Salary: 28-30k + Benefits
Status: Permanent /Full-time strongly preferable (requests for part-time/flexible working arrangements are welcome)
About us
Energy Systems Catapult is an independent research and technology organisation. Our mission is to accelerate Net Zero energy innovation.
Launched in 2015 by Innovate UK, the Catapult has built a team of more than 250 people, with a range of technical, engineering, consumer, commercial, incubation, digital and policy expertise. They draw on sector-leading test facilities, modelling tools, and data collected from our back catalogue of more than 500 research projects.
We use that ‘whole energy’ system capability to support innovative companies -- small and large – to test, trial and scale their new products and services. Our impact comes when those innovators attract new customers, new investment and new grants so they can thrive in the future energy system.
Based in Birmingham, Energy Systems Catapult is part of a network of nine, world-leading technology and innovation centres, established by Innovate UK. The Catapult Network fosters collaboration between industry, government, research organisations, academia, and many others to transform great ideas into valuable products and services.
Operations Support Officer
The Energy Systems Catapult Operations Team is recruiting due to significant demand for our services from within the business. The Operations Team currently supports both development and deployment of several key assets, including the Living Lab, Net Zero Go and Warm Home Prescription. To support this growth, we need two additional team members who will play vital roles in ongoing operations, new operations and the introduction of product support.
The Living Lab is a UK wide group of real homes who can share their energy data and take part in energy trials. These trials test out eco-technologies, products and services to support the UK Government’s ambition to reach net Zero by 2050. In the last two years the Living Lab grown from 100 to 2500 homes, with more and more interest from industry and academia to use it for research and development trials. Our Operations team supports Living Lab participants with data sharing, hardware installation and tech support, as well as getting them involved in trials. We also support the running and development of the Living Lab, making sure that the Living Lab is always ready to deliver high quality trials for all users.
Warm Home Prescription is a project enabling people identified by NHS trusts with chronic illnesses impacted by the cold to be prescribed a warm home. Our Operations team ensure the smooth running and development of this initiative as we take it through New Product Introduction (NPI).
Net Zero Go is a Catapult platform that was set up to enable local authorities to run their own projects that contribute to Net Zero. It provides them with tools and information to run projects and understand both the energy sector and low carbon technologies. Our Operations team provides support to the users of Net Zero Go. Net Zero Go has been in operation for over 12 months and has grown to 750 users in this time and received significant, positive feedback.
The Role
The position will be pivotal in enhancing the ongoing operations for Living Lab trials and our other assets through effective communication, task management, reporting and strategic communications. We are seeking to be inclusive in our trial and product design, meaning that we need to take technically complex concepts and technologies and be able to communicate these simply and effectively to a diverse consumer base. The role of Operations is to facilitate the smooth introduction and running of various assets across the business, ensuring they are set up for success, continually improved, and take all users into account. This is a great opportunity to gain exposure to a wide range of Net Zero projects within the energy sector, and build on existing communication and problem-solving skills.
The primary aims of the role will be to:
* Support development and deployment of technical support to consumers, participants and local authorities using our various platforms. This includes system administration tasks such as setting up new users, maintenance of data quality to a high standard, trial administration, tracking trial progress and stock levels, and making incentive payments.
* Interface with an array of stakeholders such as Living Lab participants, colleagues and commercial partners using strong communication skills.
* Maintaining the accuracy of databases and associated software as needed. Reviewing reports to monitor data quality with the Tableau analytics tool, investigating any gaps in data, assessing the impact of data gaps, and resolving data gaps with participants, colleagues, and partner organisations. Facilitating any additional data quality monitoring needs by designing and introducing new reports and dashboards.
* Supporting the development of the Living Lab platform by working with other ESC teams to contribute Operations’ needs and requirements and seeing these through the design process and user testing. Reporting and tracking any operational bugs in the platform software.
* Managing day-to-day work priorities and escalating work where necessary.
* Monitor risk and quality assessment and management.
* Involvement in writing trial documentation such as offers, questionnaires and terms and conditions.
* Involvement in trial planning activities, working with project teams, clients, and government bodies to enable the smooth running of a trial.
* Facilitating the installation and decommissioning of technologies (such as smart thermostats) into homes, ordering products and services, handling logistics, and liaising with participants, installers, and clients. Determining the suitability of homes, handling last minute changes and keeping all parties updated, whilst accommodating participants’ accessibility requirements.
* Ensuring compliance to legal obligations such as GDPR – in role training provided.
* Ensuring compliance with relevant Operational and business procedures. Contributing to Operational process updates.
The role will report into the Operations Manager in the Digital Capability and would be a great role in which to develop a deeper understanding of the challenges facing the Energy Sector in respect to decarbonisation and the UK’s journey to Net Zero.
Required experience / skills:
Strong interpersonal and communication skills are key to this role. You will need to convey technical information which will require you to be clear and concise using written and verbal communication methods. You will need to be comfortable adapting your style to suit a variety of users including vulnerable consumers, and across multiple organisational levels, both internal and external. You will need to remain calm and reassuring when speaking with members of the public.
We need people with excellent organisational skills. The role will require you to work on different projects and products simultaneously, whilst balancing ongoing operational tasks. It will be important to keep documentation up to date, clear, and accessible to ensure decisions and status are captured and can be referenced.
You will need to be a keen problem solver, curious about how problems have arisen, motivated to resolve them, and seek out ways of preventing recurrence.
We need people who are collaborative and flexible, stepping up to work on new projects and the tasks at hand, working cross functionally with other teams both internal and external. You’ll need to be able to navigate a range of competing priorities.
Willingness to develop new skills and support tools and systems is vital as the Operations team need to support more and more of the organisation. Training for these will be provided.
A focus on continuous improvement is necessary as the assets we support grow and multiply, to ensure we are working efficiently and keeping up with demands.
Desired experience / skills:
Interested in decarbonisation and/or the energy sector.
Experience in customer service or a similar role.
Experience applying methodical problem-solving approaches, with a view to minimising the impact and preventing recurrence.
Experience in handling large datasets, especially using and creating reports and queries within Tableau.
Risk & quality assessment and management.
Managing trials and products (New Product Introduction).
Working in cross functional project teams.