Project Co-ordinator (Northern Ireland) 2 Year Fixed Term Contract BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT NEA (i) NEA the national energy action charity National Energy Action (NEA) is the main fuel poverty charity which operates in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The charity develops and promotes energy efficiency strategies and services to tackle the heating and insulation problems of low-income households, to achieve affordable warmth and eradicate fuel poverty. NEA achieves its objectives through: research and analysis into the causes and extent of fuel poverty and the development of policies which address the problem; providing advice and guidance on good practice in delivering energy efficiency services to low-income customers; developing national qualifications and managing their implementation to improve standards of training, practical work and the quality of energy advice; campaigning to ensure social and environmental objectives are brought together under national energy efficiency programmes; developing and managing demonstration projects in communities which show innovative ways of tackling fuel poverty and bring the wider benefits of energy efficiency to local communities. NEA has operated in Northern Ireland for 23 years, dealing with the fuel poverty challenge, that almost a fifth of households in Northern Ireland suffer from fuel poverty. The Belfast team are based in Citylink Business Park. Applicants should have experience within the voluntary or other relevant sector and a proven track record of working with a wide range of public and private sector organisations. Self-motivation and excellent communication skills are essential. 1
NEA has a clear national identity and profile and has been in existence for 35 years. Please visit our website at www.nea.org.uk to find out more about our work. (ii) NEA s Structure NEA comprises of seven key Directorates; the Directorate of Communications and External Relations; two Directorates of Operations (Skills, Standards & Delivery Mechanisms and Community Engagement & Demonstration); Directorate of Policy and Research; Directorate of Support Services headed by the Programme Director/Deputy Chief Executive; NEA Cymru and NEA Northern Ireland. The charity s head office is in Newcastle upon Tyne. (iii) The post of Project Co-ordinator NEA has a vacancy for a Project Co-ordinator post. This post is supported by the Public Health Agency. The successful applicant will be responsible for managing the Northern Exposure Project. They will be required to work with a wide range of partners from across the community, voluntary, statutory and private sectors. Northern Exposure is an action based project aimed at tackling fuel poverty across Belfast using a partnership model and community development approach. Northern exposure was developed by a Fuel Poverty Community of Interest co-ordinated by Belfast s Public Health Agency. The Project Co-ordinator also collaborates with a Project Steering Group consisting of various members of the wider Community of Interest. The post holder will support referrals to various fuel poverty grant schemes. The project also covers a range of other activites such as raising awareness of fuel poverty and it s health impacts, as well as working with other organisations to increase benefit uptake. It is essential that the post holder can work on their own initiative, have excellent communication skills, strong project management with an ability to establish and maintain systems and processes to effectively deliver the programme of work. 2
Salary: The salary range is Scale 6-SO1 ( 24,343 to 28,785). Hours of work: 37 hours per week Monday to Friday on a flexi-time basis. Applicants must be willing to work away from home as required. In the event of work undertaken on evenings or weekends, and which may involve travel away from the office, time off in lieu of payment is given. Holidays: 25 days, plus 3 additional days in the Christmas and New Year period, plus all public holidays. Pensions and other benefits: NEA offers a money-purchase, non-contributory pension scheme, and 11½% Basic Salary will be paid by NEA into the pension. NEA also offers a death-in-service benefit scheme which is payable up to state pension age. Northern Ireland Office: 1 College House, Citylink Business Park, Albert Street, Belfast, BT12 4HQ Applications should be submitted on an NEA application form (attached) and be accompanied by a letter outlining why the applicant is interested in the post, their qualifications and experience which they feel are appropriate and any other relevant information. Applications by CV will not be accepted. Candidates are required specifically to address how they meet each of the essential and desirable requirements outlined in the job specification, providing examples and evidence where possible. The closing date for applications is Friday 13 July 2018 at 12 noon and interviews will be scheduled on Tuesday 24 July 2018 in Belfast. Please submit your application form to Tracy Norris by the closing date above; these must be supplemented by a signed hard copy if called for interview. Electronic copies are accepted; please send applications to Tracy.Norris@nea.og.uk. 3
To submit a hard copy of your application, please send it to: Tracy Norris Level 6 (Elswick) West One Forth Banks Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3PA NEA aims to be an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications from all people who have the necessary skills and experience for the post. 4
Job Description Post: Project Co-ordinator Responsible to: Director of Northern Ireland Responsibilities: 1) Manage the overall implementation of the Northern Exposure Fuel Poverty project. 2) Further strengthen the community development process by building on existing networks and partnerships. 3) Facilitate and develop appropriate linkages, networks and alliances with the community, voluntary, statutory and private sectors to ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach to tackling fuel poverty locally and ensure that opportunities for collaborative working are maximised. 4) Manage the referrals process to the existing fuel poverty programmes by making the best use of resources and by providing energy advice and referring people to advice agencies for benefit entitlement checks. 5) Work with, facilitate and advise local groups and communities to enhance their own capacity to explore and respond to the factors causing fuel poverty locally. 6) Develop frameworks for utilising existing networks and organisations, to tackle social isolation. 7) Deliver energy awareness and advice programmes to key individuals and organisations in the community, voluntary and statutory sectors. 8) Promote the continued development of evidence-based research on fuel poverty locally and in conjunction with the University of Ulster continue the research project which is exploring new and innovative ways of tackling fuel poverty. 9) Develop in association with the Northern Exposure Steering Group possible research proposals that may arise through the lifetime of the project. 10) Attend and provide updates at the quarterly Fuel Poverty Community of Interest meetings setting out progress in line with the implementation of the agreed action plan for Northern Exposure. 5
11) Contribute to the implementation of the fuel poverty communications strategy which seeks to promote the issue of fuel poverty both locally and regionally via newspapers, newsletters and other appropriate media. 12) Using existing frameworks, monitoring and evaluate the different elements of the Northern Exposure project. 13) Be responsible for all reporting on the project, both internal and external reports. 14) To be proactive in raising the profile of fuel poverty, energy efficiency and affordable warmth issues in targeted localities. 15) Deliver the City & Guilds 6281 Energy Awareness Exams for Northern Ireland. 16) Any other duties as may be agreed from time-to-time. 6
Person Specification Essential criteria: 1) A good standard of education with a minimum of two 'A' Levels or equivalent. 2) At least 5 years demonstrable experience of working to assist development within communities. 3) Practical experience of project management. 4) Excellent IT skills (MS Office or equivalent). 5) Experience or knowledge of energy efficiency within the domestic sector. 6) Excellent oral and written communication skills, demonstrating a capacity to communicate with a range of audiences at different levels. 7) Excellent organisational skills and ability to establish and maintain systems and processes. 8) Produce clear and concise written reports. 9) A proven capacity to work on own initiative and with limited supervision, to be selfmotivated and to work as part of a team. 10) A commitment to the aims and objectives of National Energy Action in Northern Ireland. Desirable: 1) Awareness of the social, economic and environmental issues in Northern Ireland, including the extent of fuel poverty, and the roles of public, private and voluntary sectors in tackling fuel poverty. 2) Experience in one or more of the following fields: community and voluntary, consumer advice, education, housing, health or social services. 3) Experience of being involved in a research project. 4) Experience of being involved in delivering training programmes. 7
5) Experience of dealing with technical issues. 6) Are certified by City & Guilds in the 6281-01 Energy Awareness course. 8
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