Apprentice Energy and Sustainability Officer in Portsmouth

We’re a leading provider of affordable homes and housing-related services in the south of England. We have 37,000 homes, 80,000 customers and about 1000 employees. We’re customer focused working with communities and individuals to sustain their tenancies. Are you looking for an opportunity to make a difference? This is a fantastic chance to begin your career in sustainability through an apprenticeship role.

As an Apprentice Energy and Sustainability Officer, you’ll work closely with our Energy Manager to support the development and delivery of energy management strategies. You’ll play a key role in helping us reduce energy consumption, improve efficiency, and contribute to our broader environmental and sustainability goals. Contractually based out of our Portsmouth or Basingstoke office, this is a full‑time position working 37 hours per week on a 23‑month fixed‑term contract basis.

Want to know what we can offer you?

• 26 days holiday (plus bank holidays) pro‑rating, with the opportunity to buy or sell annual leave
• A productivity‑related bonus scheme to enhance your take‑home
• A generous contributory pension of 6%. We’ll match employee contributions between 7% and 10%
• Life assurance paid at x 3 annual salary
• Private medical insurance
• Health care cash plan called Medicash
• Enhanced pay for maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental leave
• Access to counselling, legal and financial information
• Electric car scheme
• Huge variety of in‑house & e‑learning courses and a range of coaching and mentoring programmes
• Up to 5 days paid study leave

Here’s the facts about the role:

You’ll be enrolled on the Level 3 Energy Manager Apprenticeship, which includes both on‑the‑job learning and off‑the‑job training. You’ll spend half a day a month with a tutor from Impact Academy learning all about energy management and then applying your learning through a range of activities. You’ll have a structured development plan through which you’ll gain hands‑on experience working with colleagues across VIVID and our external partners, while developing technical, analytical and project‑management skills.

What would you be doing? You’ll learn how to deliver a range of tasks, including:

• Monitoring and analysing energy consumption across our sites
• Supporting energy audits and site inspections
• Identifying inefficiencies and proposing improvements
• Developing energy and carbon reduction plans
• Collecting and reporting data to track progress against targets
• Supporting the delivery of decarbonisation and sustainability projects
• Liaising with internal teams and external partners
• Keeping accurate records and documentation
• Staying up to date with energy‑related regulations and best practice

What does the Sustainability Team do?

• Delivering decarbonisation projects, such as retrofitting homes with energy‑efficient technologies and supporting our net zero targets
• Monitoring and analysing energy and carbon data to identify trends and drive improvements
• Contributing to the development and delivery of our sustainability strategy and ensuring compliance with sector standards
• Engaging with residents, colleagues, and external partners to promote sustainability initiatives and encourage behaviour change
• Exploring and piloting new technologies – such as heat pumps, solar panels, and sustainable building materials
• Supporting asset management by embedding sustainability in new builds and refurbishments
• Pursuing ongoing learning and professional development to stay at the forefront of the sector

Who we’re looking for?

We welcome applications from people with a genuine passion for sustainability. We’re looking for motivated self‑starters willing to take responsibility for their development and get stuck in, whether you’re a college leaver or looking to change career paths. Our apprenticeship program provides the perfect foundation for a rewarding career in sustainability.

To apply for this apprenticeship, you must:

• Be aged 16 or over
• Have GCSEs (or equivalent) in English and Maths at grade C/4 or above
• Be eligible to work in the UK
• Have a genuine and demonstrable interest in sustainability and energy management
• Show technical curiosity and analytical thinking
• Have good organisational skills and attention to detail
• Be comfortable using Microsoft IT systems and handling data
• Have strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Be willing to learn, take responsibility for their development and show initiative
• Be reliable, hardworking, punctual and committed
• Behave professionally, inclusively and respectfully
• Follow health and safety procedures and promote safe working practices
• Maintain confidentiality and act with integrity

We offer a vibrant, friendly and inclusive culture that supports, develops and attracts the best people. We’re committed to creating a sustainable future and reducing our environmental impact. Our team works collaboratively to deliver meaningful change, and we’re looking for someone who shares our values and enthusiasm for sustainability.

Ready to make a difference? Apply now and help us build a more sustainable future for our customers and communities.

Important Dates:

• Advert expires 11:59pm Sunday 19 April
• Interviews will take place WC 27 April (subject to change)

We’re committed to diversity and inclusion, and want people from all walks of life to apply for our vacancies. We’re a disability confident leader with disabled‑friendly offices and we’ll make reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process to help you; please note your needs on your application form.