Corporate Communications Manager

As a vital member of the public relations team, the Communications Manager develops and delivers key messages to our target audiences of customers, shareholders and employees across multiple digital platforms and print. The utility industry is complex and changing—providing opportunities to develop messages and communication plans covering a wide range of topics and products/services from electric vehicles to advanced meters. This position allows you to tap your creativity for MGE’s innovative projects and to use your proven writing/editing skills to cover complex topics.

The Communications Manager helps develop strategic communications plans and writes Company communications with a particular emphasis on online communications. The position works on special projects, web writing and content management, social media, graphic ideas, newsletters and customer communication pieces. A majority of the work is writing and the strategic use of communication platforms. In addition, this cross-functional position plays a key role working with MGE’s Marketing Department. The position will report to the Manager of the Corporate Communications Department.

Develop and implement communications projects and plans:

• Partner with Company leaders and employee teams to form executable communications projects and plans that will deliver key messages to target audiences across multiple platforms. 
• Help manage communication projects from concept to completion to support important business initiatives. 
• Build and foster collaborative relationships to stay informed about the Company’s new initiatives and products and services in order to proactively plan and meet those respective communication needs. 
• Write and edit corporate communications for a variety of platforms to reach our target audiences on wide-ranging topics.

Online Content:

• Assist in developing and managing content for MGE’s four external websites and in continuing to enhance the user experience. 
• Handles monthly plans for home page features and other content. 
• Writes new content and edits existing content.
• Coordinates visual content (graphics, photos, video, maps etc.). 
• Helps write/update content and coordinate visuals for MGE’s employee intranet. 
• Maintains MGE’s brand across all internet sites and employee intranet. 
• Works closely with company web technical team to evaluate web traffic analytics and archive necessary web-based information for future needs and reference.

New Initiatives and Guidance:

• Provide strategic guidance on web content, web trends, integration of web/social media/print. 
• Assist the web technical team with strategic development/implementation of new web tools. 
• Participate in project teams when developing new web applications for customers, employees, and shareholders. 
• Partner with other departments for web content related to special projects such as new marketing initiatives, rate cases, environmental reports, etc. 
• Participate in customer and employee web usability sessions. 
• Provide guidance and help with implementation of improvements for employee intranet.

Social Media:

• Assist in coordinating web content with social media platforms. 
• Help monitor social media.

Education and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in journalism, communications or related area.
• Five to seven years of significant experience in corporate communications, public relations, marketing with a strong emphasis on working across multiple digital platforms. The ideal candidate will have experience in both print and web writing and knowledge of graphic design.

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent project management skills with an ability to manage and coordinate a number of projects and meet strict timelines while maintaining quality or design integrity.
• Ability to strategically develop a communication plan from inception to completion.
• Strong journalistic, deadline-oriented writing skills to be able to write for various platforms/publications.
• Ability to focus on specific content development while ensuring main messages and branding are in place.
• Ability to understand, interpret and write accurately and quickly about complex information including issues that can potentially face a highly regulated and publicly held company.
• Strong editing skills.Rigorous attention to accuracy, detail, and quality.
• Ability to understand and meet the needs of our diverse customer base. Fluency in Spanish a plus.
• Excellent web content management skills.
• Expertise in writing for the web and organizing web content.
• Knowledge of how to use search engine optimization (SEO) tactics.
• Knowledge of emerging web technologies.
• Understanding of financial, legal, regulatory, and human resources matters.
• Have a service-oriented, collaborative approach when working across a company.
• Strong business acumen, a true interest in the utility business and flexible, can-do attitude.

Based on Experience Level. Salaried, Health/Dental Benefit Package, 401K, etc.