Project Officer - Energy Efficiency, Pullar House, Perth

Perth and Kinross Council; Perth; On-site; GBP 39,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job description

Salary: £39,680 - £43,603 per year

Contract Type: Permanent

Position Type: Full Time

Hours: 36 hours per week

Job Description

Project Officer, Energy Efficiency - PKC12577
£39,680 - £43,603
Pullar House, 35 Kinnoull Street, Perth, PH1 5GD

Based within the Property, (Housing) Capital Projects and New Builds Team, a new and exciting opportunity has arisen for a Project Officer to support the Housing Service to meet the requirements of the net zero targets set by the Scottish Government and the priorities identified by Perth & Kinross Council in meeting the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2019, EESSH2, Housing to 2040 and the Heat in Buildings Strategy. As the Project Officer you will have a supporting and assisting role in the planning, implementation and management of various projects and delivery of their aims and objectives.

The Project Officer will work in a small team, managed by a Project Manager and will provide support with:

1. programming work to ensure all properties, where appropriate, are on track to meet the EEESH2 standard by 2032, including the options for refurbishment and regeneration programmes for hard to heat, end of life and non-effective stock
2. managing programmes of work to retrofit existing housing stock properties
3. installing new technologies within our tenants’ home to support energy efficiency and behavioural changes
4. completing funding bids and applications for grants and investigation of other potential funding solutions, including HEEPS ABS, Warm Homes Fund and Decarbonisation Fund for Social Housing as examples.
5. engagement in innovative projects, including involvement in the Smart Cities Alliance and in the Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategy (LHEES) which are Council-wide projects.

As a Project Officer, you will report to the Project Manager – Energy Efficiency and will work closely with other Project Officers in the wider Capital Projects and New Builds team and be guided and take direction, where required, from the Project Manager and the Senior Project Officer. You will work in collaboration with colleagues across the Housing Service as well as with other internal teams. A key part of the role will also be to work with external consultants to support the development of the Climate Change Strategy and support the development of Capital delivery programmes that would ensure the service has a plan to address the obligations of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2019 and to meet the targets of EESSH2, Housing to 2040 and the Heat in Buildings Strategy.

You will generally be required to work Monday to Friday from 8.45am to 5pm but due to the nature of the role and remit, there will be an expectation that you will be able to work flexibly, and this could include evenings and weekends especially for attending public meetings and carrying out surveys and consultation with community members.

For purposes of connection and collaboration with colleagues and with the community we serve, our full-time employees work on site for a minimum of 2 days per week with the arrangements for part time employees being agreed on a basis which will ensure that they benefit to an equivalent degree.

Requirements

To help in the delivery of this new team, we are looking for a highly organised and motivated individual who is enthusiastic and excels in making a difference.

You must have an HND level qualification in an appropriate building industry discipline or equivalent and have experience and involvement in projects relating to building, construction and housing. You should ideally also hold a CIH Level 3 in Housing, or equivalent.

Given the focus of the post, you should have an awareness and understanding of CDM Regulations and be willing to undertake training to carry out the role of the Principal Designer on Capital projects.

We are looking for someone who excels at project and programme management with excellent IT skills (to use databases effectively and design spreadsheets to report statistical information).

You must have the ability to manage small scale construction or housing Capital projects.

You must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to communicate key ideas, project overviews and updates which can be easily understood at all levels. You must be able to establish and maintain effective networks with internal and external contacts to ensure success of your projects.

You must also be able to engage and work with tenants and other customers to pursue opportunities to shape and develop projects and communicate and consult with tenants, owner-occupiers and others on improvement and modernisation projects and liaise with other Council services, utilities and external agencies.

You must be adaptable to change and have a flexible approach to achieving the overall aim of a project. You also must be well organised, with the ability to manage time effectively and produce accurate, high-quality work to tight timescales.

We are looking for a good team player who understands the need to work collaboratively with colleagues and external partners and recognises and values other people’s strengths. You must however be able to work on your own initiative with minimal supervision and be capable of identifying problems, offering solutions, resolving problems independently and working with a “Think YES” approach.

Importantly, you should have a non-judgemental attitude, be empathetic and sensitive to tenants and resident needs.

You must have a valid UK driving licence as this post requires you to travel to a variety of locations across Perth and Kinross.

Responsibilities

To support and deliver on the role and remit of this post, the key areas of focus will be to:

1. Support the Project Manager in leading and managing the Council’s Housing Capital Investment Programme to meet the obligations of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2019 and to meet the targets of EESSH2, Housing to 2040 and the Heat in Buildings Strategy.
2. Support with the development of projects focussed on ensuring:
1. All social housing to be EPC Band D by 2025 in order to be re-let.
2. All fuel-poor households to reach EPC Band C by 2030
3. All social housing to reach EPC Band B by 2032.
4. Net zero emissions from heating buildings by 2045
3. Prepare project briefs which comply with the Council’s design, financial and contract criteria
4. Work closely with the Council’s Procurement section, support the procurement of contractors in accordance with the Council’s requirements
5. Support effective project management of programmes on site and ensure they are compliant with Health and Safety legislation and Construction and Design (CDM) Regulations
6. Engage, communicate and consult with tenants, owner-occupiers and other customers to pursue opportunities to shape and develop improvement and energy efficiency projects and services within Housing and liaise with other Council services, utilities and external agencies
7. Draft reports and documentation to meet all corporate and internal governance arrangements
8. Assist the Project Manager with performance management and quality assurance of project implementation and delivery.

The Individual

If you would like any more information regarding this vacancy, please contact Jim Griffin, Team Leader at [e-mail]

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

At PKC our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of the Perth and Kinross Offer. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about PKC and you could soon be joining our team!

Please APPLY ONLINE. Facilities are available at all public libraries in Perth and Kinross. If you have a disability and require reasonable adjustments, please call 01738 475555 to discuss.

As part of our safer recruitment measures, any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of mandatory checks including eligibility to work in the UK, Disclosure Scotland or PVG, qualifications, references, and fitness to undertake the post. This may also include an Overseas Criminal Records Check if you have spent time living overseas.

Some jobs may have been traditionally carried out predominately by one gender, but we would encourage you to apply if you meet the requirements, irrespective of your gender.

What we can do for you

If you are successful in a role with Perth & Kinross Council, you will have access to a range of benefits to help your physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and flexible working arrangements to help you achieve a healthy work life balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

Perth & Kinross Council welcomes applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

For more information about working for Perth & Kinross Council and living in one of the most scenic areas of Scotland, look at our Jobs, careers and employment page.