Salary: $100,000.00 - $140,000.00 Annually
Location : Port of Portland Headquarters - 7200 NE Airport Way, Portland 97218, OR
Job Type: Full-Time Administrative
Job Number: 02239
Division: Public Affairs
Department: Shared Prosperity Office
Opening Date: 09/22/2026
Closing Date: 10/6/2026 11:59 PM Pacific
FLSA: Exempt

The Position
The Port of Portland is hiring a Community Affairs Business Partner to support our Trade and Economic Development (TED) work!

As the TED Community Affairs Business Partner, you will serve as a trusted advisor and connector between the Port, businesses, public agencies, community partners, and the communities impacted by our work. You will partner closely with Port leaders and project teams to shape and implement engagement strategies, strengthen relationships with key partners, anticipate emerging issues, and identify opportunities that support economic development and community priorities.

This role will work across a diverse portfolio of Trade and Economic Development projects, helping the Port navigate the intersection of business, government, and community. The position will also collaborate closely with our Outreach and Education staff to deliver meaningful programs, partnerships, and engagement efforts that connect communities to the Port's work and opportunities.
What you'll get:
We offer a flexible hybrid schedule that supports work-life balance while encouraging in-person collaboration. Team members are generally expected to be in the office up to three days per week, with specific days subject to change based on operational needs. PLUS, our office overlooks the beautiful Mt Hood, you get the opportunity to watch planes take off, and so much more...
Essential Job Duties

Business Line Support

• Serves as a strategic advisor to project teams across assigned division(s), ensuring business, community, and local government perspectives and engagement are integrated early and meaningfully into project planning and decision-making.
• Develops a deep understanding of assigned business-line priorities, projects, industries, timelines, risks and potential community impacts, and advises on strategies that strengthen project and community outcomes.
• Independently assesses projects and emerging issues to identify community considerations, stakeholder interests, information gaps, engagement needs, risks and opportunities for Community Impact involvement.
• Leads the development of strategic engagement plans and approaches for key projects and initiatives.
• Monitors and provides insight on community, business, policy and regulatory developments that may affect assigned business-line priorities.
• Leads and facilitates public-facing engagements such as events, hearings, open houses and community meetings, including those involving complex or sensitive issues.
• Provides insight on public opinion and community perspectives and translates that information into actionable counsel for business-line partners.
• Connects business-line priorities with relevant community relationships, partnerships, engagement, outreach and education opportunities.
• Manages consultants supporting facilitation, outreach, research, translation and other project-related needs.

Outreach and Community Partnerships

• Supports public understanding of the role and impact of the Port of Portland in the region.
• Builds, owns and stewards relationships with community, business, industry, government and other external partners relevant to Port and business-line priorities.
• Works with community-based organizations, external partners and Port leaders to understand community priorities and identify opportunities to incorporate them into Port initiatives.
• Represents the Port in public venues, on committees and at other highly visible public events.
• Identifies opportunities for partnerships and multi-sector collaboration that advance Port, community and shared prosperity objectives.
• Gathers and synthesizes community and stakeholder feedback, including from communities historically excluded from or disproportionately impacted by Port operations, and brings relevant insights back into organizational planning and decision-making.
• Serves on and actively participates in external councils, coalitions, committees and other regional groups.
• Serves as a primary point of contact and relationship lead for assigned partners and organizations.
• Leads special projects or initiatives in partnership with community organizations, business or industry partners, and public agencies.

Community Impact Portfolio

• Supports development, evaluation and continuous improvement of Community Impact programs, practices and tools, including strategic sponsorships, memberships and outreach initiatives.
• Provides community affairs and engagement counsel to Port leadership.
• Leads and supports trainings, workshops and professional development opportunities for staff and community partners.
• Represents Community Impact on internal councils, committees and cross-functional initiatives.
• Leads or supports special initiatives that advance shared prosperity goals and objectives.
• Coaches, reviews work and mentors junior-level staff and interns, as assigned.

