What is CSE about?

CSE is one of the UK’s leading energy charities. We have over 40 years' experience of helping people and organisations to tackle the climate emergency and end the suffering of cold homes. We strive to develop effective responses to the threat of climate change and the misery of cold homes, both at a national level and more locally around Somerset, Wiltshire and the West of England.

What will the job look like?

Working within our Household Energy Services (HES) team across a range of projects, the Trainee Energy Advisor role is for those people who would like to learn the skills and gain experience of giving energy advice to householders. The role will include a probation and competency review after six months. Successful completion of the competency review will enact a change of role to Energy Advisor for the final six months of the contract with an automatic salary review. There will be a further salary review 12 months from the start date should CSE be in a position to offer a contract extension.

The postholder will be expected to provide strong customer service, personal resilience, and work within agreed boundaries. You’ll be working primarily on our telephone advice projects, taking calls on our advice line or making outbound calls. There is also an important administrative element to the role so accuracy and excellent attention to detail are key.

Here are some examples of situations you may deal with, among other things:

• Helping people apply for grant funding or vouchers for their prepayment meter.
• Helping people with various difficulties with their energy bill.
• Talking to people who are struggling to afford basic necessities and finding them the right help and support.
• Help people apply for renewable technologies, heating and insulation improvements.
• Supporting people who may be in distress or angry.  
• Following successful completion of the six-month probation review there may be opportunities to give clients advice face to face at events or via home visits depending on need. Full training would be provided for these tasks.

CSE operates a flexible work pattern outside of our core hours and a time of in lieu timesheet system. The nature of the work also means that occasional evening and weekend working may be required from time to time once the postholder has passed probation. As part of our HES training programme, you will undergo the City and Guilds Energy Awareness course which is an essential foundation for advice provision. You may speak to people who are angry or in distress or share that they have suicidal thoughts. We have a range of support information available as well as providing call handling skills guidance within our extensive training programme. In addition, CSE offers several forms of support to safeguard the wellbeing of our staff.

You’ll need:

• Some previous experience of giving advice, customer service or helping others in some capacity.

• To be skilled and confident in making and receiving calls. • To be a quick thinker who can react to the many needs of the people we support.

• A strong sense of empathy.

• A strong sense of personal boundaries.

• An ability to support callers who may be in distress or angry. Training will be provided.

• An awareness of the need to maintain your own wellbeing.

• The ability to self-motivate and have good initiative.

Refer to the job description for further details.