VCS Jobs

We have an exciting opportunity for a new team member to lead in empowering local communities to achieve Net Zero throughout England. We are looking for an experienced project manager who can inspire and support community groups from start up through to managing a pipeline of projects and becoming self-sustaining community energy businesses.

About Community Energy South

Community Energy South was set up in 2013 to support the network of community energy groups in the South East of England. Our mission is to support local communities to manage or own renewable energy projects, increase energy efficiency and to help educate the communities to use less oil, coal and gas. We also work together with our member groups to reduce fuel poverty and make energy affordable for vulnerable people.

We act as a catalyst and capacity building hub for community energy groups to become resilient and to work effectively to support their communities in reducing carbon emissions and boosting local economies. As part of this we provide training, advice, project management and a best practice, skills sharing network to enable the development of community energy projects and ground level carbon reduction. This has included delivering a peer mentoring programme throughout the south-east.

About the Pathways Programme

Across the South East we are supporting new community energy groups to become established and manage energy efficiency, renewable energy and fuel poverty projects for the benefit of their local communities. We are also establishing Community Energy Networks within local authorities to support their Net Zero strategies.

Our approach targets capacity building, sharing best practice, business planning and funding support, and enabling scalability of new business models that are being created by the community energy sector. We combine best practice community engagement with community energy peer mentoring.

Our vision is that every District or Borough authority in England should benefit from a community energy group and each Unitary, Metropolitan Authority and County Council should include a Community Energy Network (Steering Group) to empower energy communities and support the region to achieve Net Zero.

Job description

As a Community Energy Pathways Project Manager, you will deliver a programme to roll-out and deliver our pathways programme in England.

This will include:

• Working directly with new community energy groups and interested individuals to provide business development support.
• Initiating community energy projects and providing project management support to community energy groups.
• Producing tools and guidance to help groups and individuals start community energy projects.
• Expanding our pool of expert peer mentors recruited from the community energy sector and managing their support for groups.
• Managing busy work streams through a project management system, ensuring projects are delivered according to agreed scope, tasks and timescales.
• Managing the delivery on online and face-to-face training and events to upskills local groups and individuals in community energy.
• Managing team members that provide project support for events, communication and administration.
• Reporting to the CES Project Director and CEO on the delivery of the programme and providing strategic input into its ongoing development.

Person specification

Essential:

• At least 5 years project management experience delivering energy/environmental projects.
• Previous experience working with community groups, preferably in the Community Energy Sector.
• Track record of delivering complex projects to schedule and within budgets.
• Educated to degree level in a related discipline.

Desirable:

• Experience in business development and mentoring.
• Experience in delivering training and events.
• Experience in managing team members.
• Experience with outreach and communications.

Reporting

The Pathways Programme Project manager will report to Community Energy South Project Director and CEO.

Application: By CV and covering letter by 11pm, 8th March 2022 to contact@communityenergysouth.org

Interviews to take place in Lewes, East Sussex on 22nd March 2022.