Community Engagement Project Manager Jobs in Virginia

It's fun to work in a company where people truly BELIEVE in what they're doing!
We're committed to bringing passion and customer focus to the business.

Does the thought of joining one of the fastest-growing, privately held data center companies sound exciting to you? Do you enjoy collaborating with team members to drive and operate some of the industry's leading and most innovative infrastructure solutions?

At Aligned Data Centers, not only do we celebrate success across our platform, we celebrate the very teams that drive and support that success! Our culture is founded in passion, engineered from innovation, and driven by the pursuit of operational excellence. We are a company dedicated to driving positive change in the industry through continuous data center innovation, diversity and inclusion, and corporate sustainability.

We realize not only is providing a comprehensive benefits package important, but we also provide a generous 401k match with immediate vesting, free membership to Gympass which provides our employees a rich health and wellness benefit and competitive time off plan.Giving back and having fun is important to our team whether it be serving our communities or employee and customer events.Our Aligned DNA is what makes us unique and successful!

As part of our exciting growth, we are currently searching for a Community Engagement Liaison to support our East Region.

The Community Engagement Liaison serves as the primary bridge between Aligned Data Centers' operation and our host communities. This role serves a dual function: acting as the community's trusted resource for education and engagement and serving as the essential feedback loop for our internal teams.

The Community Engagement Liaison will be responsible for ensuring Aligned is embraced as a responsible, long-term neighbor by championing the local benefits of our data centers, listening and proactively addressing concerns, communicating successes and opportunities, and cultivating strong local partnerships. Internally, the Community Engagement Liaison will act as a vital feedback loop, keeping Aligned's team informed so that every community concern is addressed and opportunity is met.

Candidates must be based within or willing to travel between Aligned's markets within the east region, dedicating at least three (3) days per week to on-the-ground, in-person engagement with community stakeholders.

• Serve as the link between Aligned and our host communities, managing local relationships throughout the entire project lifecycle.
• Listen and maintain a proactive feedback loop, regular engagement and dialogue with local residents, community organizations, local media, local / business leaders, and non-government organizations (NGOs), serving as an accessible resource for resident concerns and acting as an internal advocate to ensure local sentiment is addressed during every phase of the project lifecycle.
• Proactively educate the community on Aligned's developments, building and maintaining their trust in the process and fostering their understanding of all the local value the project brings.
• Operate cross-functionally with the Community Engagement Lead and Aligned's development, energy, government / public affairs, communications, and operations teams to develop and execute community engagement strategies for new and existing sites.
• Synthesize community feedback into actionable insights for internal project planning and execution.
• Transform technical data and engineering concepts into accessible, easily understood messaging for the general public.
• Serve as the Aligned representative at community events as well as in public forums, council meetings, public hearings, and open houses.
• Partner with the communications team to develop proactive communications to address concerns, highlight benefits, and reduce risks.
• Monitor community sentiment and advise on risks and opportunities.
• Manage and update Aligned's community engagement playbook and digital workflow.
• Work closely with Aligned's People & Culture as well as Aligned Academy teams to coordinate local workforce development and education initiatives.

• 5 to 10+ years of experience in community relations, public affairs, local government, real estate development, or strategic communications. (Experience in data centers, energy, or large-scale infrastructure is a strong advantage)
• Proven ability to distill complex engineering, environmental, or technical data into clear, accessible, and relatable messaging for non-technical audiences.
• Exceptional public speaking and interpersonal skills, with a track record of speaking in front of town halls, zoning boards, and community meetings.
• Demonstrated active listening skills and high emotional intelligence, with a proven ability to provide a respectful platform for community members to voice concerns while maintaining a constructive environment.
• Demonstrated ability to act as an internal bridge, effectively synthesizing external community feedback into actionable, strategic insights for communications, development, construction, energy, and operations teams.
• A history of proactively identifying and cultivating strong, lasting alliances with local community leaders, neighborhood associations, and business advocacy groups.
• Strong ability to navigate sensitive public issues, mitigate friction, and uphold the organization's local reputation.
• Demonstrated success aligning project development goals with tangible community investments (such as workforce, education, and infrastructure programs.)

Compensation:

$130,000 - 140,000 + annual bonus

BENEFITS & PERKS:

Aligned Data Centers is proud to offer a comprehensive benefits package to support the health, well-being, and financial security of our team members. Eligible employees have access to:

• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Health Savings and Flexible Spending Accounts: HSA with employer contribution for eligible participants. FSA's offered for health and dependent care to increase tax savings.

• Retirement Savings: 401(k) plan with company match

• Paid Time Off and Holiday Pay

• Company-Sponsored Insurance: Short-Term Disability, Life Insurance, and Long-Term Disability (with medical election)

• Optional Benefits: Voluntary life, critical illness, legal, and additional disability coverage

• Wellness Programs: Employee assistance program (EAP), Wellhub gym membership, and other wellness initiatives