Senior Community Engagement Specialist

Are you passionate about fostering strong community connections and driving impactful engagement? We’re currently seeking a Senior Community Engagement Specialist to join our team on a 12-month fixed-term contract.

This opportunity arises as part of a backfill arrangement and offers a chance to contribute meaningfully to our community and stakeholder engagement initiatives. If you're passionate about building strong relationships and driving impactful outcomes, we’d love to hear from you.

In this pivotal role, you will lead strategic engagement with Western Power’s external stakeholders. You will be responsible for building strong partnerships, aligning communication strategies, and serving as a central point of contact to facilitate and drive strategic stakeholder engagement, ensuring positive and productive collaboration between Western Power and strategic stakeholders.

Your Role in Action  

• Manage relationships with key stakeholders, particularly regional Local Government and project partners to ensure their communications activities are strategically aligned with Western Power.
• Enhance and improve Western Power’s relationship and reputation with community stakeholders and work to minimise impacts of our infrastructure projects.
• Deliver proactive, hands-on strategic planning subject matter expertise to support and achieve both internal and external engagements activities.
• Develop cross functional relationships and alignment across the business.
• Meet stakeholders face-to-face to discuss queries and ensure proactive relationship management.
• Establish, develop, and maintain valued relationships with internal and external stakeholders including creating and nurturing advocates to support Western Power’s strategic objectives.
• Understand Western Power’s legal and regulatory obligations related to community engagement.
• Provide stakeholder management and communications advice on contentious issues.
• Complete all assigned actions in crisis situations involving Western Power in the community.
• Active participation in relevant corporate or community engagement events as required.
• Influence the internal awareness and acceptance of Western Power’s approach to community engagement and act as an internal advocate for community views to influence decision.
• As required, report on input on all project communications and engagement status, progress against plan, lessons learnt, issues etc. as part of weekly, monthly, quarterly and milestone, progress, and final reporting.

 What Makes You a Great Fit 

• Demonstrated experience in strategic stakeholder relationship management, with a proven ability to build strong partnerships, communicate complex information effectively, and proactively manage community and project-related interactions.
• Knowledge and experience of Local Government and related organisations would be highly regarded.
• Proven experience and knowledge in communication, community engagement, stakeholder management or a related field.
• Tertiary qualification in Communications, Social Planning and Sciences, Marketing, or related discipline.
• Demonstrated and high level of subject matter expertise and experience in incorporating best practice communication / community and stakeholder engagement practices.
• Understanding of International Association of Public Participation spectrum.
• Ability to prioritise work and critically assess own performance.
• Excellent listening skills with a strong ability to demonstrate understanding and empathy.
• Ability to work as part of a team

By joining Western Power, you will contribute to powering a cleaner energy future. We are dedicated to fostering career development and promoting a healthy work-life balance, empowering you to drive innovation as we develop a network that will serve the Western Australian community for generations. You will also benefit from a range of perks and opportunities, including: 

• Over 50% of our employment opportunities are driven by career progression.  
• Flexible working arrangements. 
• Access to salary packaging, social club activities, and discounted health insurance and gym membership. 
• An award-winning employee recognition and benefits programme. 
• An innovative team culture that’s enabling the transition to renewable energy and decarbonisation.  
• In addition to standard leave, enjoy three wellness leave days each year.

Applications close on the 12th of September

We value diversity and inclusivity, encouraging applications from all backgrounds, including women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Find out more about our Reconciliation Action Plan and Disability Access and Inclusion Plan. 

Learn more about Western Power here: About (westernpower.com.au) 

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