We are looking for a Community Liaison Officer to support the development of our Spiorad na Mara offshore wind project, which is proposed to be developed 5-13km off the west coast of Lewis. The project is a joint venture between Northland Power (75.5%) and ESB (24.5%).
The closing date for applications is Friday 21st June 2024. To apply, please click the button below.
Job Type
5 days a week, Permanent. Flexible working, part time and job shares can be considered.
Location
Scotland
Reports to
Stakeholder & Engagement
Manager – Spiorad na Mara
Who we are:
Northland is a global power producer dedicated to helping the clean energy transition by producing electricity from clean renewable resources. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Northland has a long history of developing, building, owning and operating clean and green power infrastructure assets and
is a global leader in offshore wind. In addition, Northland owns and manages a diversified generation mix including onshore renewables, solar and efficient natural gas energy, as well as supplying energy through a regulated utility.
What you’ll do:
Sitting as part of the project team and reporting to the Stakeholder & Engagement Manager, with the support of the Community Relations team, the Community Liaison Officer is responsible for establishing, building and maintaining a comprehensive network of contacts and relationships in the communities surrounding the Spiorad na Mara project. This means being the first point of contact for the communities closest to the project, to relay community perspectives and feedback to the project team and to pass on project information to the community.
You will be engaging with local residents, representatives of local community groups, businesses, local officials, elected representatives, educational institutions, and other local landowners and stakeholders. A key part of the role will be to help explore with the community ways of optimising the benefits and opportunities which the project could deliver, and also anticipating and helping to mitigate any social challenges/concerns that the project
could have.
The Stakeholder Engagement and Communications Team
The Community Liaison Officer will sit as part of the project team working closely with
stakeholder engagement colleagues and the Communications Lead and will also be supported and mentored by the Indigenous and Community Relations team based in Canada.
There will be an opportunity for Community Liaison Officer training in Canada, and travel to Northland’s London and Glasgow offices to meet with colleagues in the project team who are based around the UK and abroad.
Key Accountabilities:
- Be the first point of contact for the communities closest to the project.
- Establish, build and maintain a comprehensive network of local relationships.
- Shape and deliver local stakeholder and community engagement plans in collaboration with colleagues in the project team and relevant consultants/contractors.
- Help deliver public consultation events and group briefings and presentations.
- Respond to, re-direct and resolve queries, complaints and concerns in a timely and professional manner and make the project team aware of any issues immediately.
- Maintain detailed, up-to-date records of all queries, complaints and engagements, using the project’s stakeholder database system, and feed these into the project development process as required.
- Gain and share with the project team an understanding of local stakeholder and landowner perspectives and be aware of local issues and sensitivities.
- Promote local employment, local supply chain opportunities, environmental education, professional development and local community workshops.
- Assess local sponsorship and donation opportunities and help to promote these sponsorship opportunities externally.
- Prepare and provide input into relevant reports, press releases and other communications, e.g. newsletters, and website updates, as required.
Role Requirements and Responsibilities:
- Demonstrable experience in building and maintaining relationships at a local level.
- At least 3 years of relevant experience in a community-facing role, ideally in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with a passion for working with people.
- Ability to work well remotely with colleagues working in other locations as well as attend the Stornoway office or other Northland Power offices according to work needs.
- Ability to identify potential issues and problems and suggest solutions, changes and/or corrective actions.
- Resilient: able to navigate the challenges of project development.
- Ability to prioritise workload effectively in order to respond to numerous, diverse challenges and demands.
- Ability to recognise the merits of different approaches and use them in different situations to meet the needs of the audience and the organisation.
- Must have basic computer skills (MS Office programs: Word, Excel, PowerPoint and
Outlook) and an excellent level of written and spoken English language. - Must have a driving licence and access to a car to facilitate attendance at meetings and
events across the island. - Understanding of local culture, heritage and the Gaelic language is an asset.
- Follows through on commitments.
- Treats others with dignity and respect; is professional and considerate of their needs.
- Values inclusion; treats all people equally regardless of their ethnicity, level or background.
- We will also consider someone with less experience, but who demonstrates the potential to grow into this role. Although the role is being advertised on a full-time basis, part-time candidates will also be considered where suitable, and flexible working and job shares can be considered. Being located on the Isle of Lewis is desirable, as the role will require frequent in-person presence on the island. The role will require at least 2 days a week working from the Stornoway office and other island locations such
as community drop-in events. - The role offers a competitive salary, group pension plan, health insurance, and 26 days annual leave as well as a comprehensive suite of other employment benefits.
