Regional Manager, External Affairs, NY North Country Region

About us

National Grid is hiring a Lead Regional Manager of External Affairs for the New York, North Country Region. The position will be located in St. Lawrence, NY or Franklin County, NY.

Every day we deliver safe and secure energy to homes, communities, and businesses. We are there when people need us most. We connect people to the energy they need for the lives they live. The pace of change in society and our industry is accelerating and our expertise and track record puts us in an unparalleled position to shape the sustainable future of our industry.

To be successful we must work collaboratively with our key stakeholders, advance and protect the Company’s reputation, anticipate the needs of our customers, reducing the cost of energy delivery today and pioneering the flexible energy systems of tomorrow. This requires us to deliver on our promises and always look for new opportunities to grow, both ourselves and our business.

Job Purpose

The Corporate Affairs function champions our company's interests and defends and lifts the National Grid brand and reputation by embracing and simplifying complex messages and environments, cultivating strong relationships with stakeholders, and proactively managing governmental, stakeholder and regulatory environments and community interactions.

The purpose of Corporate Affairs is to protect, promote and enhance the company’s reputation in the UK and our US territories. It is to build, and help others build, the reputation that National Grid needs to succeed in the short and long term.   We are resilient, strategic, collaborative, creative, connected, global and visionary. We are committed to positively contributing to our communities and advocating for policies and outcomes that support National Grid, our customers, our employees and our partners.

This role is seen as a critical strategically important role within National Grid. The individual will be the primary external face of the company within their respective region, while supporting community engagement, local government/municipal relations, local community investment, and mitigating reputational risk among the most senior elected officials. This individual will also be responsible for supporting the advancement of the Company’s Communications Strategy in collaboration with the Communications team, collaborating with the Economic Development group to advise on decisions related to the Company’s Economic Development programming, and helping to drive National Grid’s future operation and policy priorities by influencing decision makers at a state and regional level.

Responsibilities include leading the accountability for the two-way relationship between National Grid and the communities we serve in the North Country. Overseeing and strategically driving community relations activities in support of business goals established by the company, and acting as the advocate of the needs and interests of communities we serve to internal National Grid departments and leadership. Also, efficient deployment of Company resources to achieve strategic goals, collaborating with other groups internally on key accountabilities to deliver first class customer service and  representing National Grid on organizational boards that strategically enhance relationships, advance regional economic development initiatives and/or are positioned to advocate in partnership with National Grid on key issues tied to energy delivery (chambers of commerce, business organizations, etc.), and inform the company’s local community investment plans.
 

Key Accountabilities

•    Support the development and implementation of proactive strategies to ensure strong key stakeholder relationships are established and maintained, including with local government officials, civic organizations, not for profit organizations and community members.

•    Support implementation of strategies to build, maintain, protect and ensure a solid reputation for National Grid’s reputation as an industry leader in energy and the environment by managing the interests of industry and business associations, environmental groups, and other stakeholders.

•    Develop and communicate key campaign strategies, policies, and community initiatives externally to promote, advance and protect National Grid interests in New York State.

•    Manage relationships with local government officials and lobbying activity for certain Counties within and around North Country to create the environment to advance policy and other priorities at the local and state levels.  Collaborate with the State and Federal Government Relations team on legislative and policy priorities.

•    Coordinate with the Communications team on media and public relations matters and opportunities.  Plan and execute communications and engagement programs to advance the mission and enhance market visibility and messaging, and to promote the Company’s community investments.

•    Support local community investments.  Provide input on strategy, plan and execution of local community giving programs that align to the Company’s priorities in an efficient manner.  Support implementation of key corporate initiatives such as Project C [Grid for Good], clean energy transition and various project initiative for proactive community engagement. 

•    Collaborate with the Company’s Economic Development team to maximize e company’s economic development grant programs, aligning to company priorities.

•    Support external engagement in key internal operational, regulatory and strategic company initiatives, including rate cases and efforts to advance the clean energy transition.

•    Build, manage and maintain coalitions in the North Country to advance the Company’s priorities.

•    Monitor and advise on local issues.  Identify trends, issues and opportunities as strategic input to influence senior Executives to integrate change management and culture transformation initiatives.

