Please note: This role is a 12 Month FTC (with potential for extension)

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is a strategic authority working with partners to deliver a stronger West Midlands, with a focus on skills, innovation, transport, economic development and regeneration. Individual Councils and Local Enterprise Partnerships will still deliver services and retain their identity but on the big decisions we will have the resources to work together.

This is an exciting time for the West Midlands - the Commonwealth Games will be here in 2022, the arrival of HS2 will help make us a world class business location and a new £350m housing deal aims to deliver 215,000 new homes by 2031.

Against a backdrop of a uniquely challenging and evolving environment, we are looking for the right people to ensure we can meet the demands of delivering an ambitious agenda that aims to build a healthier, happier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands. This new role will truly have an impact on the whole of our region.

About the Role

We seek an experienced energy professional to build capacity and competence in energy infrastructure strategic planning and procurement at regional level. The role will be responsible for developing and maintaining strong and effective working relationships with our key energy infrastructure providers (Western Power Distribution, Cadent Gas, and National Grid).

Initially, the role will particularly support Transport for West Midlands and the constituent local authorities of the WMCA in ensuring the region adopts a coherent approach to developing an efficient and cost effective electrical infrastructure to support the rapid anticipated growth in electric vehicles (while still meeting the growing demands from housing and industry).

Central government has banned all new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040: this requires a rapid transition to ultra low emission fuels and vehicles within a limited time period. To ensure major energy infrastructure providers (Western Power Distribution, and Cadent Gas) deliver appropriate energy infrastructure (sub-stations, power cables, gas pipelines, software) to meet this new demand in a timely manner, the region needs an effective, informed and consistent voice helping to shape how these decisions are made. This is the primary purpose of this role.

Energy infrastructure is one strand of the Energy Capital programme proposed by the Commission Report on powering West Midlands growth in 2017, and is a thread running through the Regional Energy Strategy and WMCA’s Local Industrial Strategy.

To succeed in the role

In the immediate term, the successful candidate will ensure the Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (EV infrastructure) workstream is effectively delivered, taking account of the wider strategies being developed and delivered by Energy Capital, Transport for West Midlands, and our constituent local authorities.

In the medium-term, the strategy calls for this role to develop into a wider regional energy infrastructure planning and development role, subject to securing the necessary funding.

Knowledge and understanding of the regulatory environment in which the power sector operates, Demand Side Response strategies, and the emerging intersection between mobility and housing, are essential.

You will have demonstrable experience of collaborative working with senior stakeholders and delivery partners in joint venture organisations. You will have extensive experience in the delivery of infrastructure projects preferably in a highly regulated environment, such as electricity or gas, and the application of project and budget management processes, and gateway reviews.

You will represent Energy Capital at local, national, and international industry events as required in addition to local community and political consultation meetings. Your excellent written and written and verbal communication skills will be complemented by robust commercial awareness.

In return for your hard work and commitment, we will reward you with a range of competitive and attractive benefits.

We are committed to developing an organisation that is representative of the diverse communities that we serve and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women as are under-represented at senior levels.

Wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance and support service delivery for the customer.

To view and apply for these opportunities please visit https://www.wmca.org.uk/careers where you will be required to register with our Online Recruitment System which is quick and easy. Please provide detailed information in your application outlining your suitability for the post and ensure it is submitted by the closing date.

A CV may be uploaded for extra information, but please note that personal details should be omitted and a CV alone will not be accepted.

Closing Date: 17 September 2019

Interview date: 23 September 2019

We are committed to equality of opportunity in service provision and employment. Our recruitment policies, procedures and practices enable all applicants to be considered on merit and ability to do the job. We will make reasonable adjustments, in line with the Equality Act, for disabled applicants if these are needed.