Issues, Risk and Opportunity Management

• Collaborates with Communications, Government Affairs, Legal & Shared Prosperity and business-line partners to identify and assess emerging community, political and reputational issues, impacts, risks and opportunities, and develops appropriate strategies and responses.
• Advises project teams and leaders on complex or high-sensitivity issues, including environmental impacts, business disruption and other matters involving competing stakeholder interests or significant community concern.
• Supports navigation of difficult conversations and controversial projects, helping internal partners understand stakeholder perspectives, decision trade-offs and potential community implications.
• Ensures engagement strategies and activities appropriately incorporate applicable regulatory, accessibility, civil rights and language-access requirements.

Minimum Qualifications

Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree in Public Administration, Business Administration, Economics, Economic Development, Urban or Regional Planning, Community Development, Public Affairs, Communications, Political Science, Social Sciences, or a related field.
• Minimum six (6) years' experience of progressively responsible experience in community affairs, business or industry engagement, economic development, public affairs, public-private partnerships, or other multi-sector initiatives. Or, any combination of relevant education and experience.
• Demonstrated ability to provide high-quality service through a consultative approach, build and maintain strong relationships with community partners, and represent organizational priorities clearly and credibly in public settings.
• Effective in navigating diverse stakeholder perspectives and advancing inclusive, community-centered outcomes.

Demonstrated Skills & Knowledge:

• Demonstrate commitment to valuing differences among individuals and a passion for being inclusive.
• Focus on safety improvements and comply with safety and health policies and procedures.
• Show the utmost respect for others and act as a team player.
• Work in politically charged settings, adapt to ambiguous and changing environments.
• Title VI (Civil Rights) and Title II (ADA) applied in public involvement, including language access.
• Facilitation, training and/or coaching.
• Qualitative and quantitative research strategies and reporting (surveys, focus groups, etc.).
• Conflict resolution and de-escalation.
• Senior in:
  • Demonstrated strong written and oral communication, including public speaking and presentation.
  • Provide input on questions of strategy, engagement, and communication methods.
  • Develop and implement inclusive engagement and project plans.
  • Build, coordinate and participate in committees and coalitions.
  • Key community stakeholders as well as best and emerging practices in community relations and policy development.
  • Working knowledge of local public involvement regulations (e.g., comprehensive planning, public noticing, Oregon public meetings law).

Supplemental and Selection Information

Selection Process: (tentative schedule):

1. Applications will be accepted through October 6, 2026. A minimum qualification evaluation of education, training, and experience for submitted application packets will be conducted by Human Resources the following week.
2. A Subject Matter Expert (SME) Panel will perform an evaluation of experience and training taken from your employment application materials.
3. Our goal is to schedule virtual first round of interviews with candidates who successfully passed the SME evaluation by late October to mid-November; followed by a second round of in-person panel interviews.

Contact us: [email protected]
Safety: The Port promotes safety as a Core value and we seek to eliminate harm through a culture of active prevention, curiosity, evaluation, and action. We comply with safety and health policies and procedures and consistently look for improvements that support operational excellence.

At the Port of Portland, we strive to offer a holistic and comprehensive benefits package for employees and their families. We care about your health by offering highly-subsidized healthcare plans that include alternative care. We look out for you and for family by paying for life and accidental death & dismemberment (AD&D) insurance, short-term and long-term disability coverage. We participate in the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) retirement program. We provide access to additional coverage and benefits including pre-tax spending accounts, voluntary term life insurance, a deferred compensation plan, and critical illness and accident insurance policies.

We go above and beyond by offering an award-winning wellness program for all employees to engage in. Employees can tend to their physical and mental health, earn rewards, and create community. Our employee assistance program supports the Port's commitment to emotional and mental well-being by providing mental health services, discounts on local gyms, and pet insurance for companions.

Our commitment to work-life balance ensures you have time to spend with loved ones and do the things you enjoy. We offer generous vacation time that accrues with length of service, sick leave that never expires and can be used for dependent care, health maintenance and mental health, and 8 weeks of paid parental leave - all in addition to 10 paid holidays. As an added bonus - because we know employees use their time off differently - once a year we give employees the opportunity to convert sick leave to personal leave, and to convert vacation leave to either cash, a retirement plan contribution, or a contribution to a Health Savings Account.

Please note: Some benefits vary by job type/group, so please be sure to review your comprehensive benefit guide and/or collective bargaining agreement upon hire to confirm what is available to you