Renewable Energy Outreach Coordinator

We are delighted to be hiring two new staff members to help build a Bath and North East Somerset Community Energy Network:

• Renewable Energy Outreach Coordinator
• Home Energy Outreach Coordinator

The Community Energy Network is funded by the National Lottery’s Climate Action Fund and will be run through a partnership between Bath and North East Somerset Council, Bath and West Community Energy (BWCE), the University of Bath and the multi-agency BANES Community Wellbeing Hub.

Project Background

To tackle the climate crisis and fuel poverty, we are going to need a LOT more people involved, taking action in whatever ways they can. Fortunately, there are hundreds of people in our area who are already stepping up to do this.

Our vision for the energy transition has two elements. Firstly, we must reduce energy demand, particularly from homes, where high energy bills are causing serious social problems. Secondly, we must ensure that the remaining energy demand is met by clean local renewable energy, owned by and with benefits retained by the local community.

The Energy Outreach Coordinators will support people taking action on both these elements.

Job Purpose

We are looking for a motivated community organiser and project manager with renewable energy knowledge to work with communities to help decide if, how and where to develop renewable energy projects in their area, as part of the BANES Community Energy Network. They will help develop a new engagement process that takes a grassroots approach to identifying sites and maximises community involvement in, and benefit from, new schemes. 

The successful applicant will connect new and existing renewable energy champions to the BANES Community Energy Network and develop a programme of networking, celebration and learning to support them. The role sits within BWCE’s Communications and Engagement team and the post holder will be supported by energy experts from BWCE and the Centre for Sustainable Energy.

Principal tasks

• Community Engagement and facilitation: Work with community members, stakeholders, organisations and the local Champions leading the process to maximise local participation, for example through workshops. 
• Partnership working: Coordinate closely with Bath & North East Somerset and Wiltshire Councils, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and local partners to co-develop and implement the programme. 
• Organise events and activities such as workshops, drop-in sessions, roadshows and webinars to increase participation in the process and awareness of community energy. 
• Project Management: Take a project management approach to organising, scheduling, monitoring and prioritising tasks and managing risks. 
• Process development: Work with partners to co-evolve the Future Energy Landscape model, including a business case planning tool that can be shared with other networks and communities. 
• Communications: Provide content for communications materials that resonate in the communities with input from local champions and support from the BANES council project communications offer. 
• Evaluation: Undertake data collection and reporting of Network activities, supporting evaluation through follow-up surveys, case studies, focus groups, working with Bath University.

Application Process

The application deadline for the post is Monday 9th December, midnight. Invitations to interview will be issued by the 11th December. Interviews will be held on the 16th and 17th December and interview candidates will be notified of the outcome of the interview by the 20th December.

Bath and West Community Energy is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from individuals of all backgrounds. We look forward to seeing your application for this unique and exciting opportunity.