Head of Retrofit

Head of Retrofit

£58,818 to £71,412 with potential for market supplement 

Overall Purpose of Job

To lead, and champion Newham’s council’s retrofit programme to deliver on the council’s climate targets in relation to the Climate Emergency and achieving net zero by 2045 for Newham’s built environment, including the housing stock, public buildings and private sector and in line with the council’s Just Transition Plan.

To further develop the Newham council’s retrofit strategy to an exemplar standard, including community engagement, finance and funding, governance and procurement, stock data to deliver transformational net zero and climate resilient neighbourhoods.

To secure substantial carbon emission reduction outcomes from Newham’s built environment by influencing how residents, businesses and partners think and act, by influencing contracts, governance and procurement processes and by addressing approaches to construction.

To continue collaborating with the Climate Team and Net Zero Energy Lead to developing an effective strategy to decarbonise the Council’s housing portfolio for both heating and electricity, and develop options for implementation of the strategy, regarding financing, resident engagement, and delivery capacity. 

To create a strategy for leaseholders, learning from other councils, as it pertains to fabric and heating upgrades.

To develop a cross-council approach to retrofit, joining up work being done across all service areas to create a cohesive and coordinated approach to retrofit and net zero neighbourhood delivery across the borough with residents at the heart.

To work  in partnership and in extensive collaboration within the council, with residents and community organisations, borough partners and organisations, commercial partners, and national government departments and agencies.

To research and evaluate methods of financing Newham’s £1bn retrofit requirement to bring the full housing stock to net zero by 2045, evaluating the impacts on residents and Newham’s budget, and testing new ways of financing green transition to support scaled delivery work with the Director of Climate Action and relevant colleagues to bring together

To oversee the delivery of retrofit to LBN’s Warm Homes Social Housing Fund portfolio of 359 properties as part of the London Council’s Strategic Partnership, and to manage delivery of retrofit projects funded by the Council’s Carbon Offset Fund.

To deputise for the Director of Climate Action as requested. 

Role context 

1. The post holder reports to the Director of Climate Action.
2. The post holder has a system leadership influencing role, working in extensive collaboration with members, council staff, residents and businesses.
3. The post holder will play a key role in influencing the Council’s budget and external funding planning processes to ensure that Newham meets its 2045 net zero goals 
4. The post holder will matrix manage a number of programmes and projects involving a range of multi-disciplinary staff. 

Long-term Objectives for Retrofit

1. Continue the development of the first net zero/low carbon/retrofitted neighbourhood.
2. Help create a replicable strategy for phased area-based roll out of net-zero neighbourhoods across the borough, to achieve strategically and efficiently the necessary £1 billion retrofit of 17,000+ social housing homes requirement to meet council climate targets, creating blueprints for resident engagement, governance, financing, climate adaptation work and heat decarbonisation. To be potentially replicable for the boroughs large amount of privately owned housing stock as well. 
3. Build capacity and help secure large-scale financing for borough-wide retrofit resident engagement in the order of £1 billion+. 
4. Upgrade all contracts, tenders and technical specifications to meet retrofit / net-zero requirements. 
5. Build, curate and manage projects and programmes which achieve the delivery of LBN’s Net Zero Roadmap, Just Transition Plan, and Retrofit Delivery Plan.

Tasks within Climate Action

1. Help drive forward climate action in every aspect of the Council’s work. Supporting the council to consider every decision through the lens of tackling climate breakdown and advise the council on the environmental implications of the council’s current operations and propositions.
2. Advise the council at a strategic level on the implications and opportunities in relation to retrofit, climate change impacts and investment in local sustainable approaches from new developments, opportunities and regional/national policy.
3. Work with Members to identify the opportunities for having the biggest impact on climate change by driving implementation through their individual portfolio’s, and the wider role they can play in climate action in the Borough.
4. Build strong partnerships that enables extensive collaboration across the council, with residents and business, and partners, leading and influencing climate action beyond the council’s own direct resources.
5. Include local people in the journey to net zero carbon, galvanising grassroots activity alongside participation and accelerate community buy-in to the lifestyle and business changes needed to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the tangible co-benefits that climate action can have for them.
6. Campaign and bid for the funding needed to deal effectively with the climate emergency
7. Represent the Council in local, regional and national discussions relating to the development and delivery of the climate action.   

Accountabilities within Climate Action

Accountabilities are intended to be a guide to the range and level of work expected of the post holder. This is not an exhaustive list of all tasks that may fall to the post holder and employees will be expected to carry out such other reasonable duties which may be required from time to time.

Strategy

• To keep under review the Corporate Plan, division specific service strategies and the divisional service plan in order to ensure that the Council fulfils its duties and delivers the agreed aims and outcomes for your division.
• To work in partnership with internal colleagues and external stakeholders in an integrated, holistic and cross cutting way to achieve delivery of those outcomes
• To take a “one Council” approach to deliver more effective outcomes and at all times avoid a siloed or single service area approach.  
• To work creatively to develop ways of sharing good and innovative practice at a local and national level.
• To ensure the Council’s commitment to put people at the heart of all we do by fully engaging residents in the development of ideas, strategies and policies as well as the co-design, co-production, and joint decision making approaches is implemented throughout the division following the professional leadership of and models developed by the Resident Engagement division. 
• To contribute fully to the development and implementation of all corporate strategies and the Council’s vision and to act as a major project or programme Senior Responsible Owner to lead and ensure the implementation of specific corporate projects as required.
• To actively develop and promote the Council’s vision and values through personal leadership to ensure they are delivered throughout the organisation.

Service qu