Head of Sustainable Energy from the Severn Estuary - Western Gateway

The Western Gateway is the UK’s first pan-regional economic powerhouse to span two countries, committed to ensuring that it’s 4.4 million residents benefit from fairer, greener economic growth and can access opportunities across our area. Extending across South Wales and Western England, the partnership brings together Local Authorities, a Combined Authority, City Regions, Local Enterprise Partnerships and Governments to work together on the big challenges their communities face.

At the heart of the Western Gateway geography is a prize environmental asset, the River Severn. As the Head of Sustainable Energy from the Severn Estuary you will lead a high-profile workstream supporting an Independent Commission appointed to explore the criteria for investment in the Severn Estuary that can sustain its dynamic and sensitive environment; grow the economy; provide a long-term source of sustainable energy and be acceptable to the people who live along its banks. You will be the appointed support for the Commission building complex professional relationships across industry, Government, and a range of informed stakeholders.

What will you be doing?

• You will lead a high-profile workstream supporting a newly appointed Independent Commission which will aim to provide an answer as to whether there are feasible options for sustainable energy in the Severn Estuary that will benefit people and nature.
• It will be your responsibility to manage the Commission’s engagement with the Board and delegated Committee, and you will support the wider team in events and media engagement.
• You will have the opportunity to develop professional and stakeholder relationships with political leaders, industry leaders, focus groups and environmental organisations, and universities from across the region.

• You will have a degree in a relevant subject or have equivalent experience in leading a commission or major environmental or infrastructure programme.
• You will have a strong understanding of climate change, climate adaptation, and low-carbon energy.
• You will be able to evidence the following:
  • Senior leadership experience, persuasive and engaging with the ability to lead, co-ordinate and plan a programme.
  • Ability to lead, manage and develop a team and hold people to account but also coach and develop a team.
  • Experience of developing and maintaining complex partnerships.
  • Financial and commercial acumen with experience of managing budgets.
  • Exceptional communication skills across all formats, with experience of drafting complex reports and evidence-led recommendations.

We are a small but agile and committed team with a high-profile and influential programme of workstreams focussed on critical policy and delivery challenges for our Members and the UK and Wales Governments.

You will be at the heart of these workstreams and relationships paving the policy and delivery frameworks for long-term transformational impacts for industries, for skills and for real impacts in our local communities.

For more information, please contact James Cooke, Deputy Director, Western Gateway on email james.cooke@western-gateway.co.uk.