•    Lead the regional external coordination and execution of the Company’s emergency management response plans, in conjunction with Emergency Response Plan during events where service interruptions or other incidents have occurred.  Lead all interactions with local elected officials, municipal emergency managers, critical facility customers and key stakeholders.  This position will have a dedicated storm/emergency response roll.

•    Provide input on the organization’s strategy action plans to assist in hitting key milestones in order to accomplish goals and impact growth. 

•    Liaise with the Company’s Customer team regarding Customer managed accounts with strategic value to the Company.
 

Qualifications

•    Bachelor’s degree or higher with 5-7 years of experience in business, marketing, public administration, government affairs, public and or community relations.

•    Demonstrated success in external affairs and/or lobbying activity.

•    Experience interacting with senior executives internally and externally.

•    Substantive experience in collaboration and strategic connecting to build strong partnerships with stakeholders.

•    Experience with successful Corporate Giving programs and their governance. 

•    Must possess strong management skills, excellent verbal, digital, written and narrative communications skills along with the ability to write reports and develop presentations for senior management as required.

•    Experience in crisis or external emergency management.

•    Must possess exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to provide positive influence in customer and community matters, as well as facilitate the resolution of internal and external issues/conflicts.

•    In depth experience of working and influencing in a large organization, in an analytical and collaborative manner to embrace complex environments and demystify them to address stakeholder engagement.

•    Understanding of the environment and key external industry and non-industry stakeholders which relate to and have an impact on the utilities sector (governmental, regulatory, communities, agencies, industry bodies) within the local, national and global context.

•    Resiliency and ability to affect change while maintaining alignment with National Grid strategic direction and goals.

•    Significant pre-existing network in the North Country of current relationships, including those with the Company’s key stakeholders.  Ability to scale relationships to non-traditional stakeholders.

•    Exceptional networking skills, including the ability to influence and negotiate with a range of external stakeholders (individuals, agencies and groups).
 

More Information

Leadership Qualities and Business Capabilities

Strong Communicator 
A track record of contributing to strategic discussion and debate and operating as a collaborative business leader. The ability and confidence to engage with external stakeholders (including government, regulatory bodies, colleagues, customers, suppliers) and senior colleagues and executives across a complex business model.  Exceptional written and verbal communications. Proven storyteller with a well-honed news sense and first-class judgement.

Executive Level Experience 
Credible with a strong ability to engage with, advise and influence at an executive level and operate as a strategic interface with senior stakeholders. Experience gained in a complex organization and the confidence and gravitas to influence and advise effectively at all levels.   

Operates Strategically 
Strategic mindset, able to see the bigger picture, draw from multiple sources of insight to make macro conclusions and to make confident decisions and recommendations. A Strategic thinker, with the ability to balance both the strategic and tactical.  Well-honed commercial and strategic awareness. Excellent judgement and the ability to provide sound and insightful counsel to senior leadership. Ability to set, manage and deliver on complex and multiple agendas. Commercial and Financial literacy.

Leads and Influences Change  
Communicates a compelling business case to the whole organization to gain buy-in for significant change. Adapts change plans/influencing strategies to the organization’s political realities and constraints. A naturally collaborative and engaging style. Demonstrated ability to articulate an appropriate vision and translate it into effective strategies and operational plans.

Leadership Skills 
Collaboration and passion for working as a team with strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to facilitate conversations and discussions and manage different opinions to a successful outcome. Adept at dealing with and leading people through periods of change with proven experience of motivating and managing colleagues to deliver outstanding performance in a changing and complex environment. Evidence of a “roll up your sleeves” attitude to get involved in the day-to-day running of the business. 

Strong Business Acumen 
First class business acumen and commercial judgment. The confidence to provide commercially focused risk-based advice and to contribute to wider business strategies and decision-making. High levels of networking, influencing, and negotiation to actively build and maintain a network of internal relationships at senior levels in the business and the community. Strong personal and professional resilience, yet flexible and pragmatic, able to work under pressure and react positively to change and ambiguity within a dynamic and competitive business environment.

Breadth of Responsibility 
Contributes to the broader Business agenda outside of their functional expertise.  Achievement in a broader role rather than a narrow functional role.
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