Apply now

POST TITLE: Climate Change Manager


Grade: ME16


DIVISION/SECTION: Housing and Sustainable Development / Regeneration and Sustainable Development


Location: Civic Centre, , London Rd, Morden SM4 5DX, Hybrid Working


Type – Initial 3 months contract


Responsible to: Deputy Head of Regeneration and Economy


Responsible for: Managing the council’s climate team up to 6 FTE


MAIN PURPOSE


1. To be the council’s lead officer on climate change initiatives including the creation, development and review of a Climate Strategy and Action Plan bespoke to company, to maintain and extend the council’s high profile and reputation as an exemplar authority for climate initiatives..

2. To manage and maintain a high performing professional team of technical officers across a range of climate related disciplines including climate projects, retrofit and engagement, and managing resources appropriately to deliver the service.

3. To act as the council’s lead contact and lead the climate team in public facing climate matters including engaging with key stakeholders, residents, businesses and community groups to promote low-carbon and climate change initiatives within the borough.

4. To work in a cross-cutting and collegiate way across departments, having regular contact with leading Council Members, Executive Directors and other senior managers across the Council, giving advice, challenging perceptions around the delivery of services and promoting new ways of working to achieve low carbon targets.

5. To prepare and submit external funding bids for climate change initiatives, ensuring that expenditure meets council business plan priorities for combating climate change.


MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

6. To recruit, line manage motivate and train a team of specialist officers across the broad range of climate disciplines, managing their performance and establishing and maintaining the budgetary and quality criteria they have to work within.

7. To act as the lead specialist, principal point of contact, team leader and technical adviser for the Council in matters relating to climate change, providing and promoting expert advice to the Cabinet Members, Departmental Management Team, local residents, developers, community groups and businesses. This involves a high level of public interest and scrutiny following Company’s declaration of a Climate Emergency.


8. To manage company’s cross-cutting climate programme, including oversight of company’s Climate Strategy & Action Plan, company’s annual Climate Delivery Plan, and company’s climate budgets. This also includes developing and implementing innovative mechanisms, in partnership with other teams and departments, to embed climate considerations in decision-making across the council.


9. To develop effective working relationships through partnership and collaborative arrangements with external bodies, internal departments and voluntary and statutory agencies and their clients. To attend and present at meetings of relevant partnership boards and agencies and to influence others whilst representing the service and/or council as required in a professional manner.


10. To keep up to date with the legal and policy framework influencing all aspects of climate change, ensuring that the company is compliant with its legal and statutory obligations.


11. To be responsible for leading and managing multi-disciplinary project officers on the development of energy master-planning for the borough, bidding for external funding from government and the private sector, leading on the relationship with partners.

12. To develop creative and innovative financing proposals and funding schemes, and secure external funding where possible for climate initiatives in company, including venture capital, private finance, section 106 and government funding.


13. To lead on the professional and technical delivery of robust and groundbreaking planning policies and associated guidance on sustainable design and construction within the company, identifying appropriate partners and working with other London Boroughs where appropriate.

14. To lead the climate team’s technical experts to provide expert advice to Development Control on the implementation of sustainable design and construction policies. To act as the lead expert in situations of conflict.


15. To take sole responsibility for representing the council as expert witness on specific technical planning policy matters relating to climate change at Public Inquiries as required (e.g. statutory development plans; planning appeals). This process can be adversarial with robust cross-examination.


16. To promote the council’s work on sustainability, engage with colleagues and Councillors, represent the council at external meetings and events, and promote the work outside of the council.


17. To demonstrate leadership and implement council policies on equalities, diversity, IT security, health and safety, customer care and other matters.

18. Carry out any other duties appropriate to the grading of the post as required.

To undertake regular site visits borough-wide in all seasons.


PERSON SPECIFICATION


Knowledge


1. In depth and demonstrable understanding of climate mitigation and adaption as relevant to all aspects of a London borough, low carbon measures and ideas including legal parameters, relevant government and other policy, best practice and practical application.


2. Substantial and demonstrable knowledge of climate change issues, with proven in-depth understanding of relevant subjects including spatial planning policy for sustainable development; low-carbon energy technologies and interventions; decentralized energy generation and delivery systems; low-carbon regeneration projects; climate change mitigation and adoption strategies and programmes.


3. In depth knowledge of sustainable design and construction standards, low and zero carbon generation technologies and their integration into development on an individual unit and site wide basis.


4. Demonstrable knowledge of engagement and communication techniques relevant to climate change and demonstrable knowledge of best practice.


Skills and abilities


5. Highly developed oral, written and presentational skills and ability to use these skills to communicate and engage effectively, negotiate and persuade in creation and promotion of company’s climate principles and practice.


6. Able to lead, motivate and enthuse individuals and teams within a rapidly changing environment.


7. Able to create and deliver innovative and solutions-orientated approaches to reducing carbon within time and budget.


8. Able to set priorities, objectives and deadlines and to prioritise tasks to achieve targets and outcomes.


9. Able to identify, collect and analyse relevant qualitative and quantitative data and information, and develop new methods of collecting and managing complex data.


10. Able to lead on climate engagement and communications while minimizing conflict, to work positively and effectively with colleagues, residents, businesses and relevant partners including government departments; other local authorities and strategic bodies; academic institutes and research bodies; the private and community sectors. Ability to persuade and influence in discussions and negotiations including managing conflict.


11. Strategic planning skills and the ability to translate these into realistic plans.


12. Ability to identify funding sources, including grants, and make applications to secure funding for specific initiatives, pilot schemes and capital finance.


13. Ability to confidentially use or learn to use IT systems, such as Microsoft Office, publishing packages, databases and communication tools.

Experience


14. Experience of leading and working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.


15. Experience of effective leadership, with proven ability to provide vision and direction to individuals and teams.


16. Experience of, or key role in, delivering services or projects to a client base to agreed deadlines.


17. Experience of playing a leading role in the climate change field such as low-carbon, energy management, climate mitigation or adaptation.


18. Experience of leading/managing projects and initiatives in a rapidly changing environment, and proven experience to produce original and innovative solutions to problems of which no pre-set plan or procedure exists.


19. Experience of managing challenging projects with complex budgets within pre- determined timeframes and delivery targets.


20. Experience in engaging councillors and local stakeholders in the development of wide-ranging strategies and project delivery.


21. Educated to degree level or equivalent in a subject relevant to the duties of the post or with substantial (e.g. 5-10 years) experience in the field.


Evidence of continuing professional development in the field of climate change, including attendance at and/or contributing to extra-curricular courses, conferences and seminars on a variety of climate change issues and topics.