Offshore Wind Regulatory & Stakeholder Engagement Director

Arcadis is the world's leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets.

We are more than 34,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life. Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

Role description:

We're looking for a recognized strategic and technical leader to help position Arcadis and our clients for success in the rapidly evolving offshore wind and energy transition market in Atlantic Canada. With an initial focus on offshore wind development in Nova Scotia, the successful candidate will provide senior leadership support to developers pursuing Submerged Land Licences (SLLs) through the Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator (CNSOER) process.  Later focus involves supporting one or more projects through the impact assessment process in a timely and efficient manner.  

Working at the intersection of regulatory strategy, stakeholder engagement, Indigenous relations, and project development, this individual will proactively build relationships, gather market and regulatory intelligence, and help shape the information, plans, and partnerships required to support successful bids.  

They will lay the groundwork for productive, mutually beneficial relationships with regulators, Indigenous Nations, local communities, industry stakeholders, and businesses, helping clients navigate complex approvals processes while maximizing local benefits, building project support, and advancing responsible offshore energy development.

Role accountabilities:

The successful candidate will be recognized externally as a leading expert and thought leader in offshore wind development, offshore energy, environmental assessment, regulatory strategy, marine ecology, or a related discipline and will operate as a highly influential individual contributor. They will provide senior leadership and technical oversight for complex, high-profile projects while maintaining technical authority within their area of expertise and guiding multidisciplinary teams across Arcadis. 

Working closely with Arcadis leadership and offshore wind developers, the successful candidate will proactively gather market, stakeholder, and regulatory intelligence related to the Canada Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Regulator (CNSOER) Call for Bids process. This will include monitoring developments related to bid evaluation criteria, scoring methods, weighting factors, and regulatory expectations to help position clients for success in the acquisition of Submerged Land Licences (SLLs). 

The successful candidate will develop and maintain strategic relationships with senior representatives from regulatory agencies, Indigenous Nations and rights-holders, commercial fisheries organizations, community groups, government agencies, industry associations, and offshore wind developers. Through these relationships, they will identify opportunities, support business growth, influence strategic decision-making, and help clients navigate complex stakeholder and regulatory environments. 

They will provide technical leadership during pursuits and proposal development related to offshore wind, renewable energy, environmental assessment, regulatory permitting, stakeholder engagement, and major project approvals. They will contribute to winning strategies, ensure exceptional client service, and support successful project delivery through effective communication, collaboration, and client management. 

In collaboration with technical specialists across Arcadis, the successful candidate will lead and support the development of bid-related documentation, including relationship management plans, Indigenous engagement strategies, regulator engagement plans, fisheries and seafood industry engagement plans, community benefit and workforce development plans, and approaches for engaging underserved and underrepresented communities. 

The successful candidate will also support the development of regulatory roadmaps for offshore wind projects by building a thorough understanding of the approvals pathway from tenure acquisition through impact assessment and authorization processes. They will identify opportunities to engage with government initiatives and regulatory agencies, monitor potential designation as Projects of National Significance, evaluate emerging legislation and policy developments, and develop strategies to efficiently navigate the regulatory process. 

They will support the preparation of related bid components, including coexistence and biodiversity plans, ensuring that proposed approaches reflect regulatory expectations, stakeholder interests, and industry best practices. In addition, they will influence business investment decisions, support strategic business development efforts, establish performance objectives that optimize business outcomes, and contribute to the continued growth of Arcadis' offshore wind and energy transition practice. 

The successful candidate will coach and mentor technical professionals across the organization, champion the use of Arcadis Global resources, and remain current on industry trends, regulatory developments, and emerging technical practices. They will build and maintain a strong professional profile through participation in industry associations, technical committees, conference presentations, and thought leadership activities that enhance both their personal reputation and the reputation of Arcadis.

Qualifications & Experience:

• Bachelor or Master’s degree in an appropriate scientific discipline such as environmental science, studies, planning, or engineering. 

• 15+ years of relevant experience, including 10+ years in a consulting environment. 

• Professional accreditation (e.g., RPP, P.Geo., RPBio, EP) or equivalent. 

We are seeking a candidate who is externally recognized as an expert in the marketplace and can be a lead expert within Arcadis at a national level, supported by strong regional networks. 

The successful candidate will have detailed knowledge of federal and provincial environmental assessment regulatory and permitting processes, as well as related Canadian standards, codes of practice, and policy. 

Why Arcadis?

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills-based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You’ll do meaningful work, and no matter what role, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark, on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you.

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Join Arcadis. Create a Legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people. We are an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. We are dedicated to a policy of non-discrimination in employment on any basis including race, creed, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, citizenship status, disability, veteran status, or any other basis prohibited by law.

The salary range for this position is $134,100- 160,920. The base salary represents Arcadis’ hiring range for this position. Actual salaries will vary and will be based on various factors, such as location, skills, experience, and qualification for the role.      

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