Dir,Communications and Public Affairs

PacifiCorp is seeking customer-centric candidates to grow and sustain our commitment to a culture of customer service excellence, environmental sustainability, inclusion & belonging.

About the Role

Provide strategy and leadership in media relations, stakeholder engagement, public affairs, and reputation management for PacifiCorp and Rocky Mountain Power. Manage a team of communications specialists responsible for Rocky Mountain Power. Develop strategic communications strategy including key message development by audience, objectives, tactics by channel, comprehensive feedback on engagement, and measurement against key performance metrics.

Work with input from internal stakeholders to conceive, plan, develop, implement, and measure strategic communications programs that favorably position the company as a relevant and credible energy services leader committed to innovating on behalf of its customers, communities, and constituents. Contribute to the success of the company’s customer-centric transformation by managing proactive strategic communications strategies that inhibit opposition, remove barriers, and fortify the company’s role in local communities and key stakeholder circles.

Coach and develop communications specialists and program managers to advance the company’s communications efforts and talent development. Advise and support company executives on communications techniques that reinforce and substantiate what sets us apart, as well as protect and uphold our corporate reputation. Drive impact and consistency of approved external messages by collaborating with other corporate communications and marketing experts, as well as other company leaders in community, operations, regulation, government affairs, and regional business management to integrate them across key touchpoints, programs, and channels.

Responsibilities

• Manage a team including their direct day-to-day activities, training, and professional development.
• Set strategic communications strategy including outage communications, legislative communications, wildfire communications, energy transition, transmission growth, and regulatory strategy and filings.
• Utilize comprehensive communications skill set and experience to determine the appropriate mix of communications activations.
• Work with internal stakeholders, senior, and business unit leaders to develop and implement communications plans to enhance PacifiCorp and Rocky Mountain Power’s brands and reputation.
• Responsible for reputation management, issues management, and developing communications materials and messages on often volatile and sensitive topics.
• Develop and implement strategic communications that are highly sensitive, complex, and political in nature.
• Interact with media, offer interviews, and act as a spokesperson for the company.
• Serve as a key contact for media on often volatile and sensitive topics.
• Ensure coverage of media hotline for Rocky Mountain Power and ensure timely response to media inquiries.
• Develop executive communications materials including talking points, speeches, and presentations.
• Establish and maintain operational/customer service outage response communications plan.
• Establish and maintain wildfire mitigation communication program that showcases the work of the company across the service area.
• Establish and maintain a peak load response communications plan.
• Influence programs to address ongoing issues as well as initiatives that focus on protecting and enhancing the business objectives and reputation of the company.
• Promote a general environment of understanding in support of the company’s overall strategy, policies, and priorities.
• Provide communications counsel and support to the company.
• Focus on strategic communications that are prioritized, focused, proactive, integrated, and consistent.
• Promote opportunities to influence key external stakeholder groups and enhance their understanding and support of the company.
• Collaborate with colleagues responsible for customer communications, energy efficiency communications, brand awareness communications, government affairs, and regulatory communications to ensure consistency across communications touchpoints.
• Apply project management skills and tools to ensure the timely production, management, and measurement/evaluation of marketing and customer communications campaigns.
• Oversee work of agencies that support the communications function.
• Develop and implement various crisis and emergency response activities.
• Develop resources that enable shared information across the communications team.
• Ensure team members are cross-trained and develop bench strength in the areas of public spokesperson, issues management, and proactive reputational management.
• Review, measure, and evaluate the effectiveness of communications efforts and incorporate findings to improve subsequent activities.
• Stay current on trends in communications and implement new processes and tactics when needed to ensure that the function is best in class.
• Responsible for employee performance reviews, performance management, and personnel issues for team members.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, or a related field; or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A minimum of ten years of experience in communications, media, or public relations roles.
• A minimum of 5 years of functional or people management experience.
• Proven experience translating complex issues into understandable language.
• Proven ability to develop and implement comprehensive strategic communications plans and programs to address key issues and opportunities.
• Communication and interpersonal skills involving the ability to establish trust, maintain confidence, and understand social behavior and interactions.
• Demonstrated experience with multi-channel communications management.
• Ability to work with all levels of an organization to influence actions and negotiate outcomes.
• Ability to listen and communicate effectively through oral and written means.
• Ability to operate in a complex and rapidly changing business environment.
• Ability to judge priorities for the best interests of the company while meeting multiple deadlines.
• Experience working with the deadlines and information needs of media, including trades, newspapers, and broadcast reporters.
• Proficient with the use of personal computers to gather, analyze, and summarize data.
• Proficient with MS Office suite.
• Interest in adapting and implementing new technologies that benefit the company’s communications.
• Proven ability to plan, execute, measure, and correct.

Preferences

• Advanced Degree.
• Knowledge of the service area, customer demographics, and policy environment.
• Knowledge of research, analysis, and consulting techniques, company policies, procedures, practices, and applicable federal, state, and local governmental laws and regulations.

Benefits

At PacifiCorp, we understand that living a healthy lifestyle isn’t just about your physical health—your mental, financial, and social wellbeing also play an important role. That’s why we offer a wide range of benefits designed to help you live a more balanced lifestyle.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401k with match fixed contributions, including a Roth and saving option. For union employees, matching contributions vary by union. For nonunion, PacifiCorp makes a fixed contribution equal to 4% of your eligible pay each year for new hires. In addition, PacifiCorp matches 100% of the first 6% you contribute.
• Life insurance.