Senior Programme Manager

Senior Programme Manager - Energy Access  

Salary: £49,000-£63,000 per annum (depending on experience) fixed term until 30 May 2025 

This is a fixed-term position until 30 May 2025

Location: Flexible within the UK. Home-based, blended or fully office-based (from our offices in Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh or London)

Closing Date: 19 February 2024 

Ref: EC 1180 

Energy Saving Trust is an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency. 

Energy Saving Trust is a leading and trusted organisation, dedicated to promoting energy efficiency, low-carbon transport and sustainable energy use. We aim to address the climate emergency and deliver the wider benefits of clean energy as we transition to net zero. 

At Energy Saving Trust we don’t just offer jobs – we offer careers. For our people, being part of the effort to address the climate emergency makes working for us truly meaningful and rewarding. 

As well as investing in our mission, we invest in our people and culture. We’re committed to creating an engaging, supportive and inclusive workplace for all and providing opportunities for development, training and growth. We also provide a range of benefits such as flexible working, an employee assistance programme and a wellbeing allowance. Please see our careers page for more information on why Energy Saving Trust is a great place to work. 

The team 

This is an exciting opportunity to join Energy Saving Trust’s growing international team working to develop and deliver Energy Saving Trust’s global portfolio of work. 

The role 

You’ll lead a team of eleven highly engaged colleagues working to make a positive impact on the lives of people and businesses in the Global South. And you’ll be responsible for our flagship, multi-annual and multi-million-pound initiative the Low Energy Inclusive Appliances Programme, funded by UK Aid and Ikea Foundation; and the Efficiency for Access Coalition, a global coalition working to promote high-performing appliances that enable access to clean energy for the world’s poorest people, both of which we jointly manage in partnership with CLASP. 

What you’ll do 

Working closely with your team and the head of international to develop and deliver our programmes in the energy access sector. You’ll lead the delivery of the three-year plan, providing inspiration, direction and support to your team, colleagues and partners, ensuring excellence is always delivered. 

Keeping on top of sector developments and maintaining a strong understanding of our offerings are vital in this role, as is collaboration. You will build and nurture relationships, working together with teammates, funders, partners and other key stakeholders to design and implement innovative and distinctive initiatives that add value to wider energy access efforts. 

You will be an ambassador for Energy Saving Trust work, internally and in the international marketplace, and work with colleagues to build our profile in the sector and position us for future growth. 

What you’ll bring 

▪ We’re looking for someone who is values-driven and wants to work for a cause that they believe in. 

▪ You can think and plan strategically, analyse and solve complex problems and present and deliver workable solutions. You are self-motivated, with a willingness to learn and the ability to inspire and manage joint working in complex, multi-disciplinary teams, in partnership with others. 

▪ You are experienced in realising new opportunities and have successfully delivered high-value initiatives and multiple activities in parallel, to exacting and sometimes time-pressured deadlines. 

▪ Able to build relationships with senior stakeholders, including governments, funders, partners, programme implementers, private sector actors and academia (ideally in the energy access sector) and influencing their decisions. You have a knack for understanding the challenges stakeholders face and possess a creative flair for designing activities that serve them and meet their needs. 

▪ A sound understanding of off-grid technologies, market barriers and solutions, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, along with a good knowledge of international energy and climate policy (Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Climate Agreement), regulations and the delivery and funding landscape. 

▪ You will have excellent interpersonal and communication skills and be experienced in working with diverse people from different cultures, backgrounds and fields. 

This is a fixed-term position until 30 May 2025. Our standard weekly hours are 37.5 hours, Monday to Friday. 

This will need to be a full-time role. We are open to flexible working locations (within the UK) and as standard, we offer all contracts on blended (home and office-based) working. 

To apply, please visit our website and send your CV and cover letter. In your cover letter please explain how you meet the essential areas in the job description. Please state the job reference you are applying for in the subject line. Applications submitted without a covering letter will not be considered. 

Applications close 5pm, 19 February 2024. Interviews are intended to be held week commencing 26 February and week commencing 4 March 2024. 

If you think you may need additional support or adjustments made to any part of the application/recruitment process, please get in touch. 

The majority of our people are working from home but have access to our office locations – Edinburgh, London, Cardiff and Belfast. We will we be happy to discuss this and our blended working model at the interview stage with you. 

Please note that we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. In order to apply for this post, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the UK. 

Our commitment to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace 

To address the urgent challenges posed by the climate emergency, we need a diversity of people, experiences and ideas. We strongly encourage applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and with different identities and experiences to apply for roles with Energy Saving Trust. If there is anything we can do to support you in applying, please get in touch with us. Please note that we will always ensure that a fair recruitment process is followed for all candidates and appointments will be made based on merit.