Business Connections Manager

Position Title

Business Connections Manager

Des Moines, IA, United States

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 Mid American 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.

• 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 Mid American. 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 Mid American.
  
  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 Mid American 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 Mid American 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 Mid American's service territory. (15%)
• Coordinate outage restoration, manage customer electrical switching request, and coordinate safety training for Mid American 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.

• 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…