Head of Community Affairs

About Aalo Atomics Aalo Atomics is pioneering a new era in clean energy with factory-fabricated microreactors designed to deliver affordable, scalable, and reliable nuclear power. Our mission is to make nuclear energy globally accessible, starting with the Aalo-1, a 10 MWe reactor leveraging cutting-edge safety, modularity, and efficiency. Based in Austin, TX, we’re rapidly growing as we work to deploy the world’s first fleet of advanced microreactors. Join us and help revolutionize energy for a sustainable future. About the role As the Head of Community Affairs, you will be the bridge between Aalo Atomics and the public. Based in our Austin headquarters, you will architect and execute community engagement strategies that help build trust, strengthen local relationships, and support successful integration in the communities where we operate. This is not a traditional PR role; it is a hands-on executive position requiring a blend of empathy, strategic vision, education, and grassroots mobilization. You will ensure that as Aalo grows, local communities are informed, heard, and positioned to benefit from the economic, educational, and workforce opportunities associated with our presence. What you'll do Community Outreach & Engagement Strategy & Execution: Develop and lead Aalo’s overarching community engagement strategy for regions targeted for microreactor deployment. Trust Building: Serve as a primary ambassador for Aalo, proactively engaging with local governments, community leaders, environmental groups, and residents to demystify advanced nuclear technology. Stakeholder Relations: Establish open channels for community feedback, addressing concerns with radical transparency, scientific accuracy, and empathy. Event Leadership: Organize and host town halls, educational workshops, and community forums to foster collaborative relationships. Community & Workforce Partnerships Regional Talent Readiness: Build partnerships with community colleges, workforce boards, and other regional institutions that help strengthen local talent pipelines and support successful community integration. Strategic Partnerships: Partner with community colleges, regional training providers, workforce organizations, and other community-based institutions to support long-term local readiness in host communities. Community Benefit: Help ensure Aalo’s community strategy aligns with localized economic opportunity, educational access, and pathways for local participation in host communities. Site Pipeline Development: Engage with community colleges in the areas where Aalo operates to help ensure a workforce development pipeline is in place and ready to support each site. Leadership & Collaboration Cross-Functional Alignment: Work closely with the Policy, Regulatory, Product, and Marketing teams to ensure community feedback shapes our deployment and communication strategies. Team Building: Build and mentor a dedicated team of community regional managers as Aalo’s footprint expands. Qualifications Experience: 10+ years of experience in community relations, public affairs, workforce development, or corporate social responsibility (CSR)—ideally within the energy, infrastructure, tech, or heavy manufacturing sectors. Leadership: 5+ years in a senior leadership or executive role, managing teams and high-stakes budgets. Track Record: Proven success navigating complex public sentiment, regulatory environments, or localized community resistance with positive outcomes. Education: Bachelor’s degree in Public Policy, Communications, Education, Business, or a related field (Master’s or equivalent experience preferred). Travel: Willingness to travel frequently from the Austin base to deployment sites and target communities across the country. Who You Are An Exceptional Communicator: You can take complex nuclear engineering concepts and translate them into inspiring, accessible, and relatable narratives for any audience. A Natural Relationship Builder: You possess high emoti