Communications Program Manager
About The Position
At NW Natural, we offer more than rewarding career opportunities and a vibrant, inclusive work culture. We invite you to join us in providing safe and reliable utility services and renewable energy to better the lives of the communities we serve. Our vision is to be the leader in service excellence, innovation and environmental stewardship for our customers, while building on our strengths as a trusted energy provider and environmental leader for our industry. In addition to environmental stewardship, we’re also deeply committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at NW Natural. Our DEI Council started 21 years ago, and today we continue to foster a culture where all employees can experience a sense of belonging, shared purpose and possibility. Employees based at our Headquarters are required to work on-site a minimum of two days per week. Specific in‑office days may vary by team and business needs. This hybrid schedule supports collaboration, connection, and engagement while also offering flexibility for remote work.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Journalism, English, Public Relations, Communications or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
- A minimum of 8+ years of experience in corporate communications environment or public relations agency.
- Proven experience with corporate reputation management and stakeholder engagement.
- Proven ability to work on a highly collaborative, client-service oriented team, and coordinate responsibilities openly with others within the organization.
- Experience in issues management, media relations, crisis communications required.
- Proven ability to gain trust quickly and to maintain confidentiality and credibility within the company and when dealing with the media.
- Requires excellent writing and presentation skills.
- Experience in planning and implementing communications plans and projects; track record of meeting deadlines; ability to juggle multiple topics and projects at once; and increasing responsibility.
- Must be self-directed, team focused and results oriented.
- Requires PowerPoint skills, as well as other digital platforms and project management tools.
Nice To Haves
- Experience in the energy sector and public policymaking a plus.
- Proven experience working with digital mediums and online community engagement.
- Experience in the Incident Command System, or willingness to be trained/certified.
Responsibilities
- Leads communication strategies for major projects, guiding stakeholder engagement, community outreach and issue management from planning through delivery.
- Partners across teams to assess risks, develop messaging and outreach plans, and ensure activities align with company values, regulatory requirements and project goals while building trust with customers and communities.
- Partner with project teams and internal groups such as Regulatory Affairs, Legal, Engineering and Community Relations to align communications with project goals.
- Conduct situational analyses early in the project lifecycle to identify risks, concerns and engagement needs.
- Develop and execute messaging, outreach and participation plans for customers, communities and stakeholders.
- Create communications materials such as fact sheets, presentations, talking points, FAQs and outreach updates.
- Manage media relations, including responding to inquiries and supporting proactive outreach tied to projects or initiatives.
- Oversee external contractors, budgets and community investment activities that support engagement efforts.
- Track feedback, monitor issues and adjust communication strategies to meet regulatory requirements and project needs.
Benefits
- Rich health insurance benefits with competitive employer contribution
- Free access to an online wellness resources platform
- Up to 23 Vacation Days
- 80 Hours of Sick Time
- 10 paid holidays and 3 floating holidays
- Flexible work arrangements
- 3 weeks paid parental leave
- Engage with our Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Council, and a variety of Employee Resource Groups that support community and growth.
- 1500 sq foot exercise facility and secure bike room
- Meaningful annual incentive bonus opportunity in addition to base salary
- Competitive 401K company contribution and match
- 15% discount on NW Natural stock through Employee Stock Purchase Program
- Up to $5250 a year in tuition reimbursement
- Wellness incentive program
- 20% off natural gas service
- Up to 30% discount at NW Natural Appliance Center
- TriMet Pass for all HQ employees
- Generous discounts with Verizon & AT&T Wireless
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
