Join our Growing Team and see why Summit Utilities, Inc was named as one of the Fastest Growing Denver Area Private Companies 2019 and 2020; Best Places to Work in Maine 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023; and Best Places to Work in Arkansas 2020 and 2023, Oklahoma 2022 and 2023 and Missouri 2023. Summit was also recently named one of Forbes 2023 America’s Best Small Employers.

Summit is a growing natural gas utility company providing safe, reliable and clean burning natural gas service to homes and businesses in Arkansas, Colorado, Maine, Missouri and Oklahoma. Being part of the Summit team means embracing excellence, diversity and innovation, committing to safety each and every day, and doing all that we can to serve each other, our customers and the communities where we live. We aim to bring warmth and energy to everything we do.

We have an exciting opportunity open for an External Affairs Manager with the opportunity to work remote from MO or AR.

 POSITION SUMMARY: 

The External Affairs Manager is an exciting role that is highly engaged with internal and external stakeholders in states where Summit Utilities (SUI) operates with a primary focus on Arkansas and Missouri. The successful candidate in this role will be responsible for leading a broad range of strategy development initiatives supporting Summit’s ongoing relationships with the communities we serve, growth projects, and legislative goals, community giving and engagement, and communications. The person in this role will actively lead engagement initiatives across a broad range of stakeholders and will draft and develop communication and messaging strategies supporting these initiatives. 

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. • Manage community and stakeholder outreach for Summit’s subsidiaries, Summit Utilities of Arkansas, and Summit Natural Gas of Missouri and Peaks Renewables to build and develop lasting and impactful relationships with community leaders, businesses, local elected officials, and other stakeholders to advance the company’s growth strategy, policy goals and brand development. • Develop and deploy SUI’s community outreach and legislative strategies along with the accompanying communication plans, by working collaboratively with team members from across the company (e.g. government relations, sustainability, sales, corporate affairs, and marketing, and communications) to activate new and existing allies and partners throughout the communities we serve and the industry. • Represent Summit in meetings with local elected leaders, legislators, government officials and third-party stakeholders, nonprofit partners, and customers to tell our story and advocate for the company’s policy positions and growth strategy. • Serve as the face of Summit on a variety of projects as well as in the communities we serve. • Serve as a primary contact and representative for the company with community leaders, local elected officials, and key stakeholders. • Develop collateral, supporting documentation, briefs, narratives, and data-driven analysis to tell SUI’s story, and support the company’s growth and policy goals. • Support the execution of the company’s community giving programs in Missouri. • Track policy matters at the local and state level that impact the company. • Research a wide variety of topics impacting the business by leveraging familiarity with various legislative and community activities. • Oversee information sharing on key political and civic issues and projects across supported regions and departments. • Condense large reports and complex subjects into key themes and identify what information will be most important in making decisions. • Draft press releases and external communications for review in coordination with the Sr Communications and External Affairs Strategist.

POSITION QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION AND WORK EXPERIENCE

• 2-5 years of communications professional experience (agency, corporate, political, consumer or media environment) • BS / BA degree required. • Background in government relations, lobbying, and/or involvement in community organizing are all preferred.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES

• Excellent writing skills are mandatory. • Ability to foster relationships and maintain connections with local and national media contacts and additional stakeholders. • Extremely detail oriented with the ability to manage and execute multiple projects. • Experience and confidence in working with senior leaders, elected officials and civic leaders. • The candidate must be a sharp communications thinker, a strong team player, a proactive solutions creator, and an excellent writer and message crafter. This is a fast-paced environment and the ability to manage, prioritize and execute multiple tasks and deadlines is essential. • Successful execution of project management activities. • Curious mindset and analytical skills. • Ability to exercise creativity and initiative in making recommendations. 

Summit offers competitive pay and medical/dental/vision and other benefits that provide flexibility, choice, and support to our employees when they need it most. We understand that home and family are essential pieces of your life, and our benefits are designed to support you both at work and at home. 

Summit Utilities, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.