Closing date: 9am, Thu 13 May 2021

We are recruiting an experienced manager to deliver our Cold to Cosy Homes service, helping vulnerable households across Cumbria to save energy, save money and enjoy a warmer home. Thanks to new funding, we are expanding the service, and you’ll develop it and lead on increasing demand, to meet our new goals, while improving efficiency and outcomes.  

You’ll also lead on generating income by developing our paid energy services, which support households with improving their property’s energy efficiency – from home energy audits to thermal imaging and events. You’ll raise additional funds and future contracts for this area of work. 

Application & Interview Process

Please apply by completing the application form below. We do not accept CVs. Guidance for submitting your application is included in the form.

Application Form – Project Manager Cold to Cosy Homes

Closing date for return of applications is 9am on 13 May 2021.

Candidates shortlisted for interview will be informed by 14 May 2021.

Interviews will be held via Zoom on 19 May 2021.

Job description

If you prefer to download the job description and person specification, please use the link below:

Job Description – Project Manager Cold to Cosy Homes

THE EMPLOYER: Cumbria Action for Sustainability (CAfS)

LOCATION: Principally home working, with occasional meetings required in Cumbria and at our office in Penrith when Covid-19 restrictions allow. Eden Rural Foyer, Old London Road, Penrith, CA11 8ET.

REPORTS TO: Programme Manager

HOURS:  30 hours a week, with flexibility to be worked across 4 or 5 days.

SALARY RANGE: £24,000 to £30,000 per annum full-time equivalent (£19,200 to £24,000 for the 30-hour week), depending on skills and experience.

DURATION: Fixed-term contract to 30 April 2023.

LEGAL RIGHT TO WORK: You must have a legal right to work in the UK as CAfS is not in a position to act as a sponsor.

APPLICATIONS BY: 9am on 13 May 2021. Please apply using the application form. CVs will not be considered.

BENEFITS: CAfS offers an excellent working environment, with benefits ranging from flexible working to a pension contribution. Find out more about the benefits of working at CAfS >

ABOUT CAFS:

Our vision is a zero-carbon Cumbria and we strive to bring about a better way of life, in balance with our environment.

Our mission is to empower and enable people, communities and businesses to live and work more sustainably by sharing our knowledge, practice, skills, networks and practical experience. We manage and deliver events, advice, training and practical projects across the county as well as providing specialist consultancy services to enable individuals, communities, businesses and local authorities to drive a shift towards a zero-carbon Cumbria.

Now in our 23rd year, CAfS is an award-winning charity with a team of more than 20 highly skilled staff, working with a pool of specialist contractors and volunteers to deliver around 20 low-carbon projects each year.

CAfS showcases low-carbon living, energy-efficiency improvements, renewable technology and reduced use of fossil fuels, both on a domestic scale and in the community and is the first point of reference in the county for information on sustainability. CAfS is a dynamic, pro-active and responsive organisation delivering projects that drive real change towards a low carbon future.

BACKGROUND TO COLD TO COSY HOMES

Our Cold to Cosy Homes is expanding due to additional funding leading to a widening of the team to deliver expanded home energy advice services across all districts of Cumbria. Service includes:

  • Telephone enquiries, scheduled telephone and in-home energy advice provided by CAfS employees and a team of contractors.
  • Events and training for householders and volunteers.
  • Installation of energy measures by professional installers.

Our paid-for services are also expanding with increasing range of services being offered to householders for energy audits and advice.

MAIN PURPOSE OF ROLE: 

To coordinate the delivery of CAfS’ Cold to Cosy Homes service and other winter warmth related work. Lead on developing CAfS’ paid energy services work.

KEY AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:

Lead the delivery of CAfS Cold to Cosy Homes service along with other winter warmth services to clients across Cumbria. Develop the service to meet new project requirements, service demand and to improve efficiencies and outcomes.  Generate income through sales of energy-efficiency related services such as energy audits, thermal imaging surveys and events. Raise additional funds and future contracts for this area of work.

MAIN TASKS

Service Delivery

  • Deliver Cold to Cosy Homes and other services by managing a team of employees and contractors.
  • Coordinate team activity and schedule work to deliver the services using available systems including CRM, telephony system, forecasts and management information.
  • Raise the profile of services and CAfS more widely through delivery of webinars, events and training for community groups and members of the public.
  • Provide high quality customer service on winter warmth by responding to enquiries and providing energy advice by telephone and online formats and in-home visits.

Service Development

  • Develop team members’ skills, though guidance, coaching and training to improve service delivery and efficiency.
  • Lead the improvement of business processes and systems, such as CRM and Telephony to meet targets and expand service.
  • Scanning for new innovations in the area of home energy and winter warmth advice services.
  • Use project planning effectively to develop services and new project.
  • Lead on the development of resources for marketing winter warmth services and liaise with Marketing Team to develop clear and accurate information resources to support related projects, courses and events.

Finance and Budgets

  • Manage budgets on a regular basis, submit reports to funders and update budgets appropriately.
  • Impact budget changes by revising team resourcing projections on colleagues’ contracts and/or recruitment.

Forecasting, reporting and performance management

  • Ensuring weekly and monthly performance reports on service delivery are produced that inform day to day operations and inform CAfS management team and funders.
  • Write regular reports and evaluation to project funders, CAfS management team and CAfS Trustees.
  • Maintain high quality assurance through effective performance management, feedback and coaching of the team following in-house procedures.

Partnership Working

  • Work with existing project partners and develop new partnerships to expand energy services across the area.
  • Lead regular partnership meetings chaired by CAfS as well as participate in meetings of stakeholders and funders.
  • Lead on developing the CAfS Energy Champion network.
  • Line manage team providing regular one to ones, coaching and support.
  • Work with Programme Manager to develop services.

Others

  • To work with the rest of the staff team to carry out any other task or project required from time to time, as directed by the Manager or Trustees.
  • To contribute to the on-going work of CAfS generally, including attending appropriate networking meetings, team meetings and training sessions.
  • Raise additional funds alongside Programme Manager, other CAfS Project Managers and the Development Manager to expand services provided.
  • Deputise for Programme Manager occasionally.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential skills and attributes: 

  • Proven experience in a leadership role providing customer service delivery.
  • Proven budgetary experience in a service delivery setting, including writing budgets.
  • Proven experience in project planning, organising, financial analysis, risk management, and management information.
  • Report writing and monitoring and evaluation of multiple projects.
  • Experience complying with GDPR and ensuring systems and team activities are compliant.
  • Research skills and capturing and sharing learning.
  • Ability to deliver workshops and speak confidently to a wide range of audiences.
  • Experience of tendering, letting and managing contracts and writing funding and partnership agreements.
  • Experience providing quality assurance and complaint handling in a service delivery environment.
  • Experience providing performance management and delivering high quality customer service.
  • Empathy with clients and building empathetic approach within team.
  • Excellent communication and IT skills.
  • Ability and willingness to prioritise, work to deadlines and juggle multiple priorities.
  • Ability to work flexibly including evening and weekend working by agreement.
  • Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of sustainability issues and an interest in the objectives that CAfS seeks to deliver.
  • Ability to travel independently throughout rural Cumbria.

Desirable criteria

The following attributes are desirable but not essential:

  • Experience of securing grant funding and tenders.
  • Experience of contact centre coordination roles, including scheduling, call monitoring or similar in a customer service delivery roles.
  • Remote working and networking.
  • Organising events and workshops including online events.
  • Providing home energy advice and appropriate qualification.
  • An existing network of contacts in Cumbria or demonstrable ability to build networks rapidly.

If you would like more information about the role, please email: [email protected].