CARES Community Energy LaunchPad Officer / Assistant Officer x3

Community Energy Scotland is recruiting three Assistant Project Officers or Project Officers (post assigned dependent on skills and experience, with responsibilities allocated accordingly to the successful candidates) for the post of CARES Community LaunchPad Officer/Assistant Officer. The new officer needs to be able to work and travel near to the following host Climate Hubs CES is working with:

• Highlands and Islands, ideally based in or around Inverness.
• Perth and Kinross, ideally based near Perth.
• Dumbartonshire

We are looking to recruit energetic, well-organised and self-motivated individuals to support communities to build their capacity, develop new community energy project ideas and work alongside them to apply for funding and deliver projects. Training as required, personal development opportunities, and support will be provided by Community Energy Scotland.

We are offering either part-time or full-time hours (0.8FTE – 1FTE). We are happy to consider secondments.

• £32,300 per annum (pro rata of 35 hours per week full time) for a Project Officer role
• £28,330 per annum (pro rata of 35 hours per week full time) for an Assistant Project Officer role
• Fixed-Term work until 31st March 2027 with possibility of extension subject to confirmation of further project funding.
• Full Time/Part Time Post (we are open to discuss part-time hours from a minimum of 28 hours to full-time at 35 hours per week) with potential for job shares and/or flexible working as per the CES Flexible Working Policy.
• Regular travel to visit communities within your area will be required. Some travel to other areas in Scotland is likely to be required, while keeping our carbon footprint down following Community Energy Scotland’s environmental policy
• Candidates will be expected to work at least one day per week within agreed climate action hubs. On the days when they are not working at those hubs or visiting community groups the work is suitable for home working or alternative office space or co-working space can be secured if required.

Overall Purpose

As part of a team of CARES Community LaunchPad Officers, you’ll build the capacity of community groups within your allocated geographical region to develop community energy projects. The Project Officers will be able to share learnings with each other and draw on the support of expert teams within Community Energy Scotland and its partners.

Main Tasks

Your role will be to deliver the following tasks within the allocated region:

• Proactively mapping and reaching out to community groups that may be interested in taking forward sustainable energy projects using CARES funding
• To proactively and reactively provide support and advice to community groups across the region
• Develop and deliver workshops to raise awareness of community energy
• Attend local and national events, set up and attend to information stalls and delivering short presentations about support on offer.
• Provide one to one support to community groups to identify opportunities for community energy projects and undertake community engagement
• Assist community groups in hosting consultation events and surveys to identify local aspirations and priorities
• Carry out early-stage options appraisals to help groups narrow down their options
• Coordinate knowledge transfer, enabling peer support from other organisations and practitioners across Scotland, and building the understanding and capacity of groups to enable them to take their own projects forward.
• Support local communities in creating development plans for community energy projects
• Support community organisations to identify suitable sources of funding to take forward community energy projects and support them to gather relevant information and data and develop CARES funding applications.
• Refer community groups to other sources of support and information – including signposting to DTAS for governance support and LES for further support.
• Identify skills gaps in the community and support the community to upskill or find people within the community who can fill the role
• Undertake desktop research to identify local priorities and needs related to energy
• Meet with and build good relationships with external stakeholders in the local community, such as climate action hubs, public bodies or Third Sector Interfaces, to discuss partnership working to support community groups