External Affairs Specialist

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Be Yourself.
Feel Valued.
People are the heart of our business.
As an American Water employee, you will be offered a competitive salary and health benefits package, along with opportunities to develop, grow, and evolve your career.
Our benefits packages focus on key areas such as health & wellness, emotional & well-being, and savings for current & future goals.
We are Beautifully Different.
We strongly believe having diversity across our company makes us more successful and helps us provide essential services to our customers.
We are stronger because we embrace different ideas, viewpoints, experiences, and backgrounds.
American Water is the best choice for your next role! Click here for more information on our inclusion, diversity, and equity journey.
About American Water American Water (NYSE: AWK) is the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the United States.
With a history dating back to 1886, We Keep Life Flowing® by providing safe, clean, reliable and affordable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 14 million people across 14 regulated jurisdictions and 18 military installations.
American Water’s 6,500 talented professionals leverage their significant expertise and the company’s national size and scale to achieve excellent outcomes for the benefit of customers, employees, investors and other stakeholders.
As one of the fastest growing utilities in the U.
S.
, American Water expects to invest $30 to $34 billion in infrastructure repairs and replacement, system resiliency and regulated acquisitions over the next 10 years.
The company has a long-standing history of executing its core operations, aligned with sustainable best practices, through its commitments to safety, affordability, customer service, protecting the environment, an inclusive workforce and strengthening communities.
American Water has been recognized on the 2023 Bloomberg Gender-Equality Indexfor the fifth consecutive year, ranked 18th on Barron’s 100 Most Sustainable U.
S.
Companies 2023 List, earned the U.
S.
Department of Homeland Security SAFETY Act designation and U.
S.
Environmental Protection Agency’s WaterSense® Excellence Award, among additional state, local and national recognitions.
For more information, visit amwater.
com and join American Water on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Do you have a passion for the Development of Communications, Materials/Tactics and are proficient in Microsoft Excel, with a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism or Public Relations? Then this role for you! Illinois American Water is seeking our newest External Affairs Rockstar! Apply now for immediate consisderation! This role will sit in one of the following offices: Peoria, Belleville, Champaign OR Woodridge.
Primary Role This position will allow this successful candidate to provide communications counsel and support to state and district management teams and to develop, coordinate, implement and manage external communications activities to support the success of the state business plan and operating objectives.
The primary areas of responsibility include a statewide and district focus on public relations, social media, customer communications, employee engagement, community relations, corporate social responsibility and local support to government relations and business development activities.
This successful candidate will manage administrative tasks that include but are not limited to managing the customer financial assistance program that work closely with our external partners.
This professional is poised to respond rapidly and tactically to unanticipated events and critical issues such as main breaks and other critical incidents and provide support for proactive and strategic communications and public relations outreach and responding to customer inquiries.
A strategic approach and strategic thinking are critical to this role.
The External Affairs & Communications Sr.
Specialist is a critical communications resource maximizing the company's communications effectiveness, customer education, employee engagement and community outreach within the communities we serve.
This professional has experience with event planning, social media management, community engagement, relationship building and strategic communications including crafting talking points, key messages, press releases, handouts, and customer-facing materials.
While not directly responsible for customer communications or internal communication, the External Affairs & Communications Sr.
Specialist is an active and vital component of an integrated communications team operating through a matrix management model that is responsible for functional excellence reaching all audiences with a full array of internal and external communications messages, tactics and activities.
This professional is an agile relationship builder and ensures American Water is aligned with key community groups and organizations so that American Water is well regarded as a "good corporate citizen".
The Sr.
Specialist will ensure that the company is effectively aligned and positioned to develop and sustain key relationships with community leaders, government and regulatory authorities as well as elected and appointed officials.
The External Affairs & Communications Sr.
Specialist will report to the Director of External Affairs & Communications.
Key Accountabilities Assists in the proactive development of communications materials/tactics that produce cost, time and resource efficiencies and consistent messaging.
Ensures wise budget management across the state and a strategic corporate responsibility program.
Ensures effective, accurate and consistent customer communications on all platforms including social media, customer-facing website, customer bills and more.
This professional will be responsible for bill content, write and edit customer emails, customer and key stakeholder letters, social media posts, press releases, talking points, key messages, emails, onserts, postcards, and other communications as needed.
Work closely with American Water Communications Team to coordinate outreach efforts.
Coordinate with local districts to make sure checks-payments for sponsorships, donations and grants are paid and processed.
This person will also develop and program bill messages and images to ensure a layered approach.
This professional will work with communications team and vendors, as well as independently as assigned, to create materials for various needs across the state including print ads, handouts, fact sheets, posters, videos, presentations, letters, newsletters, customer emails, bill inserts and graphics, and other materials as needed.
A critical eye will be given to ensure accurate, valuable content and a review process will be followed to ensure legal, communications and other members of the leadership team have approved.
Provides communications advice and recommendations to equip state and local management teams to develop and sustain key relationships – with community leaders, environmental leaders, elected officials, and their staff members, and to manage and advance important communications objectives to these target constituencies.
