Bristol Energy Cooperative 

Bristol Energy Cooperative is a not-for-profit, community-owned enterprise that delivers ground-breaking community-owned renewable energy installations that benefit the entire community. Since 2011 we’ve raised £15 million to develop 17 clean energy generation projects around Bristol, currently generating enough energy to power 3,250 homes. We have over 1500 investor members.

We create a massive positive impact by recycling revenues to community benefit projects, with over £350,000 already produced for social and environmental initiatives. 

We recently completed a 1MW rooftop PV install at the second Bottleyard Film studios TBY2, winning the 2023 Sustainable Initiative Award at Screen International’s Global Production Awards, with what we believe is the largest community rooftop solar array in the UK.  We also manage numerous other solar installations, utilising Bristol’s potential for rooftop solar energy generation.

You can find more information about our work on our website: https://bristolenergy.coop/  Our social media channels include Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Youtube. This recent video is a nice outline of our journey as an organisation and this video explains the concept of community energy. 

About the job

Position: Digital Communications Officer 

Accountable to: Campaigns Manager 

Working closely with: Communications Manager

Hours: 35 hours a week

Salary: £30,000

Terms: 1 year fixed term contract, exact date dependent on start date, with the possibility of an extension after that

Location: Hybrid working – in our office at Brunswick Square BS2 in Bristol, can work flexibly from home part-time

This is an exciting time to join Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC), as the team is growing to deliver an ambitious business plan to increase community-owned energy in Bristol. You will be an integral member of our communications team, working closely with the Campaigns Manager and Communications Manager, external agencies, coop members and partner organisations. 

This is the chance to play a significant role in a small organisation by shaping the social media strategy for BEC, helping to tackle the climate emergency, highlight issues around renewable energy, and benefit local communities through an increase in community energy.

You’ll have the opportunity to develop, own and implement the strategy for our social presence, produce and optimise content for each channel and our website, staying true to our brand and values. You’ll have a deep understanding of what motivates future investors, members, and followers and use this insight and social media monitoring metrics to increase awareness of BEC’s work. 

You’ll focus on strong storytelling about our members, projects and people who benefit from community energy in the Bristol region. You’ll have a great eye for what makes a compelling story and how narratives can best be shared across different platforms to inspire new BEC investors and supporters. This also includes developing a growing network of social media influencers who can help amplify our work and campaigns across all our channels.

This role will be the face of our social media channels, so we would like to hear from candidates who are very comfortable with appearing on camera, and experienced in using social media in previous roles, in their personal capacity or through volunteering experience. We are a small team and regularly feature in and collaborate on content creation, which you will lead on.

Job Responsibilities

Running our social media channels 

• Planning and managing BEC’s Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Threads content
• Tapping into trends around energy, climate emergency, community energy
• Continually surveying the social media and digital landscape to identify new platforms, research and analyse trends, and identify opportunities to grow reach
• Reporting on metrics for BEC’s performance across our social media channels
• Managing and developing a network of social media influencers
• Ensuring brand consistency and tone of voice across all our channels

Content creation for our digital channels

• Managing and maintaining a vibrant social media content plan
• Video creation and editing for our channels
• Taking photos of our sites, members and at events 
• Supporting website development, such as blogs, new pages, design

Communications support 

• Responding to external enquiries for the communications team
• Supporting the Campaigns and Communications Managers with ongoing communications activity, such as events, media work, newsletters
• Delivering BEC’s comms, campaigns and marketing strategy
• Keeping up to date on BEC growth plans, strategy, and external energy affairs

Business support

• Supporting BEC’s internal communications
• Working closely with the BEC team on any external facing opportunities
• Contributing to BEC’s ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion work
• Contributing to BEC’s strategy for engaging volunteer support

What we’re looking for

As an inclusive employer, at Bristol Energy Cooperative, we actively encourage people of all backgrounds, ages, races, religions, belief systems, sexual orientations and gender identities to apply for this role. We particularly welcome applications from under-represented groups.

Essential knowledge and experience: 

• Experience of creating engaging and varied social posts (organic), across a range of different social media and extensive knowledge of a range of platforms.
• Experience of digital media marketing (paid) on social media channels, such as Meta advert management.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills, able to articulate complex ideas through succinct engaging content.
• Experience of using social media management tools and website CRM. These include Sprout Social or Hootsuite to schedule posts, report performance, and for community management, and WordPress for website content.
• Intermediate photography taking and editing skills, such as ability to use Photoshop.
• Basic video shooting and editing skills, such as creating reels for Instagram.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a small team, and be self-motivated in managing own workload to tight deadlines.
• A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.

Desirable knowledge and experience: 

• Experience of working in a charity, non-profit or cause related organisation, particularly in the environment sector.
• Basic graphic design skills, such as using a programme like Canva.
• Experience of collaborating with different stakeholders on projects, both inside an organisation and with partners across a sector.
• Knowledge and experience of running effective campaigns that have created a tangible impact e.g. fundraising, supporter increase, policy change.
• Experience of acting as the face of a cause and appearing on camera.
  

How to apply

To apply, please email admin@bristolenergy.coop with a CV and one page covering letter, explaining why you are a good fit for the role, including relevant examples of your experience and skills. 

This can include paid work, voluntary work, or personal projects that are relevant to this role. You are welcome to include hyperlinks in your cover letter to examples of your work, such as links to your social media channels or campaigns that you have worked on, which demonstrate your suitability for the role.

Please include the names of two referees in your application – these will not be

followed up until after an offer is made.  Finally, please complete our anonymous equality and diversity monitoring form

Bristol Energy Cooperative is committed to being an inclusive employer and providing an inclusive and accessible recruitment process for everyone. If you would like to submit your application in a different format such as video, or for any questions or access support, please email admin@bristolenergy.coop. 

Next steps

Closing date for applications: Friday 29th September 2023, 5pm

If you are successful at the nomination stage, we will invite you to an interview at our office in Bristol which will include completing a short task beforehand to bring to the interview. We will send you more information on this in advance. We’re also happy to pay reasonable travel expenses for attendance at the interview. 

Interviews will be held in October and we hope to have someone in post by the end of the year.