Principal Land Rights Agent

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy. 

Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.

Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.

Position Summary

This position has considerable latitude for decisions relating to the need for permits, negotiate acceptable permit conditions and determine appropriate measures to minimize environmental impacts. Assignments are often self-initiated. Possess expert knowledge of land rights principles and regulations and applies them in creative and effective ways to a broad range of complex assignments. Must demonstrate exceptional diplomacy skills and judgment to balance competing objectives. Leads sensitive negotiations and settlements and provides management with sound analytic analyses to support compensation decision-making. Proven track record in successfully managing project schedules and budgets.

Essential Responsibilities

• Lead planning, route alternatives analysis, site selection, and management of sites and corridors for major energy facilities, including transmission lines and generation plants (thermal, wind, solar, biomass, hydro). Interact with, and represent S&LR's interests, on multi-disciplinary internal project teams, involving engineering, legal, regulatory and project management staff.
• Negotiate with landowners and their legal representatives for the acquisition and management of land rights for major energy facilities, up to and including the process of condemnation. Highly proficient in preparing and administering land rights instruments including easements, leases, deeds, licenses and performing abstracting and other related courthouse searches to facilitate the acquisition and disposition of property rights.
• Lead preparation of applications and negotiate for and obtain applicable permits from federal, state and local government agencies for approvals to construct major energy facilities. These include necessary land use and environmental permits from local, state and federal government jurisdictions.
• Represent the company before federal, state and local regulatory and land management agencies, boards, planning commissions and councils. Prepare project descriptions and summaries, respond to data requests and make presentations to the governing jurisdictions in public hearings to obtain approval for projects. Act as primary spokesperson on all land rights related activities for the project. Act as expert witness in preparing and presenting written and oral testimony in state certification proceedings (CON, CPCN, CCN) and other regulatory proceedings.
• Maintain a high level of technical knowledge and understanding of applicable federal, state and local land rights laws, codes, ordinances and regulations. Implement effective negotiating strategies and techniques in order to secure land rights at a fair and equitable cost. Serve as technical resource and advisor to other Siting & Land Rights Staff.
• Administers and consults with other agents and team members on complex project issues regarding land rights and siting issues. Assists others in developing, refining and implementing the strategic goals and objectives of Xcel Energy. Contributes to process teams concerning budget and regulatory compliance.
• Provides assistance to other internal Xcel Energy departments and subsidiaries involving land rights management and acquisition, valuation, scheduling and cost estimates for siting and land rights activities.
• Prepares requests for proposals, contract agreements, and project estimates for projects. Leads selection of consultants and contractors. Manages consultants on major projects. Leads team for condemnation proceedings and provides testimony in related court cases.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in real estate, land use planning, management or business. A combination of relevant education and experience providing equivalent knowledge.
• Minimum 8 years of increasingly complex siting, acquisition and/or land rights management experience.
• Experience with state and federal permit and/or acquisition activities.
• Demonstrated skills in technical writing, verbal communications, negotiations and project management skills.
• Valid driver's license is required.

Preferred Characteristics

• Previous experience in high pressure or medium pressure or transmission utility gas
• SR/WA designation or advanced degree a plus.
• Previous project management experience

Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.

Our Values

Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe

Our Employee Commitments

• Work that makes a difference
• A team you can count of
• Opportunities to grow
• Rewards that help you thrive

Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. 

Non-BargainingThe anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $97,600.00 to $138,600.00 per yearThis position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Care Flexible Spending Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation.You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Deadline to Apply: 11/14/26

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Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.comand https://jobs.xcelenergy.comaccessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careerssite.