JOB DESCRIPTION FirstEnergy at a Glance We are a forward-thinking electric utility powered by a diverse team of employees committed to making customers' lives brighter, the environment better and our communities stronger. FirstEnergy (NYSE: FE) is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio, FirstEnergy includes one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, more than 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, and a regulated generating fleet with a total capacity of more than 3,500 megawatts. About the Opportunity This is an open position with the FirstEnergy Service Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. [SC00] The Regional External Affairs Consultant (REAC) is a remote position supporting Northern New Jersey. The consultant develops and expands relationships with local elected officials, police and fire across service territory. The consultant grows and sustains networks with community leaders and customers; and may serve on various non-profit, chamber and economic development boards. Considered a leadership position within our serviced communities, the REAC is readily available and responds whenever there is a power outage or inquiry from public officials. Responsibilities include: * Building trusting, supportive relationships with all FirstEnergy departments operating within the assigned territory * Acting as the key company representative while working with all customers and constituents to ensure the highest level of customer service and satisfaction * Managing local public relations activities in concert with company communication strategies, including information on programs, outage status reporting and restoration updates, reliability and construction projects, rate cases, etc. * Managing and leading company public relations activities, including strategic charitable contributions, reliability issues and projects * Committing resources to satisfy the business needs of the public and constituents on issues consistent with company business strategies * Attending evening council meetings and events to provide updates on Company initiatives for the communities we serve * Ensuring that all company strategies are advanced through the appropriate constituencies. * Providing input, competitive intelligence and feedback on local perspectives pertaining to company performance and company strategies * Leveraging key contact relationships with federal, state, community and local officials to successfully manage and advance political and regulatory strategies in concert with the company's Rates, Governmental/Regulatory Affairs and Economic Development groups * Acting as a proactive and responsive resource within the region to lead communications to our strategic partners and customers, throughout the year and particularly during outage and storm related events, identifying and resolving problems before they become major issues * Actively seeking and sharing knowledge of industry trends, competitors, etc., that affect FirstEnergy * Providing updates to public officials on outages, road closures and critical facilities during the storm response process within the Incident Command System * Modeling FirstEnergy's core values of Integrity, Safety, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Performance Excellence, and Stewardship Qualifications: * Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Marketing, Communications, or comparable field with 10 years of related work experience is preferred * In Lieu of a Bachelor's degree, 12 years of related work experience is required. Related work experience includes positions in public relations, marketing, communications, and customer relations with emphasis on demonstrated problem solving skills and customer service * Exceptional relationship management, leadership and teamwork skills * Excellent written and oral communication skills * Demonstrated ability to function with minimum direction using a broad range of discretion to meet strategic objectives * Outstanding public relations skills to ensure cooperation from public officials and civic organizations on matters vital to the company * Able to attend meetings and events before and after normal working hours, including weekends * Able to work extended hours, particularly during storms, with little notice is required * Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Dynamics 365 and Word) Benefits, Compensation & Workforce Diversity At FirstEnergy, employees are key to our success. We depend on their talents tTo view the full job description, click here