Environmental Sustainability Engagement Officer

The Role

Oxford City Council are seeking to recruit an enthusiastic and passionate individual with
Environmental Sustainability experience, focusing on fuel poverty, domestic energy efficiency
and working with boating communities to improve air quality along Oxford’s waterways. A proven
track record of working with communities and people from diverse backgrounds is essential in
delivering this important community engagement work.

Waterways

The Oxford canal is of vital importance to our local communities, wellbeing and wildlife
habitat. The canal is 75 miles long and is used daily by more than 150 boats within the county
boundaries. It is also a key part of the council’s active travel network, providing walking and
cycling opportunities for people year-round. The city of Oxford, in common with many urban
areas throughout the United Kingdom, has historically been subject to poor air quality. The
whole administrative area of the city is currently an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) due to
Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) exceedances and the city also has 23 active Smoke Control Areas
(SCAs) and have an ambition to expand this city-wide.

Exposure to smoke emissions can have significant health impacts to boat owners, visitors and
residents. It can also produce an air quality social disparity, as boaters can put themselves
at higher risk of exposure to air pollution. We require a community engagement officer to work
and engage with Oxford’s boating community to understand and capture the existing barriers to
the adoption of cleaner alternative fuel types and support them in their transition to more
sustainable heating sources. This will be facilitated through existing air quality campaigns
and projects such as the Aristotle Lane eco-moorings,
which is being delivered in partnership with the Canal & River Trust.

Energy Efficiency

Oxford’s residential buildings are responsible for 25% of the city’s carbon emissions, while
11% of Oxford’s households are in fuel poverty; a figure that is likely to increase due to
rising energy costs. The city also has a large private rented sector, with half (49.3%) of
Oxford’s homes being privately rented. The new Selective Licensing Scheme aims to improve the
safety, management and maintenance of privately rented residential buildings.

This role also plays an important role in addressing Oxford’s fuel poverty and decarbonisation
challenge, by supporting the delivery of engagement projects and funding to improve the energy
efficiency of homes in the owner occupier and private rented sector. This role will also
support community engagement to identify households that quality for relevant funding and
unlicensed private rented properties and support them apply for funding, access national or
local support.

Contact us: For an informal discussion about the post please contact:

Pedro Abreu (Principal Air Quality Officer) on email [email protected]