THE MARCHES ENERGY AGENCY

Trustee

Vacancy

Application

Pack

The role

Marches Energy Agency (MEA) is seeking 2-3 new compassionate
individuals to sit on our Trustee Board. We are particularly looking for new
trustees with health experience, but would welcome wider experience
from the energy, community and youth sectors too.

Our work is becoming increasingly important as we navigate a way through
the energy crisis and beyond, to support a just transition to net zero
carbon over the coming two to three decades.

As a registered charity, it is a legal requirement for MEA to have a board of
Trustees – volunteers who share the ultimate responsibility for running
the charity. As a company limited by guarantee, all our Trustees are also
Directors. All operational management is delegated to our CEO. The
Trustee Board meets once a quarter to oversee decisions, advise on
strategic direction and ensure legal compliance.

As a Trustee, you will learn how charities operate and gain experience in
areas such as setting strategic goals, accounting, financial planning,
employment practice and recruitment, or share these skills if you already
have them.

As a Trustee you can be involved in work that you might not yet have had
the chance to try as a paid employee. Given the correlation between
health and warm homes, MEA would especially welcome individuals with
knowledge of the health sector.

Without the Scheme run by your Charity,
we would be in a seriously bad situation
right now. We are forever grateful for
everything that has been done for us, your
team does not know the word give up and
are absolutely perfect for a job like this.

Householder.

About MEA

Together for energy efficient homes.

MEA turned 25 in 2022 and during that time has been delivering practical
help and impartial advice to vulnerable householders across Shropshire,
Telford & Wrekin, West Midlands and Derbyshire.

Approximately 15% of households currently fall into fuel poverty, and this
is likely to increase substantially during the ongoing Energy/Cost of Living
crisis. Many of these householders have underlying health problems
which are made worse through living in cold, damp homes, and MEA has
been campaigning to have this link more widely recognised to unlock
more funding and assistance for householders.

MEA delivers a wide range of projects focussed on energy, people, and
their homes. We work collaboratively with Local Authorities, the third
sector, installers, and community groups. We are currently undergoing
rapid expansion: staff numbers have quadrupled in the last 3 years, and
turnover has increased from £200k in 2015 to £1.7m in 2021-22.

Charitable Objectives

Poverty relief and health protection through efficient energy use.

Encouragement & awareness raising on environment and
sustainable development.

Education for public benefit: energy conservation, efficiency,
and renewables.

We have a fantastic team who all support
each other and all share a common goal to
make people's lives better in a warm and
energy-efficient home.

Helen, Senior Energy Advisor

About MEA

Together for energy efficient homes.

Mission

MEA is working towards a society where:

1.
2.
3.

4.

5.
6.

 Our homes are warmer, healthier and cheaper to run.
Everyone lives in a home they can afford to heat adequately.
Carbon emissions and energy use from homes are being significantly
reduced.
Trusted local installers have the confidence and technologies in place
to achieve the reductions.
 Finance aligns to unlock the investment needed.
 People and communities are engaged and proactive in the transition
to Net Zero.

Values

Compassionate

towards those we are seeking to help.

Determined

 to make a difference.

Honest

and open in all our work.

I am so grateful for the help and
assistance. You have done more for me
than anybody in the past years, and I am
full of tears of gratitude and relief.

Householder.

Our Structure

Board of
Trustees

Chief Executive

Finance Manager

Operations Manager

Business Development Manager

Manager

South Shropshire
Climate Action
Coordinators

Marches Senior
Project Manager
Domestic Retrofit

Marches
Area
Lead

Derby and
Derbyshire
Area Lead

Advice
Service
Manager

Data and
Reporting
Manager

Project Admin
Support Team
Leader

Marketing
& Comms
Manager

Project
Manager
 x 6

Project
Manager
x 2

Project
Manager
x 4

 Shropshire
Energy
Advisors
x 9

Derbyshire
Energy
Advisors
X 4

Office Admin
& Project
Assistants x 5

Finance
Assistant

Assistant
Project
Manager

Assistant
Project
Manager

Assistant
Project
Manager

Intern

What stood out to me was the positive culture
of collaboration and professional relationship
building, while very clearly upholding the
values of the charity in all that MEA does.

Ben, Project Manager

Role Description

Purpose of the Role
Marches Energy Agency is a charity and company. The Board of Trustees develop
and guide the strategy of MEA ensuring it is achieving its mission and vision. The
Board of Trustees oversee the governance of MEA, ensuring it is well managed and
complies with all relevant legislation.

Responsible to: The stakeholders of MEA, such as funders, employees,
government, local authorities, wider community, plus Companies House and the
Charities Commission.

Responsible for: Directing, overseeing and supporting the CEO and senior staff
who are delegated to manage the affairs of the organisation on behalf of the
Trustees.

Responsibilities

To act as a “guardian” of the vision and values of the organisation.
Contribute to the strategic direction of the charity.
Oversee the development and implementation of strategy and plans to
achieve the objectives.
Uphold and adhere to the highest standard of charity governance as set out
by the Charity Commission.
Monitor the performance of the CEO against the organisation’s strategic and
business plans.
Contribute to the identification and monitoring of risk.
Attend board and sub committee meetings. This includes:

1.
2.

3.

4.

Preparing and reading relevant information for meetings.
Active input to discussions, apply good judgement and contribute to the
decision making process.
Keeping up to date with relevant issues by reading and attending
training/briefing sessions.
Courage to make difficult decisions when required.

