Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Project Manager

Job Description

Atwell is seeking a Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Project Manager to lead client-facing communications and engagement work for projects with community, permitting, regulatory, or reputational considerations. This person will manage projects from scoping through delivery, advise clients on engagement strategy, and coordinate with technical teams across Atwell.

The ideal candidate has worked in consulting or a comparable professional-services environment and has personally led the types of work this role will deliver. They are organized and detail-oriented, comfortable managing budgets and schedules, and effective at facilitating conversations with varied audiences. They also understand how strong project delivery supports client relationships and creates opportunities to expand Atwell’s services.

Responsibilities

Project leadership and delivery

• Lead multiple client projects from scope development through completion, managing work plans, budgets, schedules, staffing, deliverables, and client expectations.
• Serve as a day-to-day client contact, providing clear updates, responding to questions, identifying project needs, and addressing issues before they affect delivery.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams, including technical staff and subject matter experts, to align project requirements, messaging, timelines, and responsibilities.
• Monitor project progress and financial performance, document decisions and action items, and identify when scope, schedule, staffing, or budget adjustments may be needed.
• Prepare, review, and quality-check project documents and deliverables for accuracy, consistency, and completeness.
• Maintain organized project records, including work plans, meeting notes, stakeholder feedback, deliverable status, and client communications.

Communications and stakeholder engagement

• Develop and carry out communications and stakeholder engagement strategies tailored to project goals, local conditions, audiences, and potential risks.
• Assess stakeholder interests, external concerns, public sentiment, and emerging issues. Advise clients on engagement timing, messaging, and delivery approaches.
• Plan and facilitate public meetings, community open houses, workshops, interviews, and other stakeholder-facing activities.
• Develop clear, audience-appropriate materials such as engagement plans, presentations, FAQs, talking points, notices, written updates, and meeting summaries.
• Help clients and technical teams explain complex project information accurately and clearly to diverse audiences.
• Facilitate productive discussions, listen for areas of concern, and document questions, feedback, themes, and follow-up needs.
• Support permitting and approval processes through public engagement, hearing preparation, presentation support, and coordination with project teams.
• Apply written and verbal communication best practices to communications ranging from routine project updates to sensitive or high-visibility issues.

Client service and business development

• Build trusted client relationships by understanding client goals, delivering responsive service, and providing practical advice throughout project delivery.
• Contribute to proposals, scopes of work, project approaches, schedules, and fee estimates.
• Identify client needs and potential opportunities to expand or continue Atwell’s services.
• Participate in business development activities, including client meetings, presentations, industry events, and follow-up.
• Share lessons learned, effective practices, and client feedback to strengthen Atwell’s communications and stakeholder engagement services.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, public affairs, political science, planning, emergency management, business, or a related field.
• Six or more years of relevant professional experience in communications, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, community relations, emergency services, project management, or a related field.
• Professional consulting, professional-services, agency, or comparable client-service experience.
• Demonstrated experience personally leading client-facing communications or stakeholder engagement projects from planning through delivery.
• Demonstrated experience managing project scope, budgets, schedules, deliverables, and client relationships.
• Experience planning and facilitating meetings, workshops, public engagement events, or similar stakeholder-facing activities.
• Strong presentation, facilitation, and public speaking skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to explain complex information clearly to different audiences.
• Experience engaging diverse stakeholder groups and facilitating productive discussions.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, including experience managing project documents, action items, and follow-up.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced consulting environment.
• Willingness and ability to travel nationally, including occasional overnight travel.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to travel independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with energy, utilities, renewable energy, environmental, infrastructure, land development, real estate, oil & gas, industrial, or other projects with community or permitting considerations.
• Experience with community consultation, public engagement, permitting support, external risk assessment, or public affairs.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary teams and stakeholder-facing initiatives.
• Master’s degree in a related field.
• Relevant certifications or training in project management, public participation, communications, facilitation, or emergency management.

Disclaimer 

While AI tools may support your application process, this role is built on human talent. Your judgment, experience, and character matter most, so we encourage you to showcase what makes you uniquely you.

Atwell does not accept unsolicited resumes from any 3rd party agencies. No fee will be paid to 3rd parties who submit unsolicited resumes to any Atwell employee. Resumes from approved vendors must be specifically requested by Atwell and approved by the Atwell Talent Acquisition Team.

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