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Marketing and Communications Manager (Maternity Cover)

About Marches Energy Agency

Marches Energy Agency (MEA) is an independent charity established over 25 years ago. MEA delivers practical solutions to reduce fuel poverty and cold homes, promote energy reduction and encourage the uptake of renewable energy.  For a full range of our activities see www.mea.org.uk

We are a values-driven organisation with a vision for our homes to be warmer and cheaper to run; where everyone lives in a home they can afford to heat adequately and where carbon emissions and energy use from our homes are being significantly reduced.

Marches Energy Agency is an Equal Opportunities Employer and committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, gender, disability, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, or faith.

The Role

MEA are looking for a Marketing and Communications Manager for a period of Maternity cover for up to 12 months who can help our growing charity reach new audiences and shout about our great work!

The post holder will:

• Deliver marketing solutions across a variety of projects, working closely with project managers to meet objectives and promoting awareness and uptake of our service. This includes:
  • Planning, generating, overseeing and posting social media activity across all platforms and across different accounts for the projects and geographic areas we cover
  • Producing designs and copy for posters, fliers, banners etc for events and our services, to promote them to householders
  • Producing a monthly newsletter to circulate to our partners and stakeholders
  • Writing press releases and liaising with the media
• Support the CEO with the implementation and delivery of MEA’s new website.
• Support the CEO with the implementation of new branding
• Raise MEA’s profile with key audiences including stakeholders in the public sector & funders.

Person specification:

• Previous experience of working in a busy marketing and communications role.
• Clear and informative communication style.
• Confident producing a range of media content from online blogs to a village newsletter to a national press release.
• Well-organised with a proven ability to manage multiple activities to competing deadlines.
• Creative and adept at solving problems
• Proven ability to work effectively with a range of staff, volunteers and partner organisations.
• Ability to work as part of a team but to also work unsupervised.
• Ability to quickly gain an understanding of the sector and our work.

Pay:  £c31,000 FTE

Location:  Shrewsbury Office with potential for some hybrid working.

Hours of work: 26 - 36.25 hours per week (to be discussed at interview).

Leave: 24 paid days per annum + bank holidays.

Duration: up tp 12 months, commencing early December 2024.

Application process: Please send CV and covering letter explaining why you are interested in the position and how you meet the job description and person specification to [email protected] by 2pm on 23 October – applications will be considered on a rolling basis.

Intern

About Marches Energy Agency

Marches Energy Agency (MEA) is an independent charity established over 25 years ago. MEA delivers practical solutions to reduce fuel poverty and cold homes, promote energy reduction and encourage the uptake of renewable energy.  For a full range of our activities see www.mea.org.uk

We are a values-driven organisation with a vision for our homes to be warmer and cheaper to run; where everyone lives in a home they can afford to heat adequately and where carbon emissions and energy use from our homes are being significantly reduced.

Marches Energy Agency is an Equal Opportunities Employer and committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of age, gender, disability, race or ethnicity, sexual orientation, or faith. 

Job Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic and organised Intern who will support our Energy Advice team and Project Managers.

You will be keen to involve yourself in our energy advice services which support both households in challenging circumstances and those requiring improved energy efficiencies. Engaging and articulate, with a focus on providing good customer service on the telephone, you will have good attention to detail and be able to process and progress home energy efficiency grant applications.

This is a varied role which will give you experience across MEA. Your tasks will include giving basic energy advice, inputting data and attending events. You will be introduced to aspects of project management, and may also gain experience of marketing and communications, including social media.

 Job Description 

Assisting with Energy Advice Line Enquiries:

• Answer Advice Line queries by phone, taking and logging basic information on MEA’s CRM.
• Process email queries, sending routine responses and logging them on the CRM.
• Any other routine or administrative tasks to support project activity as needed.

Assisting with Project Delivery:

• Maintain an accurate record of project progress and funding.
• Undertake home visits to collect eligibility information and provide basic advice.
• Liaise with partners and contractors as directed to ensure timely and accurate information is provided.
• Liaise with householders as directed to update them of progress or otherwise, by phone, email.
• Assist with marketing and information campaigns as required.

