Manager Brand Strategy

Otter Tail Corporation•Fergus Falls, MN

7d•$117,000 - $162,000

About The Position

Otter Tail Power is seeking an experienced leader to guide how the organization aligns its brand, communications, and stakeholder understanding with its long-term strategy. The Brand Strategy Manager leads the team that translates business priorities into enterprise narrative, communication strategy, content, creative services, editorial planning, research, insights, and production. The role helps ensure employees, customers, communities, and stakeholders experience a clear, consistent, and credible company story. This role focuses on shaping the systems, standards, and strategies that support how the utility is understood by its stakeholders. It plays a key part in navigating infrastructure development, affordability, reliability, economic growth, public policy, technology, and evolving stakeholder expectations. The position reports to the Director Communications.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism, design, business, or a related field.
Progressive experience in brand strategy, communications, marketing, creative services, content strategy, editorial management, communication planning, reputation research, or a related discipline.
Demonstrated ability to translate business strategy into clear brand, messaging, content, editorial, creative, and communication plans.
Experience leading communication planning, content strategy, creative services, editorial workflows, production operations, or cross-functional communication initiatives.
Strong understanding of brand governance, message architecture, editorial planning, visual identity, content strategy, audience needs, channel coordination, and communication measurement.
Ability to evaluate and prioritize work based on strategic value, business impact, stakeholder needs, resource availability, and timing.
Strong writing, editing, presentation, consultation, planning, and strategic communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to influence leaders and business partners toward effective communication solutions without relying on positional authority.
Experience developing outcome-focused metrics and using research, performance data, and insights to improve communication effectiveness.
Ability to lead experienced contributors, manage competing priorities, and improve systems, processes, workflows, and overall team effectiveness.

Nice To Haves

Experience working in a regulated industry, utility, energy, infrastructure, manufacturing, or another complex business environment.
Experience overseeing creative, editorial, production, print, or communication operations.
Experience with AI governance, content automation, reputation measurement, brand research, media monitoring, or stakeholder insights.
Experience managing agencies, research vendors, external creative partners, or production vendors.

Responsibilities

Lead enterprise brand strategy and communication planning.
Establish and steward the company's narrative, message architecture, and brand standards.
Advise leaders across the company on communication strategy and stakeholder understanding.
Direct editorial planning, governance, workflow, and communication resource prioritization.
Lead a multidisciplinary team responsible for content strategy, writing, design, editorial planning, communication operations, research and insights, and production.