Project Manager

Overview

Act on Energy encourages energy conservation by providing free and impartial advice to householders across the West Midlands. We have been addressing Fuel Poverty and Climate Change for over 20 years supporting households through their energy journey. This an exciting opportunity to help us deliver a new programme - Warmer Homes West Midlands. This is an ambitious partnership programme to provide for the very first time, a universal, top-level energy advice service for the fuel poor across the seven urban local authority areas in the West Midlands Combined Authority area. This is a large-scale energy advice programme that will help 7,500 vulnerable households.

Warmer Homes West Midlands key objective is for vulnerable consumers to become more confident and independent. We also aim to reduce fuel poverty and improve the health and wellbeing of communities across the WMCA area. This will be achieved by providing the following services to vulnerable residents: -

• Energy saving advice
• Energy saving measures 
• Income maximisation advice.

Advice will be delivered by a team of qualified energy advisors, by telephone, through case work, and on home visits and community events, where it is safe to do so. A team of community outreach workers will ensure that as wide a range of people as possible will be able to take advantage of Warmer Homes West Midlands. They will be rooted in the communities where the programme operates.

We are now looking to recruit a Project Manager who is has experience of working in this fast paced and ever evolving agenda to oversee the delivery of this exciting programme.

Position

Project Manager – Warmer Homes West Midlands

Location

Office (as above) and home based (will be required to work across the region)

Salary

£27,829 - £30,718

Hours

37.5 Hours per week (fixed term 2-year contract) may have potential to extend/

Reports to

Head of Operations

Manages

Outreach Workers and Energy Advisors

Closing date

Friday 30^th October Midday

Interview

Week commencing 2^nd November

JOB DESCRIPTION

PRIMARY JOB FUNCTION

To manage the delivery of the Warner Homes West Midlands Programme, which is an ambitious partnership programme to provide for the very first time, a universal, top-level energy advice service for the fuel poor across the seven urban local authority areas in the West Midlands Combined Authority area.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• To Manage the provision of WHWM fuel poverty advice service, including providing comprehensive sustainable energy and affordable warmth advice to the vulnerable clients and signposting/referring to relevant grants and schemes for the installation of energy saving measures 
• To manage the programme from its conception through to delivery including managing the evaluation and provision of final reports to funders 
• To develop links with local, regional, and national stakeholders to ensure that projects and programmes are complementary and that residents receive the most appropriate levels of service.
• To use a variety of methods to persuade and encourage shifts to more sustainable living and to reduce fuel poverty including the provision of advice and information, training courses, workshops, and outreach work and to measure their effectiveness 
• To promote Act on Energy’s services to both householders and frontline staff of other organisations, including planning, co-ordinating and delivering presentations, events, and training sessions; preparing quotations; and drafting proposals 

• To manage budgets delegated to Act on Energy. 
• To maintain and develop information systems and ensure material is updated, collating information from local council, Government departments and other outside agencies 

• To initiate, organise, attend, and contribute to as chair, speaker and facilitator, partnership and public events, conferences, seminars, and other awareness raising activities related to community sustainable energy and climate adaptation programmes and other programmes related to sustainable development  
• To research and prepare materials and presentations to appropriately represent Act on Energy at local, regional, and national fora. This will include providing technical expertise in the formation of media and press communications. 
• In respect of the Outreach Officer (s) and Energy Advisors(s), to provide day-to-day supervision including allocation of work and checking of quality; to carry out routine return-to-work interviews after sickness absence; to carry out and write reports on investigations into less complex performance and conduct issues; to assist with Health & Safety issues and risk assessments; to assist with identification of development needs; to assist with support and development. 
• To support the design and production of communication materials and prepare materials for the website and other media where necessary 
• To help develop, publicise, and run training courses relevant to Act on Energy and the service we provide to local authorities 

• To deal with all correspondence in connection to duties and prepare reports, as necessary. 
• To attend internal and other meetings as required and represent Act on Energy 

Person Specification

The person specification is a picture of skills, knowledge and experience required to carry out the job. It has been used to draw up the advertisement and will also be used in the short-listing and interview process for this post.

You should demonstrate in your CV and Covering letter how you meet each of the following essential criteria. Please ensure that you address each one of the criteria as this will be used to assess your suitability for the post.

1. Education: high standard of education
2. Experience of running large scale programmes/projects ideally in an energy related or fuel poverty role
3. Knowledge of domestic sustainable energy and affordable warmth issues
4. Knowledge and experience of housing, health and social care services.
5. The ability to communicate, influence and negotiate, at a senior level
6. The ability to facilitate meetings and workshops and presenting complex information to a variety of audiences.
7. Excellent written skills with regard to correspondence, sufficient to convey information in a clear concise and jargon free style.
8. Excellent report writing skills.
9. Ability to prioritise between competing demands. 
10. Strong organisation and planning skills.
11. Computer skills including Microsoft word and excel
12. Skills in building and managing consensus between several parties.
13. Supervisory/management experience
14. Excellent Customer Care skills
15. Ability to manage and lead a team and, committed to the success of the whole team
16. Driving licence and own car to use

Desirable:

1. Good general knowledge of energy infrastructure in UK
2. Experience of working in, or in support of, local or other statutory authorities

Useful Characteristics:

1. Enthusiasm and commitment to environmental and social welfare objectives
2. Problem solving
3. Planning and organising
4. A flexible, dynamic and creative approach
5. Other IT skills