Director, Commercial Communications

Xcel Energy; Fort Snelling Unorganized Territory (MN); Hybrid; USD 129,000 - 183,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Program

Long Term Incentive

Medical/Pharmacy Plan

Dental

Vision

Life Insurance

Dependent Care Reimbursement Account

Health Care Reimbursement Account

Health Savings Account (HSA)

Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in HS

Job summary

Xcel Energy seeks a strategic communications leader to drive enterprise-wide messaging for its large-load growth, including data centers and hyperscalers across multiple states. You will partner with corporate, regulatory, government affairs, and operations teams to craft integrated plans that support customer development and business goals.

The role requires a proven track record in executive communications, media relations, and cross-functional leadership, with a focus on proactive issue

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in a relevant field required.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in corporate communications, public affairs, media relations, reputation management, or strategic communications.
• Experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder communications initiatives across large organizations.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing enterprise-level communications strategies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead enterprise large-load communications strategy and state-specific frameworks.
• Engage stakeholders including large-load owners, developers, hyperscale customers, and NGOs.
• Monitor issues, sentiment, and media coverage; provide dashboards and insights.
• Drive earned media strategies, executive communications, and thought leadership.
• Coordinate governance and planning across multiple corporate departments.

Skills

Strategic communications

Stakeholder engagement

Media relations

Crisis communications

Team leadership

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Public Affairs, Business, Political Science, or related field

Job description

Xcel Energy (NASDAQ: XEL) is a leading energy provider and Fortune 500 company, dedicated to serving millions of electricity and natural gas customers across eight states: Minnesota, Colorado, Wisconsin, Michigan, North Dakota, South Dakota, New Mexico and Texas. We make energy work better for our customers, helping them thrive every day. That means always raising the bar - delivering better service and providing more reliable, resilient, and sustainable energy.

Xcel Energy is a place where you’ll have opportunities to grow, expand your skills, and help lead the clean energy transition. We offer meaningful rewards, recognition, and support to help you build your career and make an impact - both on the job and beyond. Most importantly, it means you’ll be joining a company that knows employees are the driving force behind its success and is committed to helping you be your best.

Xcel Energy supports a hybrid work model to enable collaboration and flexibility. Many roles are expected to work onsite three days per week (Tuesday–Thursday); however, work location expectations vary based on role, team, and business needs.

Position Summary

Xcel Energy is seeking a highly strategic and proactive communications leader to drive enterprise-wide communications efforts supporting the company's rapidly growing large load customer (data centers, etc.) business. The Director, Commercial Communications will lead the development and execution of integrated communications strategies that enhance Xcel Energy's reputation as a trusted energy partner for large load customer development across its multi-state service territory.

This leader will serve as the primary communications strategist for one of the company's most important business opportunities, working across corporate, regulatory, government affairs, customer, community relations, economic development, and operational teams. The role requires a unique combination of strategic communications expertise, stakeholder engagement, issue and advocacy management, business acumen, and team leadership.

The successful candidate will build and execute communications strategies that support large load customer development, strengthen relationships with customers, such as hyperscalers and data center developers, proactively manage emerging issues, and ensure coordinated messaging across state and enterprise-level priorities.

Essential Responsibilities

Enterprise Large Load Customer Communications Strategy

• Develop and lead a comprehensive enterprise communications strategy to support Xcel Energy's large load customer growth objectives.
• Create state-specific communication frameworks tailored to the unique regulatory, political, economic, media, and community environments within each jurisdiction.
• Position Xcel Energy as a leading energy partner for data center customers through strategic storytelling, media engagement, executive visibility, and stakeholder communications.
• Develop communication plans that support key customer projects, infrastructure investments, and economic development initiatives associated with data center growth.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Establish trusted working relationships with large load owners, developers, hyperscale customers, site selectors, and industry partners.
• Partner with customers to identify and execute joint communications opportunities, including major project announcements, economic development initiatives, community engagement efforts, and thought leadership campaigns.
• Coordinate communication activities supporting customer acquisition and retention efforts.
• Serve as the communications advisor to business development leaders pursuing large load opportunities across the service territory, including development of local execution and stakeholder influence strategies that can be provided to state-level community teams and/or developers.
• Partner with state-level community teams in managing relationships with Economic Development Organizations and local NGOs.

