Business Connections Manager

Bhe Gt&S; Urbandale (IA); Hybrid; USD 102,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

MidAmerican Energy Company in Urbandale, IA is seeking a Business Connections Manager to oversee important commercial and industrial accounts, ensuring high customer satisfaction and strong financial performance.

The role requires a Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, economics, or related field, plus extensive energy industry experience and technical knowledge of electric and gas delivery systems. You will lead strategic plans, negotiate contracts, and coordinate cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, economics, or related field. (Typically six years of related, progressive work experience would be needed for candidates applying for this position who do not possess a bachelor's degree.)
• Four or more years related experience in the energy industry with extensive knowledge of utility system standards and design or responsibility for supervising operation of the system.
• The position requires a unique combination of technical skills with communication, strategic thinking, and project management skills.
• Technical expertise to understand design and operation of electric and gas delivery systems.
• Strategic decision-making ability and able to understand sophisticated financial analysis.
• Advanced critical thinking and analytical ability to conceptualize the relationship between processes and problems, and to provide appropriate solutions.
• Proven skills in project planning, program implementation, excellent written and verbal communication skills to reach a variety of internal/external customers.
• Effective analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and projects concurrently.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic plans for both unassigned and assigned key business accounts addressing issues such as billing, reliability, plant expansions or construction projects, and any product or service offered by MidAmerican.
• Lead teams to carry out strategies for providing exceptional customer service.
• Provide strategic insight to internal functional groups such as regulatory affairs, governmental affairs, legal, engineering, and operations on the impact that company business decisions might have on large accounts.
• Coordinate outage restoration, manage customer electrical switching request, and coordinate safety training for MidAmerican employees on customer property.
• Assist Business Advantage with providing an exceptional customer experience for small and medium commercial and industrial customer not assigned as needed.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Project management

Communication

Analytical thinking

Problem-solving

Prioritization

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, economics, or related field

Six years of related experience for candidates without bachelor's degree

Tools

Electric and gas delivery systems knowledge

Job description

Manage business relationships with assigned and unassigned commercial and industrial customers to meet corporate business goals and needs. This position is responsible to maintain loyal and satisfied business customers vital to MidAmerican Energy Company's financial performance and customer service objectives. The business connections manager is the primary contact with the company's largest customers and other targeted industries. The position contributes directly to the corporate goal of achieving a high level of customer satisfaction and financial strength.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute strategic plans for both unassigned and assigned key business accounts addressing issues such as billing, reliability, plant expansions or construction projects, and any product or service offered by MidAmerican. The strategic plans will demand the ability to cultivate and manage business relationships with large and small customer corporate managers by acting as the point of contact on behalf of MidAmerican. Customer contacts include CEO, CFO, plant managers, corporate energy managers, engineers, and other key managerial positions within the customer's organization. (20%) Lead teams to carry out strategies for providing exceptional customer service. Achieve overall key account customer satisfaction scores within the top 10% of our peer group as measured against competing utilities throughout the United States. Must have a thorough understanding of gas and electric delivery system design and operation. (20%) Independently review primary and secondary research to understand the customer's business processes, technologies, market strategies, and other competitive intelligence as needed to effectively interpret the role of energy in the success of their business. This research will demand engineering/technical skills to understand how various technologies are designed and operate. The business connections manager must transform this knowledge into strategic initiatives that will directly benefit MidAmerican and the customer. (15%) Maintain and enhance customer competitiveness by leading negotiation and execution of flexible pricing contracts, facility construction agreements and other agreements with business customers to retain and attract new business. Leverage business relationships and review feasibility and financial analysis to negotiate contract terms that will help achieve corporate earnings goals. (10%) Provide strategic insight to internal functional groups such as regulatory affairs, governmental affairs, legal, engineering, and operations on the impact that company business decisions might have on large accounts. This insight is often vital in rate cases, political positions, or other company decisions that may impact corporate earnings. Interaction with these functions of the company will occur continuously in the course of managing the business relationship between MidAmerican and the key accounts. The business relationship is extremely important in the event we ask for support from our key accounts and business customers to help initiative regulatory or political objectives that are mutually beneficial. (15%) Assist Business Advantage with providing an exceptional customer experience for small and medium commercial and industrial customer not assigned as needed. Assist as the primary point of contact with national and regional accounts with multiple business operating within MidAmerican’s service territory. (15%) Coordinate outage restoration, manage customer electrical switching request, and coordinate safety training for MidAmerican employees on customer property. Provide 24-hour contact availability for key accounts to handle emergencies and other direct customer needs. (5%) Provide technical input to assist in development of project planning. Perform additional responsibilities as requested or assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in engineering, business, economics, or related field. (Typically six years of related, progressive work experience would be needed for candidates applying for this position who do not possess a bachelor's degree.) Four or more years related experience in the energy industry with extensive knowledge of utility system standards and design or responsibility for supervising operation of the system. The position requires a unique combination of technical skills combined with communication, strategic thinking, and project management skills. Technical expertise to understand design and operation of electric and gas delivery systems. Technical expertise to understand how energy will be employed in the industrial processes of key customers. Strategic decision-making ability and able to understand sophisticated financial analysis. Advanced critical thinking and analytical ability to conceptualize the relationship between processes and problems, and to provide appropriate solutions. Proven skills in project planning, program implementation, excellent written and verbal communication skills to reach a variety of internal/external customers. Effective analytical and problem-solving skills. Ability to prioritize and handle multiple tasks and projects concurrently.

About Us

MidAmerican Energy Company, a Midwest utility, provides regulated electric and natural gas service to more than 1.6 million customers in Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The company owns and operates a portfolio of power-generating assets, approximately 61% of which is wind generation.

About the Team

MidAmerican Energy Company is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion or religious creed, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status (except as required by law), gender (including gender identity and expression), sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, genetic information, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, familial or parental status, marital status or any other category protected by applicable local, state or U.S. federal law. Employees must be able to perform the essential functions of the position, with or without an accommodation.

Job Info

• Job Identification 10005638
• Job Category Corp Affairs & Public Relations
• Job Schedule Full time
• Job Shift Day
• Locations 3500 104th St, Urbandale, IA, 50322, US
• Pay Range $102,000 - $127,500
• Sponsorship No - Must be authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future sponsorship.