Mentor (HEAT) - North East England

Contract type: Contract / Temporary – Fixed term until 31 March 2027. Full-time, 35 hours per week with flexible working.

Location: Home-based with regular community and home visits across Sunderland & South Tyneside.

About the role

Some problems aren't solved with advice alone. When someone is struggling to heat their home, manage energy debt or understand what support they are entitled to, the problem is rarely just an energy bill. Financial pressure, health, housing and family circumstances can all be part of the picture.

As a Mentor, you'll build trusted relationships with people in their own homes and communities, understand what's really going on, and help them find a way forward. This is a hands-on, community-based role where you'll visit customers at home, work from community venues, and attend local drop-ins and events. You'll listen, ask the right questions, provide practical energy advice, and advocate for customers when they need someone in their corner—helping them navigate suppliers, support services, and other organisations.

Using the Wise Group's relational approach, you won't simply deal with the immediate issue and move on. You'll work alongside people to build their confidence, improve household stability, and help them take greater control of their circumstances.

Responsibilities

• Build a caseload of customers across Sunderland and South Tyneside, providing personalised energy advice, advocacy, and practical support.
• Meet people where they are—often in their own homes—and build the trust needed to understand the wider challenges affecting their household.
• Help customers understand their energy use and bills, access appropriate support, and resolve problems with suppliers and other organisations.
• Build relationships with community organisations and local partners so that people who need support can find and access it quickly.
• Keep accurate customer records and capture outcomes to understand not just what was done, but the difference it made.
• Take ownership of situations, whether straightforward or requiring persistence, judgement, and multiple conversations to resolve.

Requirements

• Comfortable building relationships with people from different backgrounds and circumstances, including those experiencing financial pressure or other challenges.
• Able to listen without judgement, explain complicated information simply, and confidently advocate for someone when something isn't working.
• Organised and comfortable managing your own diary and workload.
• Experience in advice, advocacy, community work, housing, energy, financial wellbeing, or another customer-facing support role is valuable, but your approach and ability to build trust matter just as much.
• Full driving licence and access to a car for daily use, with the ability and willingness to travel regularly across Sunderland and South Tyneside for home visits, community appointments, and events.
• Complete the City & Guilds Level 3 energy qualification within your first six weeks (support provided).

Pay

£25,664 per annum (fixed salary) + excellent benefits.

Schedule

35 hours per week with flexible working arrangements.