Senior Counsel, Community & Government Affairs

Ward Village, a Howard Hughes master‑planned community, is a 60‑acre community in the heart of Honolulu, located between downtown and Waikiki along the south shore. Honoring the distinct history of its land, Ward Village is at the forefront of sustainable community development—integrating dynamic architecture, local culture, and public open space. At full build‑out, the community will include approximately one million square feet of retail and thousands of homes, a property recognized by Architectural Digest as the “Best‑Planned Community in the United States.”

The Senior Counsel, Community & Government Affairs is an outward‑facing leader responsible for advancing Ward Village's position in the community and helping navigate the regulatory, political, and stakeholder environment surrounding the business. In collaboration with HHC's real estate development team, other business units, and external consultants, this role nurtures, develops, and maintains relationships with relevant local, state, and federal government stakeholders while developing and executing community relations strategies that generate broad support for HHC objectives.

This role serves as a key advocate for Ward Village across public relations, government relations, community relations, charitable partnerships, Hawaii Community Development Authority (HCDA) coordination, and strategic issue management. The position requires a comprehensive understanding of applicable laws, administrative rules, land use approval processes, and Honolulu development issues to effectuate the goals for Ward Village. This person will help Ward Village achieve its development vision by directing a first‑class community and government relations program that protects current entitlements, supports future development approvals, and reinforces Howard Hughes as a valued member of the local community.

The ideal candidate is a respected, credible, and effective communicator who understands Honolulu's planning process, governmental structure, local culture, and real estate landscape, and who can represent Ward Village thoughtfully and strategically with external stakeholders.

Compensation range: $125,000–$150,000 plus bonus.

• Serve as a visible, reliable, accessible, and trusted external representative and liaison for Ward Village and HHC across community, government, media, public speaking, stakeholder, and written correspondence settings.

• Provide strategic input, advice, and positioning to leadership on community sentiment, regulatory risk, political dynamics, stakeholder concerns, and external affairs priorities.

• Maintain an in-depth working knowledge of current and planned Ward Village projects and regularly brief internal leadership on key developments, meetings, risks, and opportunities.

• Closely monitor issues of concern and relevance to community stakeholders, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and help create constructive solutions that support Ward Village and HHC objectives.

• Public relations

  • Oversee third‑party public relations partners and related consultant engagement.

  • Lead press release development, message coordination, and strategic communications planning, including community‑facing messaging around HHC goals, initiatives, current and future Ward Village properties, and responses to questions or concerns.

  • Shape local messaging, including positioning, media strategy, presentations, and other outward‑facing communications tools.

  • Prepare and coordinate written deliverables including memos, presentations, meeting agendas and minutes, correspondence, press statements, project briefings, talking points for senior management, formal remarks, public hearing testimony, and other materials related to community and development issues.

  • Serve as a spokesperson as needed on project, community, and business matters.

• Government relations

  • Lead engagement with local, state, and federal government officials, city and state agencies, regulators, zoning authorities, and public bodies affecting Ward Village projects and operations.

  • Manage relationships and issue coordination with the regulatory agencies.

  • Oversee legislative and government…