Stakeholder Relations Manager- Produced Water & Rockies
The Woodlands, TX, US, 77380
Job Summary:
Western Midstream is seeking a Stakeholder Relations Manager – Produced Water & Rockies to lead external engagement for the Partnership’s produced water business in Texas and New Mexico and key assets in the DJ Basin (Colorado) and Wyoming. This role will work closely with Beneficial Reuse, Government Affairs, Legal, Regulatory, Commercial, Operations, and Land to build and maintain strong relationships with landowners, communities, and local and state officials across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming.
Responsibilities:
- Develop and execute stakeholder engagement plans for produced water pipelines, gathering systems, and recycling/reuse facilities and projects in Texas and New Mexico, aligned with project and operational milestones.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for external stakeholders impacted by produced water infrastructure, including landowners, local governments, ranchers, community groups, and NGOs.
- Coordinate public meetings, open houses, and one-on-one outreach to explain produced-water projects, routing, construction activities, and operational practices, and capture stakeholder feedback and concerns.
- Partner with Beneficial Reuse, Operations, and Engineering and Construction teams to translate technical information on produced-water handling, recycling, reuse, and disposal into clear materials for non-technical audiences.
- Support Government Affairs with permitting and regulatory engagement with agencies by aligning outreach activities.
- Monitor stakeholder sentiment and emerging issues related to produced water management and surface and sub-surface impacts and propose mitigation strategies to leadership.
- Coordinate with Communications and various teams to develop fact sheets, maps, FAQs, and digital content that reflect Western Midstream’s safety, environmental stewardship, and water management priorities to be used internally and externally. Assist with internal communications related to water management, as needed.
- Support incident and issue response for produced water releases or abnormal midstream events by coordinating timely stakeholder communications consistent with company and regulatory requirements with Communications.
- Represent Western Midstream at local forums, industry groups, and community events to reinforce long-term relationships and social license to operate.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, public affairs, environmental studies, engineering, or a related field required.
- 10+ years of experience in stakeholder engagement, external relations, or public affairs, preferably with exposure to water, midstream, or upstream oil and gas infrastructure.
- Familiarity with produced water handling, midstream operations, or environmental/water regulatory frameworks in Texas and New Mexico strongly preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to build trust and manage issues with community members, rural landowners, agricultural operators, and local officials.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and the ability to tailor messages for technical and non-technical audiences.
- Proven ability to work collaboratively across functions and manage multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications; experience with stakeholder management or CRM tools preferred.
Education:
- Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant stakeholder engagement/public participation certifications a plus.
Relocation:
- This position is not eligible for relocation.
Travel Requirements:
- Travel requirement is approximately 20–40% to West Texas, New Mexico, DJ, and Wyoming operating areas, project sites, and community meetings.
Work Schedule
- This position follows a hybrid schedule working in office Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and working remote Wednesday and Friday. Monday-Thursday are 9 hours and Fridays are 4 hours.
- Flexibility for evenings and occasional weekends to support community and stakeholder events
Nearest Major Market: Houston