All Things Urban

The new Connected Places Catapult accelerates smarter living and travelling in and between the places of tomorrow. We focus on growing businesses with innovations in mobility services and the built environment that enable new levels of physical, digital and social connectedness. The Connected Places Catapult operates at the intersection between public and private sectors and between local government and transport authorities. We convene the disparate parts of the market to help innovators navigate the complexity of doing business, creating new commercial opportunities and improving productivity, socio-economic and environmental benefits for places.

Connected Places Catapult is the UK’s innovation accelerator for cities, transport, and places. We provide impartial ‘innovation as a service’ for public bodies, businesses, and infrastructure providers to catalyse step-change improvements in the way people live, work and travel. We connect businesses and public sector leaders to cutting-edge research to spark innovation and grow new markets. We run technology demonstrators and SME accelerators to scale new solutions that drive growth, spread prosperity, and eliminate carbon.

In realising this ambition, the Connected Places Catapult has established the UK Cities Climate Investment Commission (“CCIC”) alongside Core Cities and London Councils. The UK CCIC is attracting nation and international interest as a mechanism and model to drive low carbon investment in cities. In achieving this the UK CCIC seeks to; support UK cities in achieving their Net Zero ambitions, attract and unlock private and public finance, and seize the opportunity to stimulate growth in green jobs and business.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated senior lead to drive our work in the following areas; leading the next phase of work with the UK CCIC, identifying and developing wider business opportunities around Net Zero, and developing an internal programme of work to ensure we are meeting our own Net Zero commitments.

The role will be to lead the design and implementation of activities relating to the UK CCIC, driving forward the next phase of work as agreed by the Advisory Board and submitted to the CSR. You will take the lead in; helping to shape and influence national policy, securing capacity and capability for local authorities to access, coordinating research and analysis, and servicing the work of the UK CCIC.

The role will establish and oversee the implementation of CPC’s own Net Zero programmes. You’ll define and embed our vision and objectives, developing and leading our programmes against associated targets. Working with CPC senior leaders and board members you will establish a clear vision and objectives, developing and overseeing a programme of work with associated targets.

• Responsible for leading and delivering the UK CCIC work programme, including the design of work packages, resource allocation of tasks and responsibilities, monitoring and evaluating progress against established timescales
• Develop and maintain strong strategic key relationships with partners including those from within the investment community, local and central government and central government helping promote the aims and ambitions of UK CCIC and CPC
• Maintain active relationships with the UK CCIC board and associated structures
• Secure aligned strategic funding to support the second phase of UK CCIC work, including that for establishing capacity and capability for local authorities to and the establishment of Net Zero demonstrator districts
• Manage the planning and delivery of all future phases of work, including with UK CCIC
• Ensure a resourced secretariat role to the UK CCIC, including arranging and managing meetings, ensuring papers are circulated in a timely manage, taking minutes and capturing actions and tracking their completion
• Contribute towards research papers and policy-based reports to further the aims of UK CCIC, influencing national and regional approached to NetZero, acting as a thought leader in this domain
• Identify and win aligned opportunities for funding and co-ordinate bids to support the development of projects and activities, underpinning the aims of the UK CCIC
• Lead work programmes, delivering to time, cost and quality, managing the expectations of key and strategic stakeholders and any commercial scope changes
• Provide strategic leadership of the design and delivery of Net Zero policies and activities within CPC
• Develop effective working relationships with key decision makers at senior levels across the public, third and private sector, including central Government departments, external partners, and stakeholders
• Lead work with corporate services to implement CPC’s internal Net Zero programme, including establishing effective monitoring, evaluation and reporting
• Identify and provide opportunities for the UK supply chain and support them through specific activities to capture the wider economic benefits presented
• You may be required to undertake any other reasonable duties to support the Catapult in achieving its strategic outcomes and ensure effective business operations

Essentials:

• Experience of leading complex multi sector programmes with demonstrable impact and benefit within both the public and private sector
• Experience of establishing and managing programme teams and/or organisations in collaboration with other partners
• Expert knowledge and thorough experience and understanding of UK Net Zero policy and programmes, including understanding pertaining to local authorities, their role and the challenges they face
• Knowledge of the design, maintenance and operational landscape in UK cities with regards, residential retrofit, commercial retrofit, renewable generation, clean transport and waste to energy, or similar
• Knowledge of low carbon financing and proven ability to work with others to structure financial deals for investment
• Demonstrable experience of working with senior officials to secure funding and resources to support programme design and delivery, with the ability to tailor negotiations with senior elected officials and key strategic decision makers
• Confident to interact with and service boards with the ability to engage and work constructively with a range of stakeholders and partners
• Excellent writing skills, including the ability to write high quality reports, tailored to differing audiences such as senior managers and policy makers as well as meeting minutes in a clear style with excellent attention to detail
• Ability to effectively communicate to a variety of audiences, influencing key or potential stakeholders
• Organisational skills and ability to multi-task, balancing priorities of day-to-day administrative responsibilities and report production
• Strong professional standards, with a track record of success in delivering projects and programmes to agreed objectives
• Proven experience of leading the development of successful bids and proposals in collaboration with other organisations
• Ability to work and thrive in a fast-paced environment, learn rapidly and master diverse approaches and techniques quickly

Desirable:

• Knowledge of the UK supply chain with regards green growth and mechanisms for engaging it
• Understanding of local government finance
• Knowledge of green skills and accreditations with regards the deployment of low carbon technologies
• Knowledge and experience of organizing and managing events to promote and publicise activities

Keeping all our colleagues safe is our first priority, especially during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

We are really looking forward to going back into our offices and so from October to December 2021 all staff will have a working week where we combine working both in the office (London or Milton Keynes) and working from home.

REWARDS AND BENEFITS

Holiday entitlement – 25 days holiday entitlement for everyone.

Pension Scheme – We offer a competitive pension plan, helping you save for your future.

Volunteering – Whether you’re looking to clean up a beach, are a school governor or charity trustee, want to support a local charitable event or use your skills and experience as part of a mentoring scheme for SMEs we are here to support you with two paid days of volunteering leave per year.

Payroll Giving – Our Payroll Giving Scheme with GiveAll, is a flexible option which allows anyone who pays UK income tax to give back to their charity of choice on a regular basis from your pre-tax income – helping your money go further to those who need it the most.

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – Provided by Health Assured, our EAP offers 24/7 confidential work/life support services to you and your immediate family members.

Cycle to Work Scheme – We love to cycle and as well as bike racks and showers at our two office locations, you can spread the cost of a new bike over the a 12 or 18 month period, through payroll deductions.

Cash Health Plan – We’ve teamed up with SimplyHealth to offer you a range of generous health and wellbeing cash plans. This benefit allows you to be reimbursed for a wide range of both essential and everyday healthcare expense

Tech Loans – As an innovative, early adopter and future thinker, you’ll want the latest gadgets, so you have the option of buying any IT equipment and repaying it through payroll deductions.

Discounts and Offers – We linked up with Sodexo to provide you with a range of offers from a wide variety of retailers.

Unfortunately, it seems like this job is not available for international candidates. Unless you’re eligible for a work visa otherwise, please double-check with the company.