Job Title: Energy & Heat Network Senior Officer
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £42,550 (£47,028 is achieved after 12 months successful performance in the role)
Working Hours: 35 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday-Friday, Hybrid
Location: Liverpool
If you share our values and are excited about making a significant impact at Riverside, please ensure you attach a current CV and covering letter. At Riverside we recruit to potential not just on skills and experience, so we encourage you to apply even if you don't meet all the essential criteria on the job description.
The difference you will make as an Energy & Heat Network Senior Officer:
Support the Head of Shared Spaces and Compliance manage our Heat Networks, Heat Supplier or Operator contracts covering Communal Heating, District Heating and ESCO contracts, ensuring our responsibilities in relation to the management of Heat Networks are delivered and we are compliant with relevant legislation and regulations, including Tariff setting and Billing services. Subject Matter Expert (SME) in Heat Network, other low carbon and renewable energy sources, and lead on our Tariff setting and Billing services for our customers developing and embedding our long-term strategy and be responsible for contract delivery in this area.
About you
We are looking for someone who has:
1. Contract management experience including experience of building and maintaining relationships. with contractors and stakeholders/customers to continually improve the service.
2. Working knowledge of the UK Energy industry operation and billing.
3. Experience of managing communal heating systems and compliance.
4. Knowledge of alternative low carbon solutions like ASHP, GSHP, shared ground loop heat pump etc.
Why Riverside?
At Riverside, we’re a housing association with a difference – enhancing the everyday for all our customers. For 90 years, we’ve been revitalising neighbourhoods and supporting communities by providing the homes they need to live full, fulfilling and rewarding lives.
We have a portfolio of over 75,000 affordable residential and retirement homes across the UK. Our work ranges from homelessness services to social care, employment support to retirement living, and we need the best people on board to help us.
Working with us, you’ll enjoy:
5. Competitive pay & generous pension
6. 28 days holidays plus bank holidays
7. Flexible working options available
8. Investment in your learning, personal development and technology
9. A wide range of benefits
Diversity and Inclusion at Riverside:
We are inclusive. At Riverside, we value diversity in all its forms. We foster a workplace where all individuals are respected, empowered, and heard. Our commitment to inclusivity drives our success and enriches the lives of our customers and colleagues.
Riverside is a Disability Confident Employer and operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicant who declares they have a disability. If the applicant meets the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.
This role also falls under our Ethnic Diversity guaranteed interview scheme. If you are Ethnically Diverse and demonstrate you meet the minimum criteria for the role you will be guaranteed an interview.
Applications may close before the deadline, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.
Role Profile
10. Assist Contract manager for provision of communal heating, power, renewables and hot water systems, and lead on heat networks and metering and billing provisions. (all energy related assets)
11. Ensure the organisation meets its regulatory, legal and corporate obligations covering but not limited to: Heat networks regulations, billing services, gas compliance, energy efficiency and decarbonisation
12. Ensure The Riverside Group (TRG) is compliant with Heat Networks Metering and Billing Regulations by submitting and updating returns as appropriate and on time.
13. Ensure the organisation undertake regular reviews on all heat networks to include properties that qualify as regulated heat network. Where TRG is identified as Heat Supplier ensure billing, complaints, consumer vulnerability, debt support and standards of conduct obligations are met; and where TRG is identified as Heat Network Operator ensure technical standards compliance (eg. HNTAS) and Guaranteed Standards of Performance (GSOP) obligations are also met.
14. Lead on maintaining and regularly reviewing policy, procedures and processes.
15. Support the Development team with input in the design through to installation of power and heat networks and metering and billing provision in new schemes ensuring effective quality control and commissioning is carried out and that Operations colleagues and/or the relevant ESCOs have a clear brief on what is required to take forward effective management of schemes post-handover. Engage wider team regarding licensing and authorisation requirements of the Heat Network regulator and keep records of new developments in TRG compliance systems
16. Ensure that relevant documentation and access details are available to contractors/service providers attending site.
17. Support wider team and act as frontline contact dealing Heat Network related queries from regulatory bodies like Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ), Ofgem, Energy Ombudsman, Citizens Advice and Consumer Scotland
18. Carry out tariff setting on new schemes and ensuring annual tariff reviews are carried out for existing schemes. Liaise with relevant teams to ensure that fair pricing, comparable and proportionate tariff structure is applied throughout.
19. Engage with customers when proposing changes to communal heating, metering and billing arrangements to communicate the benefits of the proposals for the customers, the business and the environment. Ensure vulnerability protection is applied by relevant team as far as possible in terms of identifying vulnerable customers, supporting and protecting customers facing payment difficulties, and offer advice on use of self-disconnection (Pay As You Go), Prepayment meters (PPM) and disconnections.
20. Collaborate with Customer Resolutions and corporate complaints handling teams when required to provide supporting heat consumption, billing and system performance data from the service provider as required.
21. Collaborate with colleagues through the Heat Network task and finish groups and keep colleagues across the Heat Network Group and wider department informed.
22. Manage the risks relating to suppliers and their engagement with The Riverside Group London (GDPR, financial robustness, safeguarding
23. Attend contract meetings with Metering and Billing Providers, ESCOs, Managing Agents and other relevant stakeholders. Provide regular performance reports and develop and maintain systems for monitoring performance, KPIs, SLAs, VFM targets, escalating risks and issues promptly. Produce and circulate minutes of meetings to stakeholders and ensure actions are completed within agreed timescale.
24. Deliver improvement where necessary and if required terminate and retender contracts.
25. Support all aspects relating to The Riverside Group approach to power and heat networks, being involved and sitting on any regulatory or strategy panels.
26. Analyse financial data and heat consumption and set heat tariffs to ensure full cost recovery. Support the income team with debt recovery strategies. Assist relevant team in unbundling heat charges from the service charge bill where applicable.
27. Develop and deliver The Riverside Group Communal Energy Strategy
28. Keep abreast of new technology and research best practise around new innovations in relation to district and other energy related systems that will benefit The Riverside Group London customers and raise the performance of existing provision.
29. Periodically review Heat Supply Agreements to comply with current regulations, ensure relevant teams have supplied customers with updates copies containing UpToDate heat tariffs.
30. Assist and engage stakeholders in Solar PV energy provided to be fed back to the grid
31. Review and advise on the viability of ESCOs, carry out spot checks on existing ESCOs and act as an intermediary between the ESCO and the customers.
32. Ability to work in a commercial environment and deliver on social purpose.
33. Ensure that there is robust and accurate data to support this area of work.
34. Ability to travel as required.
Person specification
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
Essential
35. Contract management experience including experience of building and maintaining relationships. with contractors and stakeholders/customers to continually improve the service.
36. Working knowledge of the UK Energy industry operation and billing.
37. Experience of managing communal heating systems and compliance.
38. Knowledge of alternative low carbon solutions like ASHP, GSHP, shared ground loop heat pump etc
39. Experience of managing heat networks, metering and billing covering installation, service and repair
40. Expertise in the setting of metering and billing tariffs and associated regulatory compliance.
41. Sound working knowledge of the Heat Network Regulations and relevant guidance.
42. High standard of numeracy and IT skills.
43. Ability to write reports for a wide range of audiences.
44. Clear communication skills.
45. Educated to A level standard or equivalent preferably in a technical related subject.
Desirable:
46. Industry or sector level qualification.
47. Relevant training in Heat Network system and regulatory compliance
48. Familiar with customer consultation, service charges and debt recovery
49. Knowledge of renewable energy projects and contracts.
50. substantial experience in energy management within the housing or property sector.