge of the renewable energy industry, including current trends, technologies, and best practices.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and experience with content management systems and social media platforms.
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team environment.
• Passion for sustainability, renewable energy, and making a positive impact on the environment and communities.

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

Affirmative Action/EEO statement

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and committed to leveraging the diverse backgrounds, perspectives and experience of our workforce to create opportunities for our colleagues and our business. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender expression, gender identity, sex, age, ancestry, marital status, protected veteran and military status, disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other status of an individual or that individual’s associates or relatives that is protected under applicable federal, state, or local law.

Covid 19 Protocols:

NineDot continues to monitor local COVID-19 protocols mandated by state and federal governments. For those who will be joining events in person, you may be required to test before meetings.