Partner (Energy Infrastructure)

About the role

Location: We're a digital first employer, so happy to be flexible if you're based in the UK.

Application Deadline: Sunday, 10 May 2026.

Vacancy Type: Full Time Permanent.

Salary: £50,222 - £55,802 (pending pay award effective 1st April 2026); candidates usually offered the starting salary for the grade.

Job Summary

The role of the Partner (Energy Infrastructure) will be involved in developing, delivering and growing specialist sectoral activities in Scotland. As a key contact in this specialist area, the role will be specifically responsible for managing stakeholder engagement by providing expert advice and support to key stakeholders and inputting into the development of key specialist activities.

Working closely with the Manager (Energy Infrastructure) and the wider Customer Engagement team to support the delivery of current Zero Waste Scotland outcome targets and business plan, the role holder will provide support to, and secure commitment from, stakeholders/customers/partners across the sector with the aim of encouraging uptake of circular approaches.

Responsibilities

• Leading on a range of specialist activities.
• Understanding relevant current and future legislative and policy drivers in Scotland and helping facilitate development of any future team activity.
• Working with partners to develop a pipeline of projects from across the sector in Scotland.
• Identifying opportunities in Scotland for engagement with clients, designers, contractors and their supply chains to promote the adoption of sustainable circular practice across the sector.
• Contributing to disseminating the results and outputs from Zero Waste Scotland and commissioned studies by speaking at external events and by facilitating and presenting at Zero Waste Scotland organised dissemination events and workshops.
• Proactively developing and maintaining good working relationships with stakeholders/customers/partners whilst leading procurements, contracts and framework agreements requiring a high degree of skills in negotiation, collaboration, influence and persuasion.
• Supporting the Manager in defining processes which are relevant to delivery of specific programmes of work and managing delivery within agreed processes including the identification and management of sector/technical specialist area risks (escalating any major stakeholder risks).
• Providing expert technical and professional advice, guidance and support to colleagues, customers, providers, suppliers and/or other stakeholders. Interpret and resolve complex queries and issues and offer tailored solutions which meet their needs.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent and/or a relevant professional qualification.
• If no relevant degree/professional qualification, must be able to demonstrate relevant specialist experience and an ability to transfer that knowledge to others.
• Evidence of experience within the sector or specialist area and/or its supply chain.
• Demonstrable experience of stakeholder/customer/partner engagement by sharing technical knowledge.
• Strong industry, market and technical understanding of the specialist area.
• Awareness of environmental drivers and issues in the sector.
• Strong organisational skills with experience of developing and implementing project plans successfully.
• Excellent track record of managing delivery and achieving outcome based targets in a similar specialist area.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with demonstrable experience of influencing decision makers and presenting to the relevant sector to deliver outcome based targets.
• Strong interdisciplinary and team working skills.
• Experience of managing contracts and external contractors to deliver services.

About Zero Waste Scotland

Zero Waste Scotland is Scotland's circular economy public body. Since 2014, our work has helped more people understand that the answer to the climate emergency is to consume less. Through an expansive range of projects and programmes, our innovative work has shown that embedding circular practices is as possible as it is essential.

Through sharing this knowledge, nurturing relationships, and fostering bold collaboration, we're in a truly unique position to influence this vital change.

Here at Zero Waste Scotland, we value our people and are committed to nurturing and supporting them to learn, grow and develop so we can focus our efforts and be a collective force of unique colleagues creating positive change. As an accredited Investors in Diversity organisation, we are committed to embedding FREDIE principles (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Engagement) across all that we do.

Why work for us

We value our people. Colleagues are supported and encouraged to grow and develop so we can all focus our efforts and be a collective force for positive change. We want to offer the best experience to all our colleagues, ensuring everyone is supported and empowered to be their best self at work and thrive.

We champion our diverse and inclusive culture, fostering a positive working environment where we all feel safe to be our true professional selves, where we are treated fairly, where there is space to ask questions, to respectfully challenge one another and to share our thoughts and ideas.

We offer competitive pay and benefits to support you and your family, including a contributory pension scheme, life assurance, wellbeing support, flexible working, generous holidays, enhanced family leave entitlements, continuing professional development (CPD) and volunteering opportunities.

For us, work isn't a place we go, but a thing we do so we fully embrace flexibility and encourage you to choose home working where the role allows. While this role is home based there may be the requirement for some travel to/within Scotland. There will be times when you're required to attend our Stirling office or a client location (normally within the Central Belt of Scotland). The office is located next to the railway station and is conveniently accessed from across central Scotland.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates and encourage you to talk to us about your preferred hours of work. We'll do our best to accommodate.