Person specification:

• Aspirations to build a career in this sector.
• Willingness to work on a wide variety of tasks as required, picking up new information quickly and delivering to a high standard.
• Able to communicate clearly, both in writing and verbally, with a range of different audiences including vulnerable householders and contractors.
• Competent in the use of IT, including remote working tools such as MS Teams.
• Good team player, able to work both as part of a largely remote team and unsupervised.
• Have excellent organisational and time-management skills.
• Able to show a basic level of understanding of energy efficiency in the home, and a clear willingness to learn more.
• Able to demonstrate a clear understanding of our climate and ecological crisis.

Training: On the job training and support will be provided to you.  This will include a combination of undertaking a Level 3 NVQ in energy awareness, to help prepare you for your new role, as well as day-to-day supervision to ensure you feel comfortable and supported in your work.

Pay: £23057.00 per annum.

Location: MEA’s Shrewsbury office with occasional home working.

Hours of work: 36.25 hours per week.

Leave: 24 paid days pro-rata per annum + bank holidays.

Duration: 6-month contract. Subject to funding, potential for extension.

Application process: Send CV and covering letter explaining why you are interested in the job and how you meet the person specification to Philip Towers [email protected]. Applications considered on a rolling basis, with a closing date of 1pm on 28 October 2024.

The successful applicant will be required to complete a satisfactory Right to Work check followed by disclosure of any criminal convictions and/or cautions not spent or protected (as appropriate to the post) in accordance with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and subsequent legislation.

MEA is seeking new Trustees

Marches Energy Agency (MEA) is seeking 2-3 new compassionate individuals to sit on our Trustee Board. We are particularly looking for new trustees with health experience, but would welcome wider experience from the energy, community, youth sectors too.

Our work is becoming increasingly important as we navigate a way through the energy crisis, and beyond to support a just transition to net zero carbon over the coming 2-3 decades.

About MEA

MEA turned 25 in 2022 and during that time has been delivering practical help and impartial advice to vulnerable householders across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, West Midlands and Derbyshire. Approximately 15% of households currently fall into fuel poverty, and this is likely to increase substantially during the Energy/ Cost of Living crisis. Many of these householders have underlying health problems which are made worse through living in cold, damp homes, and MEA has been campaigning to have this link more widely recognised to unlock more funding and assistance for householders.

MEA delivers a wide range of projects focussed on energy, people, and their homes.  We work collaboratively with Local Authorities, the third sector, installers, and community groups.  We are currently undergoing rapid expansion: staff numbers have quadrupled in the last 3 years, and turnover has increased from £200k in 2015 to £1.7m in 2021-22.

MEA’s charitable objectives:

• Poverty relief and health protection through efficient energy use.
• Encouragement & awareness raising on environment & sustainable development.
• Education for public benefit: energy conservation, efficiency, and renewables.

Trustee Position

As a registered charity, it is a legal requirement for MEA to have a board of Trustees – volunteers who share the ultimate responsibility for running the charity.  As a company limited by guarantee, all our Trustees are also Directors. All operational management is delegated to a the Chief Executive Officer.  The Trustee Board meets once a quarter to oversee decisions, advise on strategic direction and ensure legal compliance. It may also meet for specific purposes at other times.

As a charity Trustee, you will bring and  gain experience in areas such as setting strategic goals, accounting, financial planning, employment practice and recruitment, or share these skills if you already have them.

As a Trustee you can be involved in work that you might not yet have had the chance to try as a paid employee. Given the correlation between health and warm homes, MEA would welcome especially welcome individuals with knowledge of the health sector.

If you are interested in finding out more about being a Trustee, please see our Application Pack here or contact Philip Towers for more information and to apply– [email protected]

General volunteering opportunities 

Volunteers are a vital part of our team. Whether you are looking to build your CV, or want to share your knowledge and experience through a trusteeship and help us grow, we hope to provide a warm welcome for you at MEA.

What is available at MEA?

• Internship placements
• Regular volunteering

To enquire about volunteering opportunities please email your CV to Chloe - [email protected]