Project Outreach Specialist - External Affairs - Akron FirstEnergy Headquarters

Firstenergy Service Company Position

FirstEnergy at a Glance : We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers' lives brighter, the environment better, and our communities stronger. FirstEnergy (NYSE : FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability, and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts.

About the Opportunity : This is an open position with FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. This position will be onsite and will need to reside near a FE location in our service territory (OH, PA, WV, MD, VA, and NJ). Reporting to the Director, Project Engagement and Outreach, with close coordination to the President, FE Transmission, this position supports the primary resource for strategy and public engagement and outreach on FirstEnergy Transmission projects. Key member of project siting team who interfaces with or supports interaction with external audiences, including individual customers and local officials, community groups, and key stakeholders. Requirements include excellent written and public speaking skills, excellent interpersonal skills, and strong business knowledge. Able to meet with affected or potentially affected communities to surface issues, solve problems, and bring local knowledge and insight to the siting process. The estimated pay range for this role is $108,800 - $153,600. This range is based off of relevant experience.

Responsibilities include :

• Assisting in identifying, developing, and coordinating delivery of overall outreach strategies to support the goals, philosophies, policies, initiatives, and day-to-day activities of FirstEnergy Transmission and its affiliates, including joint ventures;
• Providing guidance and coordinating alignment of project routing, siting, communications, and external stakeholder engagement strategies;
• Working directly with affected or potentially affected communities, impacted landowners, elected officials, and community leaders to gain beneficial project routing information and resolve issues before and during the transmission line routing and siting process;
• Supporting efforts to work with external affairs teams and educate the public (landowners, thought leaders, elected officials) about proposed transmission projects;
• Assisting and supporting of customer outreach strategies that improve two-way communications and line siting success;
• Building strategic information and awareness campaigns that balance education, advocacy, and information to ensure project success;
• Working closely with Project Management, Engineering, Real Estate, PJM Strategy, Legal, Corporate Communications, and External Affairs to foster two-way communications between key stakeholders and the project team to improve success in siting and executing transmission projects. Coordinating deployment of resources accordingly;
• Assisting the Transmission Planning and Project Development Teams in providing geopolitical risk analysis for supplemental projects proposed through the annual Rounds process.

Qualifications include :