Employs an awareness and knowledge of community resources and contacts; understands the attitudes and concerns of the community and establishes and maintains cooperative and effective relationships.
Assists in implementing communications strategies, tactics and activities to ensure ongoing, consistent and targeted communications before, during and after rate case filings.
Working with the External Affairs & Communications Sr.
Manager, helps to identify and develop opportunities to raise and enhance the company's reputation as a good corporate citizen through strong networking skills, employing effective communications strategies and leveraging key community initiatives that align with company goals.
Responsibilities include researching and evaluating opportunities, determining which events align with our business strategy and negotiating with third parties on matters related to education events and community partnerships.
Assists in developing and implementing communications tactics in support of the company’s Corporate Responsibilities (CR) initiatives.
Helps to develop plans that anticipate and deliver ahead of needs.
Responsible for leading internal giving campaigns, volunteer efforts and employee engagement.
Key Accountabilities Continued Assists in implementing comprehensive strategic communications plans including media relations, conference participation, community relations/events, local government relations and sponsorship/memberships and executes in a proactive manner.
Assists in creating and implementing proactive, coordinated and aligned media relations, public relations and community relations plans.
Assists in developing effective crisis plans and crisis communications materials.
Adheres to all budget management requirements.
Assists in monitoring internal/external business developments, media, social media, etc.
as well as identifies connections between business activities and industry trends that may pose a threat or benefit to the company’s reputation.
Works closely with the Sr Manager External Communications, the Sr.
Manager Customer Communications, the Sr.
Manager Internal Communications and the Customer Service Center liaisons to ensure materials are anticipated, planned for and developed on a timely basis to meet the needs of state operations and customers.
Assists in developing and implementing communications activities in support of all American Water business operations within the state.
Provides communications support to business development activities, including strategically planning and implementing open houses and customer communications.
Responsibilities will include, but not limited to, overseeing vendors and contractors and ordering specialty items, keeping in line with budget constraints.
Assists in developing talking points and corresponding state and corporate legal teams to ensure consistent and appropriate.
Works closely, collaboratively and seamlessly with peer communications professionals supporting the state including Customer Communications, Internal Communications Manager, the Director of Communications and External Affairs, the Customer Service Center and the entire Corporate Communications team in corporate to ensure communication integration and maximum effectiveness.
Provides communication counsel and ensures the effective implementation of external affairs and related communications activities for significant impact on public image and customer confidence.
Regularly communicates and discusses best practices with peer communications positions.
Works in a seamless and integrated manner to ensure the effective strategic alignment and coordination of all communications, both internal and external, within each state and relations lead to provide communications counsel, support and necessary sustains strong working relationships with these targets.
Assists in developing strategic communications plans and timelines.
Customer service focus will also include a proactive approach to social media - scheduling and creating posts, responding to customer inquiries, and assisting during operational emergencies working with media as directed by the Sr.
Manager External Communications.
Social media analysis and reporting will also be completed.
Customer inquiries may come after hours and on weekends – this will not prohibit the function’s ability to respond in a timely manner.
Includes administrative activities, such as invoice processing, event coordination, external mailings, etc Knowledge/Skills Experienced in strategic communications and is adept at developing customer communication and related materials.
Possesses strong written and verbal communication skills.
Experienced with AP style.
Is knowledgeable of community-based organizations, the political background and agendas of these groups, and other grassroots initiatives.
Understands local media outlets.
Understands Reg FD disclosure requirements pertaining to publicly traded companies and understands the difference between material and nonmaterial information.
Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks and produce quality materials while achieving results and meeting deadlines.
Demonstrated ability to prioritize and re-prioritize quickly.
Ability to multi-task.
Has excellent and efficient working knowledge of PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and Access databases.
Has ability to assist in planning and executing trade shows and client hospitality events.
Is an organized event planner and leader.
Ability to work independently; strong organizational, writing and computer skills; strong interpersonal skills (tact/diplomacy, cooperation, negotiation); high level of initiative, judgment, and discretion; discretion with confidential information General knowledge of procurement policies and practices.
Broad knowledge of company operations and policies and procedures.
Experience/Education 3-6 years of experience with community outreach programs, social media, and external communications, including professional writing corporate communications Bachelor’s in Journalism or Public Relations preferred Certifications & Licenses Valid Driver’s License required with the ability to pass a motor vehicle report.
Dependable transportation required.
Office Environment This position requires both office and off-site work.
The off-site work includes external events/engagements and may require occasional work evenings and/or weekends.
Reporting location will consist of one of four sites: Peoria, Chicago(Woodridge) Belleville or Champaign.
Competencies Champions safety Collaborates Cultivates innovation Customer obsessed Drives Results Nimble learning Join American Water.
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We Keep Life Flowing™ American Water is firmly committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and prohibits employment discrimination for employees and applicants based on his or her age, race, color, pregnancy, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, marital status, citizenship, or because they are an individual with a disability, protected veteran or other status protected by federal, state, and local laws.