Director of Environment and Public Relations

Job Overview:

This is a long-term, bridge-type core role, focusing on building and maintaining efficient communication links among technical, government, and social stakeholders. The incumbent will resolve information barriers and conflicts across parties, ensuring projects advance in compliance with environmental regulations and social acceptance.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) & Permit Management

2. Oversee the end-to-end EIA/RIMA (Relatório de Impacto Ambiental/Relação de Impactos e Mitigações Ambientais) process: Collaborate with professional environmental consultants, lead process milestone mapping, accurately identify risk points (including supplementary research needs, data gaps, sensitive issues), and drive proactive problem-solving.

3. Lead government technical communication: Act as the core liaison between the company and environmental regulatory authorities, including IBAMA (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis), FEAM (Fundação Estadual do Meio Ambiente), INEMA, ICMBIO (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade), and IPHAN (Instituto do Patrimônio Histórico e Artístico Nacional). Manage technical proposal communication, appeal feedback, and policy interpretation to build professional trust.

4. Strengthen compliance oversight: Strictly control critical compliance nodes such as statutory deadlines, public announcements, and application material completeness, ensuring EIA and permit processes adhere to Brazilian local laws and regulations to avoid compliance risks.

5. Public Relations & Social Communication

6. Develop and implement public communication strategies: Design targeted plans based on project characteristics and community needs, balancing corporate interests and public demands.

7. Coordinate public participation: Organize preliminary consultation meetings with traditional communities and subsequent public hearings, anticipate risk issues in advance, and work with consultants and legal advisors to develop response frameworks for efficient and orderly communication.

8. Establish stable communication mechanisms: Maintain regular engagement with local governments and environmental authorities. Address the existing team gap by representing the company in high-pressure, public, and institutional settings—articulating positions, managing proceedings, constructing positive narratives, and resolving public opinion and social conflicts.

9. Cross-Party Coordination & Liaison

Efficiently connect three key stakeholders to ensure information synchronization and collaborative alignment:

• Technical Side: Collaborate with environmental consulting firms and engineering teams to achieve accurate transmission of technical proposals and EIA data, and drive professional synergy.

• Government Side: Engage with IBAMA, FEAM, ICMBIO, IPHAN, etc., to accurately interpret policy requirements and advance permit approval.

• Social Side: Communicate with communities, the public, media, and public prosecutors to convey project value, listen to demands, and resolve social concerns.

Requirements:

Must-Have:

• Practical experience in Brazil's environmental permit system: Participation in the full EIA/RIMA + LP (Licença de Operação) process; familiarity with the working logic of IBAMA/FEAM. Priority will be given to candidates with experience working in relevant authorities or core network resources.

• Technical comprehension ability: Ability to independently read EIA reports, conduct in-depth professional dialogues with consulting firms, accurately distinguish between technical and management issues, and quickly identify core conflicts.

• Public communication experience: Direct engagement experience with communities and government agencies, capable of addressing basic public demands and communication scenarios.

Preferred:

• Professional English proficiency: Ability to communicate smoothly with headquarters, synchronize project information and needs.

• Industry project experience: Background in environmental work for mining or large-scale infrastructure projects.

• Comprehensive coordination capability: Experience in management consulting or cross-departmental, cross-organizational collaboration.