Manager, External Communications
American Water

Requisition ID: 107331

Share Our Purpose. 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 Index for 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.

American Water has an immediate opening for a Manager, External Communications! If you have Bachelor's degree in, Journalism, Communications, Public Relations, then this role is for YOU! APPLY TODAY for immediate consideration!

Primary Role

• Responsible for developing external communications strategies and stakeholder engagement primarily supporting and working with corporate and state teams across the company's national footprint.
• Develops corporate and state content to advocate and tell American Water's story, using a variety of communication mediums.
• Engages with corporate and state leaders, development and communications teams to help ensure a consistent approach to communications campaigns and messaging excellence.

Key Accountabilities

• Lead a "One American Water" approach to aligning corporate and state teams on their campaign, advocacy and communications needs.
• Writes, coordinates, and produces external communications that covers all areas of the business; develops copy and postings for the Intranet.
• Develop proactive external communication processes consistent with overall corporate strategy.
• Working with Director of External Communications on strategic communications efforts and content creation and supporting with proactive messaging/brand building/case studies/story content, web and social presence, research/intelligence.
• Represent the organization and make presentations before internal and external committees, boards, commissions and/or other governmental agencies concerning programs, requirements and policies.
• Provide internal consulting and support services to state communications personnel on various projects.
• Monitor external business developments, identifying connections between business activities and industry trends
• Leverage data and analytics as a tool to apply to successful campaigns and messaging.
• Has a understanding of the media industry; the traditional and emerging press, and harness appropriate digital communications platforms for the benefit of customers and communities.

Knowledge/Skills

• Knowledge in designing, implementing and managing integrated strategic external communications programs.
• Knowledge of regulated environments, regulated utility business a plus.
• Experience in managing external suppliers.
• Experience leveraging and maximizing social media platforms and assets to support the company and increase social media presence.
• Creative thinker with an exceptional ability to write and communicate complex ideas simply and meaningfully to audiences of diverse backgrounds
• Analytical skills to solve problems and find the best way to convey a message.
• Proven ability to manage and complete projects and campaigns in a timely, cost-effective manner.
• Excellent interpersonal and organization skills, including the ability to effectively manage multiple priorities and maintain effective business relationships with executive leaders, state leaders and BD leaders.
• Ability to work as part of a team and act quickly with minimal supervision.
• Excellent and efficient working knowledge across Microsoft Office 365 and Adobe Creative Suite.
• Comfortable creating and delivering persuasive business development, advocacy and growth messages through a variety of platforms.

Experience/Education

• 10+ years of related work experience in external communications
• Bachelor's degree in, journalism, communications, public relations or related field is preferred, or demonstrated experience commensurate with the requirements of the position.

Travel Requirements

• Ability to travel up to 20%

Licenses & Certifications

• Active state driver's license required with the ability to pass a motor vehicle report.

Work Environment

• Indoor office environment with some outdoor requirements for events

Competencies

Champions safety

Collaborates

Cultivates innovation

Customer obsessed

Drives Results

Nimble learning

Join American Water...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.

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