Director of communications Jobs in Thunder Bay, ON

Job Function

:

Accountable for the delivery of community relations and customer programs in communities served by Hydro One Remote Communities, and for identifying areas of possible improvement. Accountable to improve customer understanding, knowledge and access of Hydro One Remotes and its current service model and programs offerings through an active mixed communication strategy. Supervise staff involved in community relations and customer programming activities. Provide a communications link between community leaders, customer and stakeholders departments and act as Remotes spokesperson on business, customer, and operational issues. Develop, coordinate and deliver community communication and educational efforts to promote our business services and programs under the direction of management.

Job Description:

Specific Accountabilities:

• Maintain and promote implementation of Hydro One’s Indigenous Relations Policy. Facilitate the process and content of engagement with Indigenous communities. 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.
• Deliver and promote Hydro One Remote Communities current service model and Customer Programs including conservation, renewable energy, affordability, public safety and current customer initiatives within the approved corporate, government and Ontario Energy Board (OEB) framework.
• Oversee and deliver Hydro One Remote Communities active mixed communication strategy through a variety of channels including print (newsletters, bill inserts, handouts), digital (i.e. social media, websites) and in-person (presentations, trade shows), etc. Support the internal Remotes communication strategy through the creation of news releases, good news stories, briefing documents, talking points, campaigns, presentations. Coordinate the language translation (Oji-Cree, Ojibway) of materials and communications.
• Provide a communications link between community leaders, customer and stakeholders. Respond to telephone or email enquiries from the general public and stakeholders when they show interest or concern in matters related to Remotes projects or other activities or issues affecting Remotes served communities. Support trouble call, outages and emergency communications. Understand the issues and concerns of Indigenous communities and end customers as it relates to Remotes customer service policies and procedures. 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. Ensure information exchange is conducted in a timely manner, and updates are provided on a regular basis. Document all correspondence, written and oral accordingly.
• Assess, plan and schedule the work of staff involved in similar Community Relations or Customer programming activities. Supervise staff and escalate personnel matters to the manager as required. In accordance with established practices, administer policies, regulations, procedures and the Collective Agreement.
• 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. Provide advice on current consultations and negotiations with internal leaders.
• Represent Remotes at various events including Indigenous Leadership meetings, Engagement activities, Speaking Events, Community Cultural events, Celebrations, Career fairs, Award Ceremonies, Public Safety Talks, School education, Special Events, Information sessions, Virtual Meetings, Conferences and Trades Shows, etc. Coordinate Remotes participation in co-operation with community or designated representatives, to facilitate the effective delivery of customer programs as well as to promote positive community and customer relations. Prepare and present information as a public speaker under the direction of management.
• Improve customer knowledge of and access to available electricity affordability programs (OESP, LEAP) and by discussing with communities, program promotion, communications and organizing joint in-community and customer events with Ontario Native Welfare Administrator’s Association (ONWAA) program administration. Coordinate with the billing department to assist with arrears management and payment support.
• 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.
• Continuously improve the development and distribution of broad customer communications, including digital access, developing posters, community materials etc. Prepare materials for meetings, including power point presentations, hand-outs of graphics and background information etc. Coordinate 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. Act as a functional resource with respect to design and implementation of Community Relations activities and Customer Programs. Attend team and multi-disciplinary project meetings.
• 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 Remotes’ customer 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, promote and track Remotes existing conservation program. Research and make available other conservation and energy related opportunities to customers & communities (Provincial Affordability Program, NRCan programs).
• Promote Remotes existing renewable energy program (REINDEER). 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, Indigenous Services Canada, Canada Mortgage and Housing, and IESO, etc.) to coordinate program resources and provide for effective program delivery.
• 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 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.
• 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 combined with completion of relevant college program.
• This role requires over 8 years, up to and including 10 years 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. Overnight stay in remote communities. Frequent absence from home (20-49% working time) or frequent exposure to hazards (10-24% of time) or exposure to abnormal conditions of an unpleasant nature.