Manager, Communications

For over 50 years, Texas Water Utilities has been a trusted provider of water and wastewater utility services. Today, we serve over 143,000 customers in 207 Texas communities. Our service area reaches throughout the state of Texas from Mitchell County in central Texas to Matagorda on the Gulf Shores. It all starts with our people - proud members of their communities, dedicated to delivering safe, reliable, and cost-effective water utility services.

Overview

The Manager, Communications position is intended as a department administrative and leadership position. This position will be required to provide progress updates to the Business Unit President(s). This position is responsible for leading the local Communications strategy including media relations, community relations, public relations and support to government relations activities and meeting the information needs of customers. This position has a dotted-line reporting matrix to the Corporate VP of Communications & PR. This position will partner with Corporate Communications to raise the visibility of the BU and support company initiatives.

What We Offer
• 401k Company Match: 100% of the first 6% of your eligible compensation contributed to the Plan
• Vacation Accrual: Starting at 3 weeks per year
• Holidays: 10 company-paid holidays per year
• Floating Time: 16 hours of paid floating time per year
• Additional Benefit Plans include Medical, Dental, Vision, Company-Paid Life Insurance and more
• Training, Professional Certifications, and Education Allowance

What You'll Do

Internal Communication
• Prepare and publish regular internal communication pieces utilizing the company intranet, email, newsletters, presentations, posted notices, and other cost-effective channels.
• Develop and submit stories for the company's intranet pages, internet website, and social media presence, enhancing the utility to employees and customers, and encouraging employee usage and engagement.
• Delivers regular, accurate, timely, creative, and engaging communications to all company employees through a range of channels, ensuring ease of access to communications, clarity and consistency of messaging.
• Works with managers and team leaders to identify appropriate communications to keep staff informed, and helps to educate those leaders about when and how best to communicate for effectiveness.
• Plans and executes internal events to facilitate employee recognition, feedback, team building, and interaction between employees and managements, and employees of different departments.
• Participates in public relations events with employees outside of normal business hours and on weekends.
• Creates innovative videos and other mediums to communicate in a field employee workplace that informs and motivates employees while keeping the company connected and supporting customer satisfaction.
• Regularly communicates and discusses best practices with peer communications positions. Works in a seamless and integrated manner to ensure the effective strategic alignment and coordination of all communications, both internal and external, within each state and between each state and corporate.
External Communications - Public Relations
• Maintain and develop the company's internet website, and social media presence, to enhance the utility of these channels to customers, respond to comments, facilitate customer service, present the company's best image, and encourage engagement in coordination with the Corporate communications team.
• Proactively pursue opportunities and coordinate programs to gain positive public awareness for the company including company-sponsored public events and community events.
• Write and design specific communications pieces, including water quality reports, customer bill stuffers/brochures, special event/display materials, audio-visual presentations, retail newspaper advertising, letters to customers, customer service Q&As, etc.
• Coordinate and facilitate relationships between company managers and local agency leaders and elected officials (city, county, water districts, etc.).
• Understand and articulate the Company position on key legislative issues.
• Coordinate talking points and key messages for leadership, employees, call handlers, lobbyists, etc. as appropriate.
• This professional is poised to respond rapidly and tactically to unanticipated events and critical issues, and is equally focused on providing proactive and strategic communications counsel and advice to the state senior management team.

What You'll Bring
• 7 years of business communications experience, including interaction with media, in a corporate environment
• Holds a valid driver's license with acceptable driving record

Work Environment

Office Based Role

We are a proud Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status or any characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state, or local law.

We are an E-Verify participating employer.