VP, Marketing, Communications & Sustainable Growth - Hawaii Gas

The Vice President (VP), Marketing, Communications, & Sustainable Growth, reports directly to the President & CEO and is instrumental in advancing the business by cultivating customer markets aligned with renewable and clean energy initiatives. Responsible for driving customer-focused business planning, the VP leads initiatives to achieve renewable and carbon neutrality goals through identifying and leveraging market opportunities. Oversight extends to strategic sales, new market initiatives, and service development.

While accountable for the end-to-end customer journey processes, the role extends to providing critical insights into customer experience and satisfaction strategies for a comprehensive engagement approach. Managing the entire customer engagement spectrum, from shaping value propositions to overseeing omni-channel communications, ensures a consistent brand identity and optimized customer satisfaction strategies.

In addition to financial stewardship, setting standards and guidelines, and engaging stakeholders, the VP contributes significantly as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT). Dedicated to instilling a culture of innovation, the focus is on promoting the organization through impactful advocacy and the development of channels for influential engagement. This role encompasses strategic leadership, financial acumen, and a commitment to fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the organization.

Customer Engagement Leadership:

• Drive and shape the customer value proposition for sustained growth and profitable sales development.
• Oversee all facets of customer journey processes and customer engagement, including the customer engagement center and omni-channel communications, in order to enable continuous improvement across the end-to-end processes.
• Ensure consistent messaging across internal and external communications to reinforce brand identity.
• Track, analyze, and optimize customer satisfaction strategies and performance.

Strategic Market Analysis and Growth:

• Review and analyze existing and new markets to discern growth opportunities aligned with corporate objectives.
• Implement and optimize omni-channel communications seamlessly integrated into the overall organization strategic planning process.
• Spearhead the development and execution of both organic and inorganic growth opportunities.
• Develop and implement pricing structures that optimize market growth, while balancing the dynamics of a regulated utility and a business that operates in a competitive environment.

Strategic Planning and Development:

• Play a critical role in the Company's strategic planning process with a focus on transitioning to sustainable energy sources.
• Implement strategies that inform the transition from synthetic natural gas and LPG to renewable fuels in partnership with Clean Energy team.
• Provide critical insights into customer experience and satisfaction strategies.
• Responsible for and participates in regulated utility proceedings before the public utilities commission, such as a Rate Case proceeding or Tariff changes, to include development of testimonies, testifying (if necessary), and drafting responses to information requests.
•  Manage and/or prepare data, analytics, and testimony necessary to support applications for utility rate increases, capital improvement projects or other filings with the public utilities commission.
• Manage preparation of costs and comparative studies/reports for filings with the public utilities commission
• Ensure departmental compliance with the tariff and other relevant regulatory rules and orders to effectively operate the regulated utility.

Marketing and Public Relations Leadership:

• Oversee marketing and public relations strategies, aligning them closely with budgetary goals.
• Ensure the effectiveness of public relations and customer communication strategies to enhance brand reputation.
• Represent the Company at industry events and play a pivotal role in committees and task forces.

Financial Management:

• Take charge of budget preparations, monitoring, and strategic planning to ensure financial objectives are met.
• Measure, display, and circulate commercial results, including regular forecasting to guide decision-making.

Standards and Guidelines Management:

• Develop and manage overall standards and guidelines for sales, encompassing pricing, service, promotion, and advertising.
• Review survey analyses on current and new product/service concepts, providing strategic recommendations.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Foster effective communication and collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Engage proactively with partners, customers, vendors, suppliers, and the community to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.

Executive Leadership and Cultural Development:

• Contribute significantly as a valuable member of the Executive Leadership Team.
• Instill a culture of innovation and curiosity within the organization to drive continuous development.
• Promote the organization through effective advocacy, developing impactful channels for engagement and influence.

Compliance, Reporting & Risk Management

• Responsible for oversight of relevant internal controls and is the Control Owner for said controls.
• Oversees policies, processes (and continuous improvement thereof), training, initiatives, and surveys to support the organization’s compliance and strategy needs, as it relates to the function.
• Oversees and develops relevant success metrics for function and regularly communicates those success metrics with key stakeholders.
• Incorporates risk management within area in order to identify and mitigate any risks related to initiatives. 

Required Education and/or Work Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree graduate.
• Minimum of 10 years of relevant work experience in sales, project development, and execution in the energy sector.
• Exposure to all aspects of the sales function (strategic planning, budgeting, pricing, setting standards and guidelines, performance & cost management) and organization.
• Demonstrated history of growing sales, margin, and market share in the energy industry, and competitive market.
• Experience setting strategy and identifying new growth opportunities in existing and new markets.
• Experience in roles with high customer centric focus with proven record of translating customer needs into strategic development and execution.
• Track record leading, developing, and mentoring high-performing teams, and creating a culture of excellence and a harmonious team environment.

Preferred Education and/or Work Experience:

• Master’s degree graduate.
• Experience in renewable energy project development throughout multiple markets and technologies.
• Experience in a Private Equity-backed environment.

Communication/Competency/Skill Requirements:

• Exceptional business and commercial acumen.
• Drive and determination to deliver results, ownership, and accountability for performance.
• Strong team leadership and people management skills.
• Strategic thinker who can challenge standard thinking with innovative ideas, new approaches and solutions.
• Experience forging strong relationships with external and internal stakeholders.
• Able to display diplomacy and tact.
• Flexible and adaptable to changes within the position/department/company.
• Able to steward themselves in a professional and courteous manner to promote a harmonious working environment.
• Able to communicate professionally, courteously, and effectively utilizing standards means of communication within the workplace (i.e., verbal, written, e-mail, phone, text, etc.).

Working Conditions/Environment:

• Working conditions are normal for an office environment.
• Work may require occasional weekend and/or evening work.