Community Relat & Cust Pgm Coordinator

General Accountabilities

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• Requires experience to be familiar with the organization contacts, policies, procedures and standards relative to training course scheduling, material, equipment, visual aids, reports and records maintenance.

• Develop and maintain a close and respectful relationship with community leadership and their respective Tribal Councils within Remotes service territory in order to support the leadership team and the business as a whole. Track elections and monitor for changes in leadership, community contacts/portfolios, Tribal Councils, and community political affiliations for the business.

• Deliver Hydro One Remote Communities Customer Programs including conservation, public safety and current customer initiatives within the approved corporate, government and OEB framework.

• Improve customer knowledge of and access to available electricity affordability programs (OESP, LEAP) and the REINDEER renewable energy program by discussing with communities, reaching out to local service organizations and by organizing customer/community meetings.

• Act as functional resource with respect to design and implementation of Community Relations activities and Customer Programs.
• Act as resource person for Hydro One contacts and their major customers on customer service issues. Confer with contacts to discuss, gather and clarify information required to investigate problems. Act as a resource for established policies and procedures. Investigate cause and possible solutions. Support trouble call, outage and emergency communications.
• Improve customer understanding of our business and its services, by discussing with communities, reaching out to local service organizations and by setting up customer/community meetings. Coordinate all meeting logistics, including establishing meeting locations, refreshments, translation and publicity in cooperation with local representatives. Organize public consultation activities. Coordinate and deliver Customer Advisory Board meetings as per the established process.
• Assist in the development and distribution of broad customer communications, including improving digital access, developing posters, community materials etc. Assist in the preparation of all materials for meetings, including power point presentations, hand-outs of graphics and background information etc. Assist in the development of written customer letters. Contribute to the development of formal and informal briefings for internal and externals stakeholders.
• Develop appropriate analytical tools for planning and business analysis of community relations and customer program initiatives. Prepare summaries and report results.
• Coordinate and deliver appropriate communications and educational programming regarding energy conservation, renewable energy technology, bill format, billing processes, connection processes, connection restrictions, affordability programs (LEAP, OESP) and electrical public safety within Remotes service territory. Work with Hydro One Networks corporate communications on the design and delivery of key messages via various means.
• Establish contracts where necessary with communities and service providers to facilitate the delivery of community and customer programs. Monitor contracts for quality and quantity of work, track and report on progress, and provide training where necessary to ensure effective program delivery.
• Administer and promote Remotes’ existing conservation program. Research and make available other conservation and energy related opportunities to customers & communities (Provincial Affordability Program, NRCan programs). Coordinate with the billing department to assist with arrears management and payment support and investigate potential ties to conservation measures or affordability programs. Measure, prepare reports and present results accordingly. Administer, promote and assess Internal Energy Efficiency/Environmental (IEE) initiatives.
• Promote Remotes’ existing renewable energy program. Coordinate communications with stakeholders to facilitate discussions regarding the development of renewable energy projects within Remotes’ service territory. Participate in the integration of new non-utility renewable generation connections with other groups within Hydro One Remote Communities through participation with cross functional teams.
• Establish and maintain relationships with potential private sector partners, indigenous organizations and appropriate government departments (including Natural Resources Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing, and IESO, etc.) to coordinate program resources and provide for effective program delivery.
• Develop and coordinate the public safety program for the business with support from supervisor.
• Provide input to the business planning process, regulatory filings and submissions relating to Community relations, Customer programs, projects and initiatives.
• Coordinate Remotes’ participation in conferences, trade shows, meetings and workshops to facilitate the effective delivery of customer programs (ie. conservation, renewable energy, and public safety, etc.) as well as to promote positive community and customer relations. Represent the company at community or special events to further support corporate objectives.
• Maintain the Customer Relations procedures making additions or deletions as directed to reflect approved conditions of service, policy, practices, rates and other matters that may affect customer or community relations.
• Identify and resolve customer/community issues by developing collaborative relationships with customers, local service boards (schools, healthcare) to understand customer needs, priorities and rub points. Respond or prepare responses as directed to information requested by customers. Prepare and provide information such as energy usage for customer programs and initiatives.
• Work with local communities planning grid connection to ensure that customers have a clear understanding of Hydro One Remotes’ services and responsibilities.
• Support the delivery of the Remotes’ community sponsorship program.
• Record, update and report statistical information as required
• Perform other duties as required

Selection Criteria:

• Requires excellent communications skills - written and verbal.
• Requires knowledge of English to conduct discussions with various external contacts and to deliver effective presentations.
• Requires knowledge of First Nations culture, values and history to enable close and trusting relationship building with communities and community leadership.
• Requires knowledge in all aspects of computer applications and processes associated with business planning and information reporting systems
• Requires experience to be familiar with the development and integration of regulated utility business processes and customer demographics.
• Requires an understanding of business planning process, including setting performance measures. Requires experience to be familiar with the scope and responsibilities of the position, organization and operation of related work groups, regulatory work programs, procedures and practices.
• This knowledge is considered to be normally acquired through the completion of 4 years of University training (but could also be acquired through experience working with First Nations organizations or communities.
• Requires an understanding of First Nation Chief and Council initiatives. A period of over 4 years and up to and including 6 years is considered necessary to gain this experience.

Work Location Requirement: This role follows a hybrid work model and requires the successful candidate to be onsite at our Thunder Bay office a minimum two (2) days per week. Requires working in a normal business office environment with the frequent requirement to travel to off-site locations (more than 25% of time) to remote northern locations in a small aircraft.