Sr. Manager, Local Government Affairs at Aes_Us — US, IN

The Sr. Manager, Local Government Affairs, plays a critical leadership role in advancing the interests of AES Indiana and its customers within the utility’s Central Indiana service territory and communities in which AES Indiana has customers, generation assets, proposed assets, and transmission infrastructure.

This role acts is a highly specialized expert in local government affairs, responsible

for influencing and shaping policies, regulations, and ordinances that impact AES Indiana’s business to ensure the company can meet its obligation to serve all customers.

Primary Responsibilities:

Local Advocacy

• Ordinance & Zoning Tracking: Monitor, analyze, and influence local ordinances, county zoning laws, and right-of-way (ROW) regulations impacting grid modernization, substation siting, transmission lines, and generation asset development. Use strong analytical and research skills to assess the impact of proposed regulations and legislation to the utility.
• Public Representation: Represent the utility at city council meetings, county commissioner hearings, regional planning commissions or other relevant public meetings/hearings. Prepare and deliver presentations, reports, and other materials to effectively communicate our company’s positions and priorities to government officials and other stakeholders.
• Assist with Indiana Statehouse related matters on an as-needed basis.

Strategic Stakeholder Relations

• Relationship Cultivation: Build and maintain trusted networks with Indiana mayors, city council members, township trustees, county executives, planning and zoning representatives, economic development representatives, and community/business influencers.
• Grassroots Liaison: Serve as the local grassroots facilitator to align community leaders with the utility’s strategic business initiatives, as well as day-to-day operations.
• Incident Command Support: Provide support during major planned or unplanned outages, as well as storm restoration events—serving as a liaison to local emergency management agencies, elected officials, and agency leaders.
• Communication: Exceptional interpersonal skills with the ability to build consensus among diverse stakeholders. Collaborate with internal teams to analyze the impact of proposed regulations and develop appropriate responses and action plans.
• Partnerships: Serve on various committees to represent the company’s position with coalition partners (i.e. Indiana Energy Association, chamber of commerce, etc.). Make internal recommendations to allocate local corporate contributions, strategic civic membership, and political candidate contributions.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Political Science, Business, Communications, or an energy-focused degree. A MPA, MBA or JD is highly desirable. Proficient in using relevant software and tools for research, analysis, and communication. Depth of experience using artificial intelligence in an appropriate, productive manner. Stay informed about industry best practices and trends in government affairs to continuously improve our strategy and approach.
• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in government affairs/lobbying, public affairs, state or city public service, or utility operations. Proven track record of successfully advocating for an organization’s interests within a government setting.
• Utility Acumen: Strong understanding of investor-owned utility business models, electric distribution/transmission/generation infrastructure, the state regulatory and legislative processes, and city policy processes.
• Political Savvy: In-depth knowledge of Indiana municipal and county government structures, budget timelines and needs, and regional political climates. Excellent relationships with government officials and policymakers, as well as staff at various levels.
• Communication: Superior verbal and written skills, with a proven track record of handling high-stakes public engagement scenarios. Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
• Travel: Ability to travel throughout the Central Indiana service territory and other counties on an as-need basis.
• Schedule: Must be available for evening city council/community meetings, on-call for emergency storm response, political and company events as-needed. Exceptional organizational and time management skills to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Licensing: Must possess a valid driver’s license with an acceptable driving record. Must be willing to register as a state and local lobbyist in good standing.