Director of Community Relations

About Us
FirstLight is a leading clean power producer and energy storage company with operating and development assets in New England (ISO NE), Pennsylvania and New Jersey (PJM), and New York (NYISO), with expansion to other regions actively underway. Our operating portfolio includes nearly 1.4 GW of pumped-hydro storage (including Northfield Mountain, the largest energy storage facility in New England), battery storage, conventional hydroelectric generation, and solar generation—the largest clean energy generation portfolio operating in New England today.

Our development pipeline includes over 1,000 MW of solar, battery and offshore wind projects in various stages of development, and we are developing a portfolio of hybrid hydro, solar and battery projects that combine operational and development assets. We have approximately 125 employees based in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania, and our corporate headquarters are located in Burlington, MA.

Our mission and vision is to accelerate the decarbonization of the electric grid by developing, owning, operating, and integrating large-scale renewable energy and storage assets to meet the world’s growing clean energy needs and to deliver an electric system that is clean, reliable, affordable, and equitable.

Building upon our industry-leading experience in operating large-scale renewable energy and storage assets, FirstLight’s vision and commitment to leading the energy industry transformation make us uniquely positioned to navigate rapidly evolving market conditions and grow our portfolio in North American markets in the years ahead.

Position
At FirstLight, we care deeply about our relationship with the communities where we operate, live and work. We’re seeking a Director of Community Relations to help us maintain and nurture these relationships in our company and beyond.

Our ideal team member will have excellent organizational, oral communication, and writing skills, and the ability to foster positive relationships with both individuals and organizations, and represent and articulate the company’s vision within the local community. The successful candidate will also posses a passion for FirstLight’s mission, with a focus on how to balance clean energy, environmental protection and economic development interests in the communities where we operate.

Reporting to the Head of External Affairs, the Director of Community Relations will need to be based in New England and spend substantial time engaging with the communities where we operate, which includes Western Massachusetts, Connecticut and Western Pennsylvania. The Director of Community Relations role is eligible for hybrid remote working options to provide flexibility while recognizing that frequent in-person presence in our communities is a job requirement. This position does not currently supervise any direct reports but FirstLight anticipates growth potential in the future as the company continues its current aggressive growth trajectory.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Working with other public-facing teams within the company, develop a strategy to build and maintain programs and activities that will have a positive impact on the community, particularly associated with the company’s commitment to clean energy and environmental stewardship. Our current programs include recreation, environmental and clean energy education, charitable giving, and supporting local economic development and community programs.
• Build and maintain relationships with members of the community, recreation and environmental organizations, local public officials, and key community organizations. Serve as a resource and key point of contact for local press, neighboring businesses, institutions, and public officials.
• Act as a liaison between external stakeholders and internal operations, land management, recreation, maintenance, compliance, government affairs, communications, and other teams within the company.
• Administer and manage the company’s charitable programs.
• Attend relevant events and activities to represent the company and work proactively to build strong relationships with key community members.
• Respond to inquiries from community members and other stakeholders – when needed, identify other resources within the company to assist.
• In coordination with the Recreation Department help to manage the company’s educational programming contractors and work with them to develop programming that enriches community clean energy and environmental education activities.
• Carry out other duties as assigned.
• Comply with all FirstLight Power policies and procedures.

Qualifications / Skills Sought

• At least 8 years of work experience in public relations, communications, external affairs, government relations, or similar field; experience working with diverse stakeholder groups.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Great interpersonal skills and ability to work well as part of a team.
• Ability to work well under pressure and manage sensitive or controversial subjects with tact, empathy, kindness, and professionalism.
• Knowledge of clean energy and environmental stewardship programming a plus.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Valid driver’s license required.
• Ability to handle multiple assignments on a timely basis with a high degree of accuracy.

COVID-19 Vaccine Policy
In an effort to protect the health and safety of our employees and the communities we serve, FirstLight will require all new employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. This is a necessary goal, as part of our efforts, to provide a safe and healthy workplace for our employees.
In reference to CDC guidance, individuals are considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19:

• 2 Weeks after their second dose in a 2-dose series (i.e., Pfizer-BionNTech or Moderna Vaccines); or
• 2 Weeks after a single-dose vaccine (i.e., Johnson & Johnson's Janssen Vaccine)

Our Values
FirstLight provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, genetics, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by state, federal and local laws. In addition to federal law requirements, FirstLight complies with applicable state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment in every location in which the company has facilities. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

In addition, FirstLight values the following characteristics and behaviors in our team members: 

• Respect: Showing respect for each other and the environment, fostering an inclusive and diverse team of employees, and providing a strong commitment to social responsibility
• Integrity: Exemplifying integrity in all business decisions highlighted through honesty, transparency, and trust.
• Safety: Providing a safe environment for our employees and for all visitors to our recreational facilities.
• Excellence: Continually striving to achieve the greatest level of operational excellence so that we produce the highest quality output and consistently deliver results.
• Innovation: Dedication to creating new market-leading solutions to stay ahead of unprecedented changes in the energy industry.
• Team: Creating an inspiring workplace that fosters open communication, collaboration, and accelerates personal growth. We seek to attract, retain, and develop the best talent in the industry to fuel our success. Diversity is a strategic advantage we need to cultivate.

Why Work for FirstLight?
We consider our employees to be FirstLight’s most valuable resource and we strive to provide a challenging, collegial, and rewarding workplace. FirstLight embraces a company-wide commitment to recruit, develop and retain a dedicated, diverse, and engaged workforce that is motivated to be ever better both professionally and personally.

Joining the FirstLight team is an opportunity to experience a unique and exciting culture. Some of our benefits include:

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and Disability Insurance
• Health Savings Accounts & Flexible Spending Accounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• 401(k) Program with Employer Matching
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Professional Development
• Annual Performance Incentive Plan
• Employee Referral Program
• Charitable Matching & Employer-Sponsored Volunteer Programs
• And so much more!