Issues Management and Intelligence

• Design and manage a comprehensive monitoring and intelligence program focused on large load issues, stakeholder sentiment, public opinion, legislative activity, and media coverage.
• Develop systems and dashboards that provide regular insights to communications, business, and executive leadership teams.
• Identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities related to data center growth, energy demand, economic development, water usage, transmission infrastructure, land use, and community impacts.
• Lead proactive reputation management and crisis communications planning related to large load development and operations.

Media Relations and Thought Leadership

• Develop and execute earned media strategies that elevate Xcel Energy's position in the rapidly evolving data center industry.
• Create compelling messaging and communications platforms that articulate the economic, energy, and community benefits of responsible data center development.
• Support executive leadership communications, speaking engagements, industry conferences, and thought leadership opportunities.
• Partner with external affairs and government relations teams to align messaging across stakeholder groups.

Cross-Functional Leadership and Coordination

• Coordinate communications activities across Corporate Communications, Media Relations, State Communications, Government Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Community Relations, Economic Development, Customer Solutions, Operations, Sustainability, and Executive Leadership teams.
• Establish communications governance, planning processes, and operating rhythms that ensure consistent messaging and coordinated execution across jurisdictions.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to senior leaders regarding opportunities, risks, and stakeholder engagement strategies.

Measurement and Performance

• Establish metrics and reporting frameworks to evaluate communications effectiveness, reputation impact, stakeholder sentiment, and business outcomes.
• Monitor media, public sentiment, customer perceptions, and policy developments to inform strategy adjustments.
• Deliver regular executive-level reporting and recommendations on communications performance and emerging issues.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Public Affairs, Business, Political Science, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in corporate communications, public affairs, media relations, reputation management, political communications or strategic communications.
• Experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder communications initiatives across large organizations.
• Demonstrated success developing and executing enterprise-level communications strategies.
• Strong issues management, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and executive communications capabilities.
• Experience leading teams and influencing across matrixed organizations.
• Excellent strategic thinking, project management, and relationship-building skills.

Preferred Requirements

• Experience in the energy, utility, infrastructure, technology, economic development, or regulated industry sectors.
• Familiarity with data center development, hyperscale customers, digital/telecommunications/data infrastructure, energy policy, or large-scale economic development projects.
• Experience supporting highly visible public projects involving community engagement, permitting, regulatory processes, or public affairs.
• Experience using media intelligence, social listening, and reputation monitoring platforms.

Our culture is grounded in shared values and employee commitments that guide how we work, support one another, and grow together.

Our Values

Connected, Committed, Trustworthy, Safe

Our Employee Commitments

• Work that makes a difference
• A team you can count of
• Opportunities to grow
• Rewards that help you thrive

Xcel Energy provides job applicants reasonable accommodations for disabilities throughout the application process. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form.

Non-Bargaining

The anticipated starting base pay for this position is: $129,000.00 to $183,200.00 per year

This position is eligible for the following benefits: Annual Incentive Program, Long Term Incentive, Medical/Pharmacy Plan, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Dependent Care Reimbursement Account, Health Care Reimbursement Account, Health Savings Account (HSA) (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Limited-Purpose FSA (if enrolled in eligible health plan and HSA), Transportation Reimbursement Account, Short-term disability (STD), Long-term disability (LTD), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Fitness Center Reimbursement (if enrolled in eligible health plan), Tuition reimbursement, Transit programs, Employee recognition program, Pension, 401(k) plan, Paid time off (PTO), Holidays, Volunteer Paid Time Off (VPTO), Parental Leave

Benefit plans are subject to change and Xcel Energy has the right to end, suspend, or amend any of its plans, at any time, in whole or in part.

In any materials you submit, you may redact or remove age-identifying information including but not limited to dates of school attendance and graduation. You will not be penalized for redacting or removing this information.

Deadline to Apply: 10/12/26

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Accessibility Statement

Xcel Energy endeavors to make https://www.xcelenergy.com and https://jobs.xcelenergy.com accessible to any and all users. If you are in need of an accommodation to complete the application process, now or at any time in the future, please complete the Applicant Accommodation Request Form. For any other application related questions, including application follow-ups or technical issues, please use our Recruiting Assistance, Electra, for assistance. Electra can be found in the lower right-hand corner of our Xcel Energy Careers site.