• Update and implement Policy and Advocacy Strategy. This implies enforcing policy document alignment, liaising with government and political parties, and oversee the researching and preparation of new documents.
• Maintain Relationships with Key Stakeholders (supported by CEO):
• Represent CES at key events, meetings and in the press. This will include preparing, delivering and facilitating presentations/open meetings and discussions when required. Some travel to meetings and site visits is anticipated.
• Coordinate the Scottish Community Coalition on Energy (SCCE), including organising regular meetings, agreeing shared policy positions and working collaboratively with Energy Scotland DTAS and Community Land Scotland to use the strengths of each organisation to push policy positions forward, in line with the SCCE strategy
• Holding regular meetings with policy teams from Community Energy England and Community Energy Wales, identifying common policy priorities and collaborating on advocacy work and consultation responses.
• Identify sympathetic MPs, MSPs, policy makers and influencers and build relationships with them and their team.
• Maintain a database of contacts and keep supporters informed and involved to create an active network.
• Investigate the potential for collaboration and partnership with other aligned organisations
– Delivery Policy Interventions (supported by appropriate team members):
• Intervene both (a) reactively in response to arising opportunities, and (b) proactively in pursuit of a policy priorities, in line with the policy and advocacy strategy and the Scottish Community Coalition on Energy strategy.
• Facilitate members to participate in the policy arena and speak out directly; gather member input for consultations, briefings and other opportunities to shape policy.
• Co-ordinate and/or draft responses to regulatory and legislative consultations of relevance to members.
• Work with the Communications Officer and CEO to write press releases and other responses to key news stories and policy developments.
• Organise events where appropriate, such as Parliamentary receptions or roundtables.
• Work with the Head of Projects Operations to deliver the State of the Sector Report and
use the data collected to have the greatest possible impact. This includes input into:
• Design of State of the Sector (SOTS) survey questions, and stakeholder engagement
• Regular liaison with Community Energy England and Community Energy Wales and working together to analyse survey responses and identify implications for policy development.
• Providing creative and practical input into the future of SOTS, its development, and its potential benefits to the sector.
– Communicate with staff, members and the public (supported by Membership & Comms Officer):
• Build relationships with CES’s member community groups to inform, consult and involve CES members in policy work. This includes leading a policy working group comprised of representatives of Community Energy Scotland’s members (community energy organisations) to input into, develop and groundtruth policy positions.
• Work with the Membership and Communications Officer to effectively disseminate information and ensure good public profile is achieved on CESpolicy and advocacy activities.
• Embed knowledge and use of the policy and advocacy strategy within CES
• Ensure that CES staff and board members are kept fully up to date on key developments and CES’ position on them through the management of an ffective policy briefing system.
• Management Duties (The post is not initially expected to include line management responsibilities initially, however this may change). These involve Inspiring, managing and developing staff in a way that brings out their full potential, ensuring that all staff line managed are effectively deployed and supported, have clear time and work plans linked with Annual Reviews and are fully engaged in delivering Community Energy Scotland’s priorities.
• Administration: To keep all personal work records up to date such as annual leave requests, My Hours and Monday.com
• Support the CES development team to secure increased funding and support for policy
work
• Play a full role in the evolution and operation of the team at Community Energy Scotland, and support the success of Community Energy Scotland as a whole.
• Undertake other duties as may be required from time to time by the CEO.
• Maintain a safe working environment ensuring your own personal safety and the safety of others.
• Ensure relevant consistent branding across all CES communications.
• Provide regular appraisal of project deliverables to CES, attend project team meeting and full team meetings, preparing feedback.
