Community Outreach Officer

Act on Energy; Dorridge; Hybrid; GBP 25,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Critical illness cover

Job summary

Act on Energy is seeking a Community Outreach Officer to support households across Warwickshire or Worcestershire. The role is home-based with a fortnightly office day near Alcester, delivering energy advice and arranging practical support while coordinating with partner agencies.

You'll manage caseloads, work independently within a supportive outreach team, and require driving licence. Experience with vulnerable households and excellent communication are essential; training will be provided.

Qualifications

• Experience working with a wide range of people in the community.
• Experience with complex and distressing situations.
• Engagement and relationship-building with partner agencies/local authorities.
• Knowledge of Warwickshire or Worcestershire areas.
• Two years’ experience with vulnerable households.
• Excellent administration and IT skills.
• Flexibility to adapt to changes in work patterns.
• Commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices.

Responsibilities

• As part of the outreach team, support vulnerable households in the community.
• Create partnership links with statutory, community and voluntary organisations.
• Educate householders on links between health and a cold home.
• Help prevent hospital readmission and reduce GP/home care reliance.
• Reduce social isolation and improve health and wellbeing.
• Improve energy efficiency and provide onward referrals for home improvements.
• Provide detailed energy efficiency advice and support.
• Understand complex needs and identify referral pathways.
• Generate onward referrals to other agencies and partners.
• Attend and support energy efficiency events and partner events.
• Work from home and at the Warwickshire head office as part of the outreach team.

Skills

Community engagement

Vulnerable households

Partnership development

Driving licence

IT skills

Flexible/adaptable

Equality & anti-discrimination

Education

Level 3 in Energy Awareness

Job description

Location: Home based - travel across agreed area with fortnightly office day near Alcester

Salary: Band B - Starting at £27,509.

Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (flexible hours considered)

Term: Fixed term until 30th April 2027 with the possibility of extension

• Critical illness cover

About Us

Act on Energy is a leading energy advice charity, working across Worcestershire, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands. We may have energy in our name - but it's people at the heart of our organisation, because our vision of eliminating fuel poverty and reducing carbon emissions is good for everyone, and our planet.

That's why we work tirelessly with our partners and local communities to tackle the causes of fuel poverty and help mitigate the impacts - all whilst helping to drive the net zero agenda. If you come to work with us, you'll be joining a dedicated yet dynamic team that's wholly focussed on changing our clients’ lives for the better.

About the role

We are offering a rewarding opportunity to work as a Community Outreach Officer working across either Warwickshire or Worcestershire.

This role is ideally suited to individuals with experience of working on a one-to-one basis with vulnerable households/clients, families, and their carers. Experience of working in the community and closely with other partner agencies across a range of sectors including but not limited to GP's, Hospitals, and other social care organisations. A confident communicator at all levels with a methodical and well organised approach to work.

You will be supporting households through the provision of energy advice and onward support to ensure householders in fuel poverty are given the relevant support needed. This support will be holistic in its approach providing residents with advice on energy efficiency and providing onward referrals for physical interventions in their home. You will take time to understand people's needs and understand referral pathways to help seek solutions where needed.

You will need to operate independently and have the skills to manage your workload, use our case management database and communications systems, understand privacy rules and safeguarding, and work as part of our team who will provide support/supervision, training, and case meetings.

Duties and responsibilities:

• As part of our outreach team, you will be enthusiastic about working with and supporting the vulnerable households in the community.
• You will help to create partnership links with statutory, community and voluntary organisations within the area you cover.
• Educate householders and key partners to understand the links between health and a cold home.
• You will be helping to prevent re-admission to hospital and help to reduce over-reliance on GPs/home care providers.
• Reduce social isolation and improve health and wellbeing.
• Help to improve people’s lives by tackling fuel poverty and finding ways to improve their home’s energy efficiency.
• Providing detailed energy efficiency advice and support.
• You will take the time to understand people’s often complex needs and understand the right referral pathways to seek help and support.
• Generate onward referrals to other agencies and partners.
• Working with our events coordinator attending and supporting a range of energy efficiency public events and partner events.
• Working from home and our head office in rural Warwickshire you will be become an integral part of the AOE outreach team.

Skills and Experience:

• Experience and confidence working with a wide range of people in the community.
• Experience of working with complex situations and being able to deal with what can at times be distressing situations.
• Experience of engaging and building relationships with other partner agencies and local authorities
• Knowledge of the Warwickshire or Worcestershire areas
• At least two years’ experience working with vulnerable households.
• Excellent administration and IT skills
• Flexibility – being able to respond positively to changes in work patterns at short notice and support colleagues as needed.
• Commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practices
• Strong team player skills
• Full clean driving licence with use of own vehicle.
• Knowledge of domestic energy advice and affordable warmth issues
• Knowledge of housing and building construction
• Level 3 in Energy Awareness (although full training will be given)
• Good general knowledge of energy efficiency
• Other language skills

Training:

Training and support will be provided to the candidate including opportunities to attend short training courses and gain qualifications as needed.

Terms of employment

• Subject to a 3-month probationary period.
• Fixed Term contract to April 30th, 2027, with the possibility of extension

Interviews will be held in person at our head office, in Ardens Grafton.

Our mission / core values

At Act on Energy, we strive to engage with householders to support them through their energy journey, offering a full home energy support service and impartial advice with the householder at the centre of all that we do.

We ensure that we handhold the most vulnerable householders through all their energy needs and aim to empower others to make ongoing decisions that will provide better health and economic outcomes for residents of Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Coventry, Solihull, Birmingham, and the wider West Midlands.