Stakeholder Relations Professional

Job Overview

Job Category

Business and Operations Support

Sectors

Education

Environment

Office only

About This Career

Having a “social license to operate” is fundamental to any oil and gas company, and you play an important role in getting it granted. You cultivate relationships and carry the views of the community to the company boardroom and the views of the company to the community. You’re a critical link in communication, transparency and understanding.

Stakeholder Relations Professionals play an important role in cultivating and maintaining relationships with key community stakeholders, Aboriginal communities and interest groups that affect, or are affected by, industry activity. They are often responsible for the development and implementation of projects and plans that support a company’s social licence to operate.

Specializations include:

Stakeholder Relations and Aboriginal Relations Advisors identify which stakeholder groups, such as Aboriginal communities, should be engaged with, and to what extent, typically on a project-by-project basis. They execute engagement activities to obtain input and feedback on issues or concerns.
Socio-Economic Impact Assessment Specialists perform work to understand, evaluate and develop strategies to manage the economic, cultural and social impacts of industry activity on communities.
Investor Relations Specialists work proactively with key individuals and groups to ensure the company is optimally valued and resourced. They work at promoting the company and increasing shareholder value with investors.

When you start in this occupation activities may include:

Analyzing data (e.g., statistics, demographics, attitudes, preferences, individual activities)
Documenting public involvement activities for regulatory reviews and internal company follow-up
Maintaining a formal system of recording and monitoring stakeholder and company commitments.

As you advance in this career, you may take on additional tasks including:

Providing tools and consultation to leaders, project teams and employees to enable effective and efficient communications (e.g., intranets and websites, templates, guidelines and workshops)
Making presentations and leading discussions with communities and other stakeholders about the intent, scope timing and implications (e.g., environmental, social and economic) of the company's plans and activities to obtain feedback
Providing advice and guidance on ways to enhance the company's reputation (e.g., through community investments and other socio-economic benefits)

Education

A post-secondary diploma or degree in a relevant field is typically required for most Stakeholder Relations roles. Areas of study can include public relations, communications, journalism, anthropology, international relations, geography, environmental design, law, business, sociology, psychology, petroleum land management or a related discipline. A graduate or doctoral degree in social sciences, anthropology, public policy or environmental studies with a focus on Aboriginal communities may be required for jobs that specialize in socio-economic impact assessments.

Certifications

Specific health and safety certifications will be determined by job requirements

An active listener with strong verbal communication and facilitation skills, you bring balance to the conversation between companies and their stakeholders. You successfully negotiate mutually beneficial solutions.