Corporate Communications Manager

POSITION PURPOSE:

The Corporate Communications Manager is a vital member of a public relations team who develops and delivers key messages to our target audiences of customers, shareholders, the media, employees, and the broader community.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Develops and manages communications plans

• Partners with Company management and employee teams to form executable communications plans that deliver key messages to target audiences and meet stakeholders' expectations. 
• Manages communication projects from concept to completion to support important business initiatives.

Acts as communications consultant

• Provides strategic guidance to management on issues, brand messaging, and crisis management for clear and consistent communication to target audiences. 
• Builds and fosters collaborative relationships to stay informed about the Company's new initiatives and products and services to proactively plan and meet those respective communication needs.

Creates content

• Writes and edits content for a variety of platforms to reach our target audiences on wide-ranging topics. 
• Coordinates visuals for content (graphics, photos, videos, maps, etc.). 
• Identifies and researches industry trends, current events, and the Company's positions to prepare accurate, relevant, and timely communications. 
• Contributes to investor and customer communications, including newsletters, web content, fact sheets, email marketing, corporate reports, and other special projects. 
• Drafts executive-level communications as needed; for example, event remarks, speeches, columns, etc.

Social media and advertising

• Assists in coordination of social media strategy for new business initiatives.
• Assists Digital Marketing Team in coordination of advertising for new business initiatives.

Media relations

• Develops media plans and news releases. 
• Helps develop and maintain positive relations with local media outlets, public information officers, and other utility media representatives. 
• Serves as a Company spokesperson and responds to media inquiries as needed.

Education and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in journalism, communications, public relations, or related area. 
• Five to seven years of significant corporate communications, public relations, and newspaper or broadcast experience. 

Knowledge and Skills:

• Excellent project management skills with an ability to manage and coordinate a number of projects within strict timelines and across both the communication and media functions. 
• Able to strategically develop a communications plan from inception to completion. 
• A proven leader in developing and maintaining effective relationships at all levels inside and outside of a company. 
• Strong collaboration skills with an ability to seek input and details to develop key messages and implement internal and external communications that are aligned with the Company's mission/vision and strategies. 
• Able to focus on specific content development while ensuring main messages and branding are in place. 
• Able to understand, interpret, and write accurately and quickly about complex information. 
• Highly developed journalistic writing, editing, and interviewing/researching skills. 
• Basic understanding of publication design/layout. 
• Strong editing and proofreading skills. 
• Rigorous attention to accuracy, detail, and quality on deadline. 
• Broad knowledge of media and communication vehicles including print, broadcast, and social media. 
• Able to field media questions, provide accurate responses, and be comfortable on camera. 
• Willingness and ability to work off-hours, nights, weekends, holidays as needed during storm response operations or other emergency situations. 
• Strong skills in planning media strategy. 
• Proficiency in Word and familiarity with publishing and presentation software. 
• Self-motivated and able to take a service-oriented, collaborative approach when working across the Company. 
• Strong business acumen and a true interest in and curiosity about the workings of a publicly traded, regulated utility.