Community Energy Advice Officer

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council are looking to recruit a Community Energy Advice Officer to join our team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. You will join us on a full time, Fixed Term Contract or Secondment opportunity for 20 months. The successful candidate will earn a competitive salary of £31,537- £36,363 per annum (pro rata for part time).

This role is open to full time, part time, and job share applications, all of which will be assessed equally.

Join our team

We are looking to appoint two Community Energy Advice Officers to join our Climate and Nature Recovery team.

To be successful, you will share our values and be passionate about supporting households and communities to reduce their energy bills, improve home energy efficiency, and contribute to our district s climate ambitions.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in our Retrofit and Energy Advice for Communities and Households (REACH) programme.

You will be delivering meaningful impact for our residents, particularly those in vulnerable or hard?to?reach circumstances, with a particular focus on the following areas:

• Community Engagement and Advice - support the development and delivery of community?based engagement activities and events.
• Stakeholder and Project Support - assist with coordination across internal teams, external partners and community?based initiatives.
• Programme Delivery - support delivery of work aimed at increasing uptake of energy?efficiency and renewable measures and support behaviour?change initiatives that help residents reduce energy use and carbon emissions.
• Public Engagement and Partnerships - support consultations with residents, community groups, local organisations and partners, working collaboratively to ensure a joined?up approach.
• Strategic and Service Contribution - assist with preparing updates and reports for senior management and stakeholders.

The main purpose of this role is to support place?based community engagement work and the delivery of energy efficiency and carbon saving measures, helping to identify priority areas, develop local engagement plans and triage residents for advice and scheme eligibility.

About you

We are looking for someone who thrives in community?focused work, enjoys engaging with a wide variety of people, and is committed to supporting a fair and inclusive transition to a low?carbon future.

Educated to A Level/BTEC standard or demonstrating equivalent level of work experience, it would be desirable for you to have some training related to energy efficiency/retrofitting.

You will need to demonstrate:

• Experience of delivering energy advice, outreach or community engagement, working with diverse and hard?to?reach communities.
• Ability to work independently, take initiative and take accountability.
• Strong interpersonal skills with confidence in delivering advice and supporting residents.
• Understanding of energy efficiency, domestic retrofit principles, and whole?house approaches.
• Empathy and ability to support individuals in vulnerable circumstances.

You will need to be a strong communicator, who is passionate about tackling climate change and delivering positive outcomes. Highly organised, you will be able to prioritise effectively and be confident working in a fast?paced environment.

A Basic DBS check will be undertaken for this role, and you will need a valid driving licence and access to a vehicle.

There may be some requirement to attend events at weekends.

About us

At Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils we are passionate about building communities that people want to live, work, visit and invest in.

We serve around 200,000 residents across our two districts and are well known for our collaboration and partnership working across public, private and voluntary sectors.

We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work, with:

• 60 conservation areas
• two National Landscapes
• many picturesque market towns

It is no surprise we are ranked among the top 50 places to live in the UK (United Kingdom).

Benefits

We offer a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Generous leave entitlement (26 days a year, rising to 31 days after 5 years).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support and Employee Assistance Programs.
• Private Health Care Options.
• Electric Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
• Paid volunteering days.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements (Business needs permitting).
• Great learning and development opportunities.

Our ways of working

We believe work is what we do, not just where we go.

We work in a hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business need permitting). Our hybrid working arrangements support flexibility and collaboration, helping our teams to thrive.

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion, providing opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible services for our residents.

Closing date: 11.55pm, 17 March 2026.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this Community Energy Advice Officer role, even if you don t meet all the requirements, please apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.