Be an inspirational and charismatic ambassador and an advocate at all levels
for MEA, with beneficiaries, stakeholders, decision makers and the world at
large.
Maximise your networks and identify opportunities that will benefit MEA.
Challenge the Board, Executive and Board’s advisers constructively, ask
questions, be inquisitive and welcome challenge back.
Seek and increase knowledge, understanding and willing to learn and
improve.

Responsibilities

Build constructive, positive relationships with other Trustees and staff
with a willingness to listen and understand.
Be responsive to a changing world, actively engaging with and learning
about developments in the charity sector and beyond.

Your legal responsibilities include:

Ensure that the charity is well run, solvent and delivers its charitable
outcomes.
Ensure funds are not placed at undue risk or misused.
Ensure the charity complies with regulation and law.
Act with integrity and avoid conflicts of interest.
Commit to the improvement of governance and the governing skills of the
Board.

Practicalities and Expectations
Key responsibilities:

You will need to attend around four meetings of the Board per year, on
average lasting for 2 hours. In addition, you will be asked to be a member of
a board Committee which generally meet four times a year, between full
Board meetings.
Trustees generally meet online, with some meetings taking place at our
Shrewsbury office.
The board has one ‘away day’ annually where board members discuss and
agree strategy for the year. This must be attended in person.
You will attend some of our staff events in person each year, for example
staff Away Days.
Whilst this is a volunteer role, reasonable travel expenses will be
reimbursed.
At each AGM, one third of Trustees shall retire by rotation.  Trustees to
retire by rotation shall be those who have been longest in office since their
last appointment or reappointment. Trustees may stand for
reappointment. There is no maximum term.

Person specification

A commitment to the vision and values of MEA.
A willingness to develop a deep understanding of the work and contribute
to the future of the charity.
Commitment to equal opportunities.
An understanding of the UK energy system, fuel poverty or climate change.
A willingness to take an active part in board and sub committee meetings to
ensure the good governance and strategic development of MEA.
Possess accounting and financial planning skills and / or prepared to
increase knowledge in this area.
Commitment and ability to attend meetings in person and online and
support the staff team where necessary.

Equal Opportunities Statement

Marches Energy Agency Ltd is an equal opportunities employer and believes
that all persons should have equal opportunity for employment and
advancement on the basis of their ability, qualifications and suitability for the
work.

Equal Opportunities are seen by MEA as crucial to the development of
sustainability and we strive to offer fair and equal access to our services in
order that all may have the opportunity to benefit from more sustainable
communities.

MEA values diversity and such it is MEA’s policy that no job applicant or
employee receive less favourable treatment in any aspect of employment on
grounds of; race, gender, religion, disability, marital status, age, sexual
orientation, or caring responsibilities; or be disadvantaged by conditions or
requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.

We extend our ethos of equality to those who receive our services, whilst the
availability of those services will vary due to funding and contractual
requirements, we will seek to offer fair treatment to all of those with whom we
engage.

People we support

*

Laura's story
Laura is on a low income and has Type 1 Diabetes and limited mobility.
She came to us worried about her boiler as it was only working
intermittently, and she did not have the resources to get it fixed or
replaced. She was having to bleed the radiators every day and the
boiler pressure was constantly dropping.

Through the Healthy Homes Crisis Fund, we were able to fund an initial
service of the boiler, at which point the engineer also showed Laura
how to use the boiler and radiator controls as efficiently as possible.
The engineer identified repairs totaling around £300 that were
needed, and we were able to cover these costs by applying for a one-
off grant from a partner charity.
* Name changed for anonymity.

Home visits

He was very thorough and went
through my property, finding and
discussing the problems and how
to solve them. I gained so much
information and received more by
post, including facts and figures I
can act on. So glad I got in touch.

Householder.

An Energy Advisor in our
electric van for home visits.

Partner organisations
MEA works with more than 150 partner organisations including local
authorities, installers, charities, energy companies and electricity and gas
distribution networks.

I cannot tell you how much your work is appreciated by me and
the tenants you support at STAR Housing – thank you.

STAR Housing.

Funded solar panels - Jacqui's story

I would definitely recommend Marches Energy Agency, they were
efficient, competent, and a good communicator. I’m very happy.

Jacqui applied for fully funded home improvement
measures ran by Marches Energy Agency and
Erewash Borough Council, after feeling unable to
use the appliances she needed to at home due to
high energy bills. Jacqui received fully funded solar
panels under the scheme.

As a result, her electricity usage from her energy
supplier quickly halved, as she generates this from
her own solar panels. Jacqui is now able to use the
appliances she needs to at home without worrying
about excessive energy bills and is also delighted
by the environmental benefits of this.

Funded Insulation - Steve's story

Living conditions are better, it feels warmer in the house and is better
to come home to after being at work all day.

Steve applied to the fully funded home
improvements scheme ran by Marches Energy
Agency and Telford & Wrekin Council, after he and
his wife were so cold during the winter they had to
go to bed early just to keep warm under the covers.

Steve received fully funded external wall insulation
and loft insulation and now their home is a much
more comfortable temperature. Their heating bills
have reduced and they are able to enjoy evenings
together downstairs without being too cold.

Apply for the role

Please send your CV and covering letter, explaining why you are interested in the role and
how you meet the person specification, to philiptowers@mea.org.uk. Applications will be
considered on an ongoing basis.

www.mea.org.uk  | 0800 677 1307  | office@mea.org.uk

Marches Energy Agency, The Pump House, Coton Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY1 2DP