Principal Consultant

About Changeworks

Changeworks is a leading organisation dedicated to decarbonising Scotland’s homes and a just
transition to net zero. Our vision is a world where everyone can live, work and thrive while
reducing their carbon impact. Climate change poses the most serious threat to our environment
and way of life, and we are committed to enabling a fair and inclusive transition to a
low-carbon Scotland.

We work in partnership with communities, organisations, and householders to drive impactful
change in energy efficiency and fuel poverty. Our unique position as a charity operating with a
social enterprise model allows us to reinvest in our work, build trust across sectors, and act
with flexibility to accelerate home decarbonisation throughout Scotland.

With the recent launch of our 2025–2030 strategy, this is a pivotal moment to join our growing
organisation and help shape a more sustainable future.

About the Consultancy Team

Our Consultancy team offers expert analytical and advisory services to local authorities,
housing associations, the Scottish Government, and organisations across the third and private
sectors. Our expertise spans the full decarbonisation journey — from energy efficiency and
low-carbon heat to renewable energy systems, fuel poverty, and behaviour change.

We support clients to decarbonise their housing assets and contribute evidence to inform
policy, planning, supply chains, and finance at both national and local levels.

The Role: Principal Consultant

As a Principal Consultant, you will play a strategic and hands-on role in leading the
development and delivery of high-impact research and consultancy projects aligned with
Changeworks’ ambition to decarbonise homes and deliver a just transition to net zero.

You’ll manage a portfolio of clients and projects, shaping our service offer to meet evolving
needs and maximise our impact. You will lead on business development, including client
engagement, competitive tendering, and securing funding, working both independently and in
collaboration with other teams across Changeworks such as Retrofit Delivery, Community
Engagement & Energy Advice, Home Energy Scotland and Local Energy Scotland.

Your role will also include using Changeworks insights and experience to shape sector policy
and practice — through thought leadership, research, public engagement, and participation in
working groups. Additionally, you will help innovate new approaches and solutions that support
the scaling of retrofit and decarbonisation initiatives across Scotland.

About You

We’re seeking a motivated and forward-thinking professional with the following strengths:

• Strategic Insight: A deep understanding of the policy and regulatory landscape in Scotland
  and the UK, and the challenges and opportunities faced by our clients and partners in
  decarbonising domestic buildings.
• Technical Expertise: Excellent technical knowledge of building fabric improvement
  principles and standards, energy efficiency, individual and collective low-carbon heating
  systems engineering principles and small-scale residential renewable energy systems.
• Business Development: A proven track record of developing client relationships, winning
  contracts, and securing funding through tenders and grants.
• Leadership & Management: Demonstrable experience in leading projects and teams, with a
  commitment to mentoring and skills development.
• Collaboration: Outstanding communication and partnership-building skills, with experience
  working across diverse stakeholder groups.

You will have extensive experience in a relevant professional setting—whether in academia,
business, consultancy, technology, or the community sector—and a proven ability to design and
deliver impactful retrofit and energy projects.

While we welcome candidates with expertise across all the areas listed, we encourage
applications from individuals with strengths in some and a willingness to grow in others.

Above all, we are looking for passionate and proactive individuals who share our commitment to
a sustainable, low-carbon Scotland.

About us

Changeworks is a great place to work. We hold Investors in People Platinum accreditation
(something only a few organisations in Scotland have), and we were nominated for employer of
the year by the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce this year. Our staff overwhelmingly would
recommend us as an employer too.

The Climate Emergency has resulted in ambitious national targets to reduce carbon emissions
from the built environment and reduce rates of fuel poverty. This has driven a significant
increase in the number of pilot and large-scale interventions delivered by Changeworks and
external organisations in this area. These include area-based domestic energy efficiency
retrofit and decarbonisation projects and programmes.

We are a growing organisation, and this role is crucial to the delivery of our ambitious
objectives. We want to decarbonise homes in Scotland on a massive scale, and that needs
talented individuals like you to help us deliver on our objectives. You’ll receive full
training plus coaching and mentoring.

We offer a wide range of staff benefits including flexible working, bike to work scheme, an
excellent pension scheme and 26 days paid holiday plus 9 public holidays per year.

At Changeworks, we welcome and encourage applications from everyone.

Closing date for applications: 5pm, Friday 9 May 2025

Interviews: Week commencing 19 May 2025

For further information about this post please contact Dr Ian Cochran at icochran@changeworks.org.uk 

Changeworks ~ delivering positive low carbon living