The Economy and Climate Change team plays a key role in supporting sustainable and inclusive economic growth across Cambridgeshire, focusing on working with communities to reduce energy consumption and develop various energy projects, in line with their vision and aspirations.
We are looking to appoint a Community Energy Manager to help strategically shape our existing work with schools and the wider community to deliver net zero and reduce fuel poverty and inequalities. You will work with a wide range of community groups and other stakeholders to bring forward energy projects that support low carbon lifestyles for our communities.
This is a great opportunity to join a supportive and friendly team working across several Council functions. If you possess strong financial and technical skills, can communicate effectively with diverse audiences, and have a desire to make a difference across Cambridgeshire, this could be a great role for you.
Our office base is Sackville House, Cambourne, with flexibility to work in alternative Council office locations, as well as homeworking. The post is fixed term for 2 years with the possibility of being extended or made permanent.
For further information or an informal discussion about the role, please contact Eithne George, Head of Economy and Climate Change at eithne.george@cambridgeshire.gov.uk.
Interviews will be held in person on Monday 31 March at Sunley House, Papworth Everard.
Our benefits
We value our colleagues in Cambridgeshire County Council and have developed a number of benefits in addition to the basics like annual leave, sick pay, pension, and mileage:
* A comprehensive wellbeing package covering all aspects of wellbeing, both in and out of work, accessible by your family.
* Buy up to 4 weeks additional annual leave (pro-rata) through our salary sacrifice scheme.
* Take your bank holidays flexibly to better suit your personal circumstances.
* Make Additional Voluntary Contributions (Shared AVCs) to your pension with tax and National Insurance savings.
* Access to development opportunities, apprenticeships, and qualified coaches to support your personal and professional growth.
* Paid volunteering hours each year to make a positive impact on our community during your normal working day.
* Access to Peer Support Groups through our IDEAL staff equality, diversity, and inclusion network.
* Opportunities to nominate and receive Employee Recognition Awards.
* An Our Cambs Rewards account, giving you access to in-store and online discounts as well as our Car Lease and Cycle to Work schemes.
Take a look at our Employment Benefits Brochure attached to this advert to find out more.
What will you be doing?
As Community Energy Manager, you will help strategically shape how the Council supports communities to tackle the climate crisis, fuel poverty, and inequalities through its community energy programme. You will need to stay informed about opportunities arising from government policy, grant initiatives, and other factors influencing project viability for communities.
You will oversee a small team involved in the existing portfolio of schools' decarbonisation projects over the long term and work with colleagues around the Council on delivering net zero across schools in Cambridgeshire. You will assist with grant applications and source funding for new programmes of work when available.
Your role will involve managing the governance of this programme, including drafting and presenting papers for committee, providing briefing notes, and presenting in various internal and external meetings.
You will oversee a portfolio of over 60 schools in Cambridgeshire that already have low carbon technologies installed as part of our existing programme, ensuring they function well and deliver the intended benefits, both financially and in carbon terms.
Working with communities and schools, you will set up and manage a fund to support community energy projects and assist groups in sourcing match funding where needed. You will support colleagues across the organisation to secure grant funding and other financing opportunities. You will have a strong grasp of project viability and work collaboratively with groups to ensure their projects succeed.
You will also work with various public sector partners to identify collaborative opportunities to achieve more for the community energy sector. You will manage a small team and support them in delivering their objectives.
With support from Communications Team colleagues, you will develop a communications strategy and action plan for this area of work, increasing the programme's profile and encouraging communities to take action. You will proactively engage with community groups, parish and town councils, and other public, private, and third sector organisations to foster a thriving community energy sector in Cambridgeshire, guided by the communities themselves.
About you
You will have a strong understanding of the technical and financial aspects of renewable energy and energy-saving projects. You will be able to work constructively with groups and stakeholders on projects of various sizes and types to understand viability challenges and manage resources efficiently to deliver successful projects.
By guiding your team in their work with communities, you will add real benefit to the community energy sector. You will play a supportive role, aligning with the local authority's objectives. Your experience in troubleshooting and overcoming hurdles will facilitate large-scale activity.
You will have an excellent understanding of governance and anticipate challenges where decision-maker input is required. You will manage budgets competently and handle a challenging workload, balancing priorities and escalating issues as needed.
You will enjoy communication at a strategic level with partners to unlock opportunities for communities.
For a full list of the requirements of the role, please refer to the Job Description & Person Specification.
About us
Cambridgeshire is a great place to work and live, with a diverse population, an urban centre in Cambridge, historic Isle of Ely, Huntingdon, St Ives, and more rural landscapes.
Our four values are central to our culture, driving everything we do.
We are proud to serve the diverse communities of Cambridgeshire and want our workforce to reflect this diversity, which we believe benefits our colleagues, the organisation, and our communities. If you don't meet every single requirement in the job role but think this could be you, please don't be discouraged. We are committed to building a compassionate, inclusive, and diverse workplace, so if you believe you could be a good candidate for this role, please consider applying and speak to the recruiting manager if you have any questions.
Our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Strategy, along with our employee network 'IDEAL' and self-organised peer support groups, help us foster an inclusive, supportive, and safe working environment where people feel valued, respected, and empowered. We collect relevant diversity data for monitoring during recruitment to understand applicant diversity and monitor trends throughout the recruitment process to take meaningful action.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We fully support providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and when you join us. We encourage candidates to contact the Hiring Manager, whose details can be found in the advert, to discuss any adjustment needs. Examples of adjustments could include additional time to complete an assessment or printing documents on pastel-coloured paper with larger font size and line spacing. We value discussing what might be possible to enable you to join us and thrive, so if there is something that would help you during your journey with us, please get in touch.
Visit our jobs and careers section to learn more about our wide range of learning and development opportunities, apprenticeships, our wellbeing package, staff benefits, and our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/council/jobs-and-careers
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