Public Outreach Strategist Infrastructure Projects

Staff Public Involvement Specialist

Location: Albuquerque, NM

Onsite Flexibility: Onsite

• Position Type: Contract (Contract-to-Hire)
• Contract Duration: 12 months
• Pay Rate: $30.00–$40.00 / Hour (USD)
• Travel Requirements: Travel varies by project; generally within a 100-mile radius, mostly day trips via interstate travel; occasional overnight stay may be required. Company-provided transportation support (fleet vehicle or rental car) — employees are not expected to coordinate their own transportation.
• Work Authorization: Applicants must be authorized to work for ANY employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

The Staff Public Involvement Specialist will perform a wide variety of communication and public outreach services for large-scale permitting, planning, and construction projects.

• Perform public involvement, public relations, and community outreach activities for clients' capital projects.
• Develop and implement public involvement strategies, outreach plans, key messages, and communication materials.
• Coordinate with clients, project managers, technical teams, contractors, and field staff to understand project schedules, activities, and potential public impacts.
• Plan and coordinate public meetings, information sessions, stakeholder briefings, special events, surveys, and other outreach activities, including event logistics.
• Develop and distribute project communications, including fact sheets, brochures, handouts, newsletters, mailers, notices, presentations, website content, social media, videos, and other materials for project audiences.
• Communicate project and construction impacts, including traffic changes, access restrictions, detours, schedule changes, noise, and other potential disruptions.
• Conduct outreach with residents, property owners, businesses, community organizations, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
• Respond to and track public questions, concerns, complaints, and requests and coordinate with project teams to support timely follow-up and resolution.
• Translate technical and project information into clear, easy-to-understand communications for a variety of audiences.
• Participate in government briefings, community meetings, and project presentations to external groups.
• Maintain stakeholder contact lists, outreach records, issue logs, and other project documentation.
• Identify emerging or sensitive community issues and communicate potential concerns to project leadership.
• Meet with clients and project teams to develop key messages, themes, and individual or local outreach approaches.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
• Comply with all applicable policies and standards.

• Media-relations skills and previous experience working with media outlets to develop and deliver key messages and manage content (news, events, crises, etc.)
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to understand and assist with the management of large-scale permitting and construction projects, and the necessary communications processes associated with such an effort.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Expert analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• High level of attention to detail with ability to perform quality reviews.

• Experience related to communication on behalf of engineering or construction projects.
• Proposal writing experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in developing content for social media and news releases, as well as web design and coding (for both traditional and social media platforms).

• Bachelor's Degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or a related field from an accredited program and 4 years of strategic communication experience required; OR
• Master's Degree in a related field and 3 years of strategic communication experience preferred.

• Minimum 4 years of strategic communication experience (with Bachelor's Degree); OR minimum 3 years of strategic communication experience (with Master's Degree).

• Some door knocking and door hanger distribution may be required depending on project needs (e.g., notifying neighborhoods of planned utility outages or construction impacts).
• Candidates should be comfortable engaging directly with the public in the field.
• Occasional before-hours or after-hours community engagement events and meetings.
• Travel…