Vice President Communications and Community Relations

Southside Electric Cooperative•Crewe, VA

About The Position

Southside Electric Cooperative (SEC) is seeking a strategic, experienced communications leader with utility-industry experience to serve as its chief storyteller and spokesperson while providing strategic leadership. The role builds confidence, supports members, strengthens communities, and ensures clear, accurate communication around essential electric service. The successful candidate will communicate through outages, storms, high-impact events, regulatory expectations, member concerns, media questions, and community conversations with confidence, clarity, and sound judgment. The Vice President leads the Communications & Community Relations team and SEC’s internal and external communications strategy. The role advises executive leadership on communications, reputation, public perception, emerging issues, and community relationships; leads crisis and emergency communications; and oversees organizational storytelling and major member and public events. The position supports SEC’s mission by helping members understand the Cooperative’s value and ensuring communities receive accurate, transparent, consistent, urgent, and purposeful communication.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, journalism, public relations, communications, or a related field.
At least 10 years of utility-related work experience in a leadership communications role.
At least 5 years of management experience directing a comprehensive marketing, communications, or public relations department or function.
Utility industry experience; the role requires someone who has worked in the utility industry and understands the pace, responsibility, operational complexity, and public expectations of electric service.
Demonstrated experience serving as a spokesperson and leading communications through crisis, emergency, or other high-impact situations.
Exceptional written, verbal, public speaking, media relations, and storytelling skills.
Strong executive judgment and emotional intelligence, with the ability to communicate calmly and effectively under pressure.
Ability to build trust and positive relationships with members, employees, board members, community leaders, media, and industry peers.

Nice To Haves

Experience with cooperative principles, outage communications, emergency response, regulatory considerations, member relations, and community-facing utility work.

Responsibilities

Lead and develop the Communications & Community Relations team, fostering accountability, collaboration, performance, and continuous improvement.
Lead SEC’s internal and external communications strategy with timely, accurate, transparent, member-focused messaging aligned with the organization’s mission, vision, and values.
Strengthen internal communications and help leaders clearly and consistently communicate organizational priorities, changes, decisions, and expectations.
Serve as SEC’s primary spokesperson and communications advisor in media interviews, public forums, community settings, and high-pressure situations, in alignment with CEO guidance.
Lead crisis and emergency communications during outages, storms, and other significant events, supporting a safety-first culture and the well-being of employees, members, and communities.
Lead SEC’s organizational storytelling by communicating its value, purpose, people, accomplishments, challenges, and impact.
Advise the executive leadership team on communications, reputation, public perception, emerging issues, and community relationships.
Partner with executive and departmental leaders to develop clear, coordinated communications about significant initiatives, complex issues, and decisions affecting employees, members, and communities.
Plan and oversee major member and public events, including the Annual Meeting and Member Advisory meetings.
Identify emerging issues, public perceptions, communication risks, and opportunities that could affect SEC’s reputation, member trust, or community relationships, and advise the Executive Leadership Team.
Use data, performance measures, and trend analysis to guide decisions, evaluate communication effectiveness, and support business intelligence efforts.