Senior External Relations Advisor

50259 - Temporary  12 Months

Job Function:

Participate in identifying internal and external corporate relations issues, attitudes and opportunities, including those arising from elected officials, likely to have a significant impact on Hydro One’s Corporate Relations. Plan and conduct issue and opportunity monitoring, research and analyses. Develop corporate relations assessments, strategies, position papers and statements to be used by senior and line management and corporate relations function staff. Provide guidance and recommendations to line managers, branch and function staff.

Job Description:

• Participate in identifying to lines of business, internal and external corporate relations issues, attitudes and opportunities, including those arising from elected officials in which Hydro is the proponent, likely to have a significant impact on Hydro One’s Corporate Relations.

• Plan and conduct issue and opportunity monitoring, research and analyses; recommend priority issues and opportunities to be analyzed and methods for conducting analyses. Monitor and report to management on issues that could have an indirect impact on or present an opportunity for the Corporation.

• Develop corporate relations assessments, strategies, position papers and statements to be used by senior and line managers and corporate relations function staff for the management of broad corporate relations and other issues and opportunities. Obtain required approvals. Maintain contacts and consult with corporate relations function staff, line and senior management as necessary to accomplish all duties.

• Conduct assessments of theI corporate relations implications of Board of Directors and senior management decisions and other proposed management decisions and actions, on behalf of the Manager.

• Obtain information from and provide issue, attitude and hearings related information to senior management, line managers, corporate relations function staff, operational planning and strategic planning staff of other branches and the Executive Office.

• Negotiate with external companies on matters such as agreement on positions, timing of actions to be taken and other matters of critical importance to both the external companies and Hydro One.

• Plan, prepare and distribute or oversee the preparation and distribution of clear, concise descriptions and analyses of subjects and issues for the Issue Monitor, Corporate Briefing File, Corporate Relations Forecast, reviews of business plans, hearings submissions, evidence, witness statements, interrogatories, final arguments, responses to hearings panel recommendations and other documents and processes for senior level internal use and public review.

• Research and collect information manually and through computerized systems to supply data for issue assessments, corporate relations documents, hearings submissions, interrogatories, etc. Distribute, or oversee the distribution of, such information in hard copy and/or using electronic systems. 

• Establish and maintain a computerized data base of issue, attitude, corporate relations planning and public hearings-related materials and data. Provide a reference service for all units of the Corporation for all hearings-related documentation.

• Provide information on complex and/or sensitive issues, attitudes and trends, or public matters to senior and line managers and corporate relations function staff to enable them to respond to requests from industry, media, government, special interest groups, etc.

•  Act as a consultant, providing guidance to line managers, branch and function staff contributing to issue assessments, strategy development, development of hearings evidence and other special projects and to less senior members of the analysts team.

• Maintain an in-depth understanding of plans, activities and issues in key areas of the Corporation's service territory and their potential impact on the Corporation's relationships with its public. Maintain awareness of latest issue identification and management techniques and hearings processes used outside the Corporation.

• Writing briefing notes on government activities, reports and legislation; providing Lines of Business with information on regulations and legislation that can impact their activity/work plan. Researching legislation and regulations through e-laws, the legislative website and other government resources and assisting in the development of official commentary and/or participation in legislative and regulatory reviews.

• Meet regularly with MPPs and their staff at Queen’s Park and in their constituency offices to discuss local issues and Hydro One policies, activities and decisions. This may involve travel up to and beyond two dozen trips annually to meet with MPPs and constituency staff in their home offices across the province. Dependent on the schedule that the applicant is responsible for developing, this may involve some overnight stays.

• Perform other duties as required.

Education:

• Requires knowledge of diverse disciplines (business administration, economics, finance, engineering, political and social science, journalism) leading to the development of strong analytical skills necessary to participate in identifying internal and external corporate relations issues, attitudes and opportunities, including those arising from public hearings; to plan and conduct issue and opportunity monitoring, research and analyses; to develop corporate relations assessments, strategies, position papers and statements.

• Requires extensive background in English language to develop the necessary communication skills essential for dealing with Senior Management, to prepare clear, concise descriptions and analyses of subjects and issues.

• This knowledge is considered to be normally acquired either through the successful completion of a four year university education in the appropriate subjects or by having the equivalent level of education.

Hydro One employees, you can apply online via the Careers module in Success Factors. To access Success Factors, click on the Talent Management link in the Applications drop-down menu on the HydroNet site. Otherwise, if you do not have Hydro One computer access, forward your application to Careers@HydroOne.com. In the event you are experiencing difficulties applying to this job please visit myHR.

"Employer of the year 2025"

Deadline: March 17, 2025

Questions about the posting should be directed to the hiring manager. If you are selected for an interview or further evaluation and require special accommodations please speak with the hiring manager.

NOTE: An Employee who is the successful applicant to a vacancy that results in a move between the Hydro One companies (Hydro One Networks, Hydro One Telecom and Hydro One Remotes) will have his/her EI and CPP deductions restarted. If as a result of the restart of these deductions the employee over contributes to EI and/or CPP, the employee will be eligible for a refund of the over contribution through their personal income tax return. For further details, please contact the HR Support Centre.