Planetary Technologies’ vision is to protect and restore the ocean and climate for generations to come. We do this by enhancing the ocean’s natural ability to fight climate change through carbon dioxide removal and storage. Our team combines expertise in ocean science, metallurgy and geochemistry to safely and effectively scale up ocean-based CO2 management solutions. Working collaboratively with all of our stakeholders, we develop a cost effective and sustainable set of tools aimed at protecting and restoring our oceans and climate, ultimately doing carbon dioxide removal and storage at gigatonne scale.

We are leaders, scientists, and engineers working together to collectively embody our values: respect, curiosity & creativity, accept responsibility, and win for all.

Planetary is hiring a Community Engagement Lead who will be the leader of Planetary’s community engagement team, building out and managing a team of specialists around the world; acting as the community engagement leader at one of our specific project sites; and serving as the internal focal point for integrating community engagement processes into every working aspect of the company.

By approaching community engagement with authenticity, honesty, and respect, we hope to set a standard for dialogue and interaction that respects community stakeholders and ultimately defers to community interests in the implementation of our CDR projects across up to 40 locations over the next five years.

Core Responsibilities

Community Engagement Team Leadership

• Bring an ethos of respect for community history, concerns, and people to the design and implementation of community engagement strategies
• Envision and set the agenda for Planetary’s stakeholder engagement strategy around the world, including development of specific methodologies, key milestones, standards, and practices
• Working with our expert social scientist partners from world leading universities and/or learnings from community leaders and community engagement practitioners, create and continually refine the strategy and practices we use supporting community engagement at each site
• Taking from direct experience with communities, develop a library of community engagement best practices and assets to support expanding activities in local communities and across Planetary’s growing portfolio of project locations 
• Over time, attract, hire, manage and retain the community engagement specialists at each of our primary project sites to grow community collaboration at each project site

Community Engagement at One of our Project Sites

• Act as an ambassador for Planetary, and promote our community engagement across key community groups, including: academic, scientific, regulatory, local / regional / national government, indigenous communities, fishers, and non-governmental organizations like environmental groups
• Help to spread knowledge and awareness of our CDR pathway and current and proposed projects within the community
• Identify, engage and collaborate with stakeholders to develop a plan for ocean alkalinity enhancement projects that can positively impact the local community
• Engage directly with our stakeholders to help Planetary incorporate their knowledge into our project planning
• Quantify, report and track metrics of stakeholder engagement

Internal Champion for Community Engagement Integration

• Work closely with marketing, operations, and research and development groups to prioritize and integrate community engagement into the activities of all publicly facing Planetary functions
• Accepts responsibility for surfacing key risks / material issues in each community while seeking endorsement / validation from key stakeholders
• Generates useful assets for local community and stakeholder engagement and shares them across the various teams (e.g. marketing and PR etc.)

About You

• Excellent knowledge of community engagement principles normally acquired through a university degree in a related discipline or an equivalent combination of education and work experience. Principles have been put into practice first hand and achieve positive outcomes.
• At least 5 years of related experience. Preference will be given to candidates who have experience in clean technology industries. 
• Proven experience of developing and implementing a community engagement plan with quantifiable metrics. Experience with stakeholder mapping, design and implementation of community engagement strategies.
• Ability to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners. Ability to persuade and influence people and groups without a relationship of authority. Excellent negotiation skills and ability to act tactfully and with diplomacy. 
• Experience with crisis management, including strong interpersonal skills that allow you to find common ground and understanding especially when perspectives differ
• You are curious about climate change technologies and are passionate about protecting our world for future generations
• Deep knowledge of the environmental context of the local community, especially around topics related to the ocean is an asset. 
• Must be located in one of our North American project sites (Halifax, NS., Norfolk, VA or the West Coast of Canada) and have the ability to visit stakeholders near and around our other OAE project sites (estimated travel <25%)

About Planetary

Planetary is committed to supporting and valuing the diversity of our team as well as the diversity of the clients and communities we serve. Valuing diversity means recognizing and respecting human differences and similarities - creating the context where each person can develop and bring their best self to their work and life. We are committed to employment equity and will endeavour, where feasible, to eliminate systemic barriers to advancement and/or redress the under-utilization of underrepresented groups. We are committed to equal employment and we encourage candidates from all cultural and educational backgrounds as well as all genders and sexualities to apply.