Vice President, Strategic Engagement

About the role

Be a part of something that matters at WECC, where we enhance the lives of 90 million people by identifying and mitigating risks to the bulk power system in the West. Reporting to the CEO, the Vice President, Strategic Engagement will lead and coordinate WECC’s engagement activities, including outreach to and engagement with industry and government partners in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This role will lead WECC’s marketing and communications (both internal and external, including media), branding, and reputation-building initiatives.

The individual in this role will be an established collaborator in the Energy sector and will complement WECC’s technical expertise to promote the reliability and security of the bulk power system in the West. This position will lead a team to develop strategic initiatives and internal coordination that foster relationships with key stakeholder and policy groups, including federal, state, and provincial agencies, regulatory and legislative bodies, consumers, and owners, operators, and users of the bulk power system in the West. The role will also build trust and alignment with NERC and the other regional entities (collectively known as the ERO Enterprise).

The Vice President, Strategic Engagement will lead a department collaborating with all program areas in WECC and will design how WECC presents itself externally. This role will reinforce WECC’s value to the future of the electric industry, serve as an important external spokesperson, and work closely with the executive team, ERO Enterprise, and Board of Directors.

While WECC’s headquarters are located in Salt Lake City, Utah, this position is remote-eligible for candidates based in the Western Interconnection. An estimated 25-50% travel is expected, though unique business needs may require additional travel.

Responsibilities

• As a member of WECC’s executive team, share responsibility for leading WECC’s mission and strategy, delivering results, and ensuring team engagement across the organization.
• Establish and lead a network of external strategic partnerships and alliances to elevate WECC’s reputation as the center for reliability and security conversations in the West by actively engaging WIRAB, the WECC Member Advisory Committee, and other key stakeholders and coalitions.
• Inspire, motivate, lead, and align messaging across a team of professionals supporting communications, training and outreach, external affairs, and international relations. Leverage team strengths, develop short- and long-term objectives, metrics, and accountabilities, and deliver insights and analyses to advance WECC’s Long-term Strategy.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive and measurable outreach strategy that supports WECC’s risk mitigation mission and delegated responsibilities. Segment stakeholders meaningfully to focus finite resources on engagement that advances its reliability-risk mitigation mission. Assess and analyze external trends, develop trusted partnerships, engage various points of view, and inform legislation and policy matters related to reliability and security issues.
• Ensure WECC’s outreach strategy leverages artificial intelligence, digital technology, and multi-media approaches to engage, educate, and inform stakeholders about WECC and reliability and security matters.
• Serve as a key WECC spokesperson to external audiences and position other WECC executives and management to engage with key stakeholders.
• Develop high-quality relationships with industry stakeholders and policymakers and seek constructive engagement on key reliability and security challenges facing the grid. Partner with internal executives and subject matter experts to translate WECC’s analyses and insights into digestible and useful assessments, initiatives, leadership, and studies with specific and measurable outcomes.
• Foster a deep understanding of WECC’s holistic approach to addressing reliability and security risks and promote cohesive strategic engagement approaches coordinated across operational teams.
• Build, develop, coach, and mentor a hybrid team to support WECC’s core values, beliefs, and mindsets, enabling collaborative work across the organization.

Requirements

• Hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited four-year university in marketing/communications, public policy, or a related field, combined with meaningful professional experience in business development, strategic communications, marketing and engagement, stakeholder relations, external affairs, or related experience. An MBA or master’s degree in public policy, marketing, or a related field is a plus.
• Have at least 15 years’ experience in business leadership and a track record of professional advancement in the electric utility industry, a non-profit organization, a regulatory role, or a policy role in an energy- or reliability-related field.
• Proven experience engaging in policy discussions with state, provincial, and federal regulators, policymakers, senior executives, and legislators, with the ability to translate those discussions into useful recommendations for decision-makers to guide WECC’s work.
• Broad understanding of external affairs (government, alliances, partnerships, etc.), corporate communications, and significant senior management experience.
• Industry experience in the Western Interconnection.
• Strong computer literacy and proficiency using PCs, including a working knowledge of common applications such as those in the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Understand and adhere to sound principles of cybersecurity, including protecting sensitive information, using secure passwords, and following organizational cybersecurity protocols.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Health reimbursement and flexible spending accounts
• 401(k) plan
• Generous paid personal time

Our Culture and Values

• Our people and our work matter.
• Everyone is invited to be a leader.
• Independence, perspective, and partnership are how we add value.
• Intellectual curiosity, empowerment, and accountability fuel meaningful results.
• Continuous improvement and innovation are essential.
• We act with intention and focused urgency in everything we do.