Government Affairs and Member Relations Leader

Vermont Electric Cooperative; Johnson (VT); On-site; USD 130,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

Life insurance

Generous paid time off

Robust retirement benefit package

Job summary

Vermont Electric Cooperative seeks a senior leader to guide governmental affairs, regulatory work, member services, and communications for the organization. The role emphasizes building relationships with legislators, regulators, and industry partners while ensuring members remain central to decision-making across the cooperative.

You will develop people, set priorities, and translate strategy into action, delivering safe, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy for members in Northern

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required with five years of relevant legislative affairs, communications, public relations or customer/member service leadership experience.
• Minimum of three years of management experience leading and developing employees.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and collaboration skills.
• Experience working with legislators, regulators, government agencies, industry organizations, or other external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and shape strategy for governmental affairs, regulatory work, member services, key accounts, and communications.
• Develop people, set priorities, create accountability, and translate strategy into action across departments.
• Represent VEC with professionalism and credibility to a wide range of external stakeholders.

Skills

Relationship building

Communication

Collaboration

Stakeholder engagement

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Communications/Public Relations/Political Science/Public Policy or related field

Job description

As a member of VEC's senior leadership team, you will lead, inspire, and shape strategy for governmental affairs, regulatory work, member services, key accounts, and communications. You will serve as a key advocate for VEC's members while helping ensure the Cooperative remains responsive to an evolving legislative, regulatory, and energy landscape.

You are someone who naturally builds relationships, connects people around common goals, and enjoys working with a wide variety of stakeholders. You are an effective communicator who can navigate complex issues, engage thoughtfully with differing perspectives, and represent VEC with professionalism and credibility. We are looking for someone who is collaborative, pragmatic, optimistic, and able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution.

You will serve as VEC's governmental affairs leader, building relationships with legislators, regulators, industry partners, community leaders, and other key stakeholders. At the same time, you will provide senior leadership and strategic oversight for member services, communications, and key account relationships, ensuring that members remain at the center of decision-making across the organization.

As a working leader, you will develop people, set priorities, create accountability, and translate strategy into action. You will work across departments to solve challenges, manage important initiatives, support Board and leadership activities, and help ensure VEC continues to deliver safe, affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy to the members we serve throughout Northern Vermont.

Required education and/or experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Public Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, or a related field, with a minimum of five years of relevant experience in legislative affairs, communications, public relations, customer/member service leadership, or a related field.
• Minimum of three years of management experience leading and developing employees.
• Excellent communication, relationship‑building, and collaboration skills.
• Experience working with legislators, regulators, government agencies, industry organizations, or other external stakeholders.

This position offers a competitive salary range of $130,000 to $160,000 per year. VEC benefits include comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, generous paid time off and a robust retirement benefit package.

VEC is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer

This position requires a criminal background check.