VP Member Experience

To apply: visit https://tinyurl.com/PioneerVPMemExp

Position Title: Vice President, Member Experience

Location: Remote / Flexible 

Pioneer Utility Resources is a storytelling cooperative. 

What does that mean? Hey, we’re glad you asked!

Pioneer is a not-for-profit marketing and communications agency with a narrow focus: supporting the efforts of small and mid-sized electric and telecommunications companies across the U.S as they engage with their local communities. We are member-owned, which makes us singularly focused on delivering the communications solutions our members require. Every day we strive to embody the motto, “We serve so others can shine.”

This position demands a client-focused, detail-oriented, deadline-conscious individual with the ability to guide multiple directors and managers as they lead teams that develop cutting-edge marketing content, manage key client accounts, and execute communications campaigns. An appreciation for rural living and rural issues will be integral to your success. If you’re thinking, “That speaks to my strengths,” then read on!

As Pioneer’s Vice President of Member Experience, you will ensure that our clients’ trust in Pioneer is well-placed. Major accounts will know that you are at the ready to resolve their troubles, help realign their contracts and deliverables, and guide the Pioneer team that is fulfilling their requests. When content teams hit a block, you’ll provide the creative spark and ideation that will unleash their skills and wow the client. Their marketing and communications goals will be more than achieved, as you develop a deep understanding of them and leverage our company’s many strengths to meet and exceed expectations. You will call upon other leaders as needed to assemble the resources required to execute. Along the way, you’ll be training up our next “generation” of communication leaders by teaching them everything you know.

Responsibilities

• Stay in frequent communication with your assigned departments and direct reports, maintaining high availability and responsiveness. You are reliable and your staff will know they can depend on you.
• Guide your teams with candor and humility. Model the servant leadership culture that Pioneer seeks to embody.
• Lead member strategy meetings and creative strike teams to assess and react to the challenges and needs of the utility and the communicator. You are a listener, and you’ve done your homework before you walk into the meeting.
• Strategize with the Director of Accounts and others both inside and outside of your vertical to produce audience-responsive, on-brand, and effective marketing campaigns for our members in a way that evidences Pioneer’s thought leadership.
• Lead teammates through creative sessions to brainstorm ideas for visual and editorial direction on campaigns and individual projects that will wow your clients/members.
• When needed, support the account management team as they present creative work to key clients and translate feedback and requested revisions to our team. You know how to explain the vision to even a difficult client, and how to help our creative teams understand and improve when they’ve missed the mark.
• Help ensure client/member satisfaction and retention by providing a key quality assurance function. While you will not review every piece of content created, you will help ensure the quality and consistency of our creative output.
• Help expand client/member use of Pioneer Utility Resource’s products and services. While this is not a sales role, you will work closely with Member Solutions to notice, recommend and ideate services that will help our members meet their goals.
• Interact with other company leaders to advise the refining of our creative process and delivery workflows to optimize efficiency and effectiveness. We want to meet the client’s expectations on time, every time.
• Jump into Pioneer’s “muddle huddle” process to help resolve challenging client satisfaction situations – or to head them off before they emerge.
• Stay updated, keeping abreast of industry trends, emerging technologies, and creative best practices that bring fresh and innovative ideas to our work.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

• Exceptional communication, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Creative design and campaign ideation.
• Ability to guide cross-departmental client service teams – some of the members of which you direct, others of which report elsewhere – toward client success.
• Ability to manage and meet multiple concurrent deadlines.
• Ability to graciously but tenaciously negotiate with other leaders, including the C-suite, to obtain the necessary resources for your teams and clients.
• Confidence in helping to craft and suggest solutions to problems.
• Proficiency with digital tools and ability to adapt to changing workflows.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and friendly personality, the ability to carry on a conversation and build relationships with clients.
• Ability to promote a supportive and fun remote working environment.

Reports to

This position temporarily reports to the SVP, Special Projects

Direct Reports

• Director of Accounts
• Creative Marketing Director
• Potential marketing writers and/or quick-strike freelancers

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing or related field. (Master’s degree or CCC designation preferred.)
• Ten years in one or more roles that blend marketing agency leadership, creative direction, communications, project management, and account management. (Experience in consumer-owned utilities is strongly preferred.)
• Experience may be substituted for higher education (if applicable).

Desired Attributes

• Proof of ongoing professional development, classes and/or certifications demonstrating continuous learning.
• Software Skills in or willingness to learn Microsoft Office Suite, QuickBase, Slack, Monday, PageProof and Dropbox Business.
• Marketing strategy.
• Print industry knowledge (preferred).
• Digital advertising, web, and social marketing experience.
• Previous account management experience.
• Past work and understanding of the broadband and electric industry.
• Customer service /customer experience.
• Ability to represent company at trade shows/conferences.

Notes

1. Compensation will be dependent on a variety of factors including experience and geography. This will be discussed in the hiring process with leading candidate(s). Salary range is anticipated to be $95,000 - $105,000 per year. Additional compensation may be earned via MBO.
2. Job Type: Full-time, exempt (where permitted by state law), at-will, remote. Limited after-hours time may be required during inclement storm situations which involve your clients such as hurricanes, tornadoes, ice storms etc.
3. This position will be subject to the following physical demands: sitting approximately 80% of standard workday, standing at desk for approximately 20% of standard workday, ability to lift or carry approximately 50 lbs (trade shows, office equipment etc.), ability to meet basic physical demands of travel (if necessary).
4. Travel may be required for this position, for up to 20% of the approximate scheduled work.

Retirement Benefits

Subject to other eligibility requirements, employees working 20 hours or more per week are generally eligible for our 401(k)-retirement program through Vanguard beginning with the first of the month after six months of employment. The company contributes a safe harbor match of 3% of your salary, with discretionary / profit-sharing contributions likely following successful budgetary years.

Health and Wellness Benefits

1. So long as your scheduled work hours remain at or above 30 per week, your eligibility to join our healthcare plan through Cigna begins the first of the month after 30 days of employment.
2. So long as your scheduled work hours remain at or above 20 per week, your eligibility to join our dental and vision coverages begins the first of the month after your start date.

Holiday and PTO

We believe that time away from work is a necessary part of a healthy lifestyle. When rested and energized, team members do better work. Pioneer provides full time staff with 12 paid holidays per year (all federal holidays plus the day after Thanksgiving), and a PTO plan that starts at an accrual rate of four weeks per year. Holiday and PTO benefits are prorated for part-time staff.

Mobile Device and Home Office Internet

For qualifying positions, Pioneer provides up to $45/month of reimbursement for mobile phone expenses and up to $50/month of taxable stipend for home office internet expenses.

Equal Employment Opportunity Employer

Thank you for considering Pioneer Utility Resources in your job search. Pioneer Utility Resources is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), political affiliation, military service, or other non-merit-based factors. No applicants will be rejected as a result of a disability or for sincerely held religious beliefs, observances, and practices that, with reasonable accommodation, does not prevent performance of the essential job duties. Any person requiring special accommodation should contact Crissy Dean ([email protected]) to assist in arrangements.

Ready to apply? Visit https://tinyurl.com/PioneerVPMemExp