Job Introduction

Job Title:                Heat Network & Energy Lead

Salary:                   £51,000 - £53,000

Contract:               Permanent

Location:               Home or office based, with regular visits to our head office in Warrington, and site visits across various geographical locations across our portfolio.

Weekly Hours:      Full time, 35 hours per week     

So…. What is this role exactly?

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced Heat Network & Energy Lead to join our Energy & Sustainability Team.

This is a new role for YHG, providing technical knowledge and expertise around utilities, energy efficiency, regulation, and communal heating systems across our portfolio.

We’re looking for a highly motivated, passionate individual, with a strong background in the energy and heat network sectors, to drive forward our ambitious communal decarbonisation programmes, and lead on the regulatory compliance of our 72 communal heating systems.

It’s a great time to join our Energy & Sustainability Team as we work to shape the future of decarbonisation and energy efficiency at YHG, driving innovation and great customer service.

What will my working week look like? 

This is a hybrid role, with the offer of working from home, and our offices, with regular visits to our assets around the North West, Staffordshire, and Yorkshire. You will live within reasonable driving distance of our head office in Birchwood, Warrington to be able to attend meetings and training courses when needed.

What will I be responsible for doing?

You will be responsible for managing the performance and regulatory compliance of YHG’s heat networks and District Heating systems, including leading with the development and implementation of new group policies and procedures, conducting technical surveys, system improvements, capital investment and optimisation programmes, and metering and billing arrangements.

You will work closely with colleagues in various teams including Compliance and Rent & Service Charges, as well as our metering partners, to ensure individual and communal energy consumption is billed correctly, and that our repair and maintenance regimes are compliant with our policies, and regulatory requirements.

YHG manages all group utilities through our partner energy broker. You will lead the day-to-day management of the group utility accounts, and the relationship with our broker, and the efficient delivery of utility services to customers across our portfolio and office locations. You will have a good understanding of energy markets and trends and be able to advise our buying team when procuring new energy contracts.

Our commitment to reducing our carbon emissions includes improving the energy efficiency of our assets. You will also be responsible for providing guidance and technical support around the energy efficiency of our communal areas and commercial units.

You will be able to carry out technical surveys of our heat networks, HVAC systems, and mechanical and electrical installations, and to produce comprehensive reports on the findings and improvement solutions to enable us to achieve our goals.

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant positive impact on our business operations, and the lives and wellbeing of our customers. You will utilise your expertise and knowledge to solve problems, overcome challenges, and develop your skills within a progressive and innovative team.

As this role is centred around our communal/shared spaces, and individual metering and billing, you may be required to attend resident meetings to keep our customers updated on our performance and our improvement plans.   

And what would make me stand out from the crowd?

To be successful as our Heat Network & Energy Lead, here at YHG, you will have:

• A comprehensive technical knowledge and understanding of communal and shared heating systems, including heat networks and district heating systems.
• A good understanding of energy markets and trends.
• Extensive knowledge of new and existing heat network, and metering & billing regulations.
• Educated to degree level or similar in a related technical discipline, ideally mechanical engineering, energy management, facilities management or building services.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Excellent analytical skills.
• Experience delivering capital investment programmes.
• Ability to work independently and manage your time effectively.
• Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) Level 4 or 5 or equivalent, or willingness to undertake this qualification.

Ideally you will be:

• A collaborative team player.
• Customer focused.
• Willing to adapt to overcome challenges.
• A strategic-minded individual.

This role is really suited to someone who likes to solve problems, with a forward-thinking and innovative approach, and who has a passion for sustainability.

As we progress with our strategic plans, you will have the opportunity to broaden your skills, and develop a specialist team.

If you feel this is the right role for you, we would love to hear from you.

Please check out the role profile, which is attached/available by visiting the vacancy on Your Housing Group’s website - www.yourhousinggroup.co.uk/careers.

That all sounds great, what’s in it for me?

In return we offer £51,000 - £53,000 DOE for a 35-hour week, and 25 days annual leave (holidays also increase with time served) plus Bank Holidays, but our employee offering provides much more than just a competitive salary and holiday allowance.

We trust our people to manage their own diaries, if you need time for an appointment, the school run or an exercise class, as long as it fits with business needs, we’re open to what works for you too. And when you need to collaborate with your team, you can visit Youggle House – our wellbeing, social, collaboration and meeting space, in Birchwood, Warrington.

On top of this, we’ll provide you with a great benefits package, including a contributory pension where we match whatever you choose to contribute (up to 8%), an advanced level Healthcare cash plan through BHSF, that doesn’t just provide dental and optician cashback but also health and wellbeing benefits (such as 24/7 GP Access, money back from prescriptions and alternative therapy treatments) and an amazing discount scheme that gives you access to half price cinema tickets, subsidised gym memberships and a huge range of discounts with some of the biggest high street and online names.

For more of our great benefits, please see the benefits information sheet attached/ available by visiting the vacancy on Your Housing Group’s career’s website - www.yourhousinggroup.co.uk/careers.

And who are Your Housing Group?

Your Housing Group is a registered social landlord helping people at every stage of life to live in quality homes they can afford.

As one of the North’s sector-leading landlords, we are proud to play our role in tackling the UK's housing crisis by continually reinvesting in our 29,000 properties and tailoring our services to meet the diverse needs of our customers. We also build over 1,000 new homes each year.

We’re an employer of choice, over 88% of colleagues here recommend us as a 'great place to work'.

As part of our pre-employment checks, this role requires the successful applicant to complete a satisfactory Basic DBS check.

Closing Date:   1^st October 2024

We review applications as they’re received and reserve the right to close this advert early; if you’re interested, please apply ASAP to avoid disappointment.

Your Housing Group values diversity and encourages applications from all communities. Your Housing Group operates a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for any applicants who declare they have a disability, if these applicants meet the minimum requirements for the role (as set out in the role profile and/or person specification) they will be guaranteed an interview.  Your Housing Group welcomes applications from our customers, however, access to confidential information and probity will be explored to determine whether there is a potential conflict of interest or security issue present which may prevent the Group from being able to proceed with the application. YHG3

Your Housing Group