Are you an Energy Champion? We're hiring!

About us

Burnham & Weston Energy is a not-for-profit community energy enterprise run by a small team of volunteer Directors. We own a 9.3MW (that’s 36,000 solar panels!) solar farm in Lympsham. It is one of the largest community solar projects in the UK, generating electricity for the equivalent of over 2,000 homes. We’d like to find more opportunities to develop community-led renewable energy projects like this.

We use the profits from selling the electricity we generate to benefit our local communities. Through our Sunshine Fund, we recently awarded £35k to local groups wanting to benefit people and the environment – read more about their amazing projects on our News page. We also aim to support the net zero transition and help local households struggling with fuel poverty.

Now Burnham & Weston Energy wants to create a vibrant local network of Energy Champions across our area of operation who will support residents wanting to reduce their energy bills and find it easier to keep warm in their homes. With both volunteer and paid Energy Champion roles possible, we are on a mission to find those as passionate as we are about making sure that everyone needing it, receives this help.

Does this sound like you? Read on to find out more about the roles available in the Energy Champion Network:

• Volunteer Home Energy Ambassadors
• Paid Home Energy Advisor(s)

• Opportunity: Voluntary roles
• Location: based mostly across our area of operation including Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and Weston-super-Mare and inland to Mark and Winscombe.

The role

Our Energy Ambassadors will be passionate about making sure people in their community get the right support to help them reduce their energy costs and ensure their homes are easier to heat.

We expect more people than ever will be struggling with keeping warm this Winter. Plus, even in better times, people can find it difficult to know what help is available for them. Our Energy Ambassadors will be a beacon for those in their community needing to know where to find help. You could find yourself sharing some general pointers on how to save money on energy bills and keep homes warm. You will introduce people to our Home Energy Advisors for advice specific to them and their home. You could signpost people to other types of support.

Determined to help others understand energy and make a difference to people in your community, we’d also welcome your help in hosting events. This could be, drop in information sessions, pop-up energy cafes or talks to community groups.

The commitment

We anticipate those interested in becoming an Energy Ambassador may already hold key roles, or are well-known, in their community. For example, you may be a shopkeeper, a health worker, or work in a community centre. You may work for a charity, a food bank, a housing association or with a youth group. You may already be the one your friends and neighbours seek out for advice and help.

The role of Home Energy Ambassador is voluntary and we are looking for a number of Energy Ambassadors. Based in communities across our area, you may be able to incorporate the Energy Ambassador role into what you already do. Let us know if you’d like us to talk to your employers or groups about what this might mean.

We’d appreciate you being able to commit some time during weekdays, evenings and weekends to help us at events. There’s no expectation on how much time we want you to commit, but we do expect that the more time collectively we can give, the more people in our community we can help with their energy bills and keeping their homes warm.

How to tell us you’d like to be an Energy Ambassador

Please let us know as soon as possible if you are interested in becoming an Energy Ambassador. In the first instance, an emailed message or phone call to express your interest, your level of experience in any similar roles you’ve had and, if applicable, how it would fit into your current role, would be very welcome. If you’re keen, but haven’t any similar experience, please don’t let this put you off getting in touch – we aim to provide training to everyone who becomes and Energy Ambassador with us.

For further information or to let us know you are interested in becoming an Energy Ambassador, please contact Lynda Wookey, our Impact and Development Director, on 01278 558 370 or email [email protected].

There is an open opportunity, and there is no deadline by which to submit. We look forward to developing meaningful partnerships with people and organisations in our community.

• Opportunity: Self-employed, part-time, paid role. Minimum commitment required equivalent to 2 days a week (flexible working with job share considered)
• Location: home-working with home visits to residents predominantly based across our area of operation. This area includes Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea and Weston-super-Mare and inland to Mark and Winscombe.

The role

As a Home Energy Advisor you will be required to provide tailored advice and support, helping residents reduce their energy use, cut fuel bill costs and make their homes easier to keep warm.

We are in unprecedented times, given the rise in energy bills, the increasing cost of living, and the climate crisis. We anticipate you will regularly deal with vulnerable members of our society as well as those new to finding it difficult to keep their homes warm.

Providing advice to people primarily in their homes, you will be a great listener and empathic. It is important you understand specific challenges faced by households. You will be confident and passionate in providing positive solutions, including how people might improve their home environment. Using your initiative and judgement, you will support residents by helping them install simple energy efficiency measures. These could include LED bulbs, draught excluders, and radiator reflectors, for example. There could also be opportunities to signpost them to additional support services.

We would also like you to join us at events such as drop in energy advice cafes. Help us, too, to deliver talks to community groups and build links with key local organisations.

Required experience

Ideally you will have experience in energy efficiency and have recognised qualifications such as NEA Level 3 Energy Awareness, Domestic Energy Assessor or Retrofit Assessor. However, training can be provided to the right candidate. There may also be an opportunity to progress to Retrofit roles for those interested.

Experience of working with people and a caring approach is required as you must be able to build rapport with residents and colleagues in the community dedicated to solving problems.

You will also need excellent communication skills, and be happy to work flexibly and on your own initiative. Having your own vehicle, or access to one, for carrying out home visits, is important. You will be carrying light energy efficiency measures with you. However, do talk to us if you can’t cover the whole area. We can consider working with more than one Home Energy Advisor across our area.

You will also need a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate in order to carry out the role.

How to apply

**UPDATE: Please see separate page for Job Description, salary and an Application for Employment form.**

For an informal discussion or Job Description

As you can imagine, we are keen to establish our Energy Champions Network as soon as possible to make sure local people are getting the help they need. If you are interested in the Home Energy Advisor role and want more information or a Job Description, please get in touch today! You can call Lynda Wookey, our Impact & Development Director, on 01278 558 370 or drop her an email at [email protected].

To express your interest in the role

[Update: see linked page instead] To express your interest in working with us as a Home Energy Advisor, please send us some details about yourself and how you meet the requirements for the role. This may be in the form of a traditional cv or LinkedIn profile and cover letter/email. Alternatively, you may choose to submit an audio or video recording of your submission. Please let us know if the process of expressing your interest causes you any problems.

[Update: deadline not applicable] We are hoping to consider your submissions as soon as we can following receipt, so please do send them in as soon as you are able. However, the final cut off for submissions will be 9am on Friday 4th November.

Please send your submission to Lynda Wookey, our Impact & Development Director, at [email protected].