Application Guide

How to Apply for Operations Lead

at Fuel Poverty Action

🏢 About Fuel Poverty Action

Fuel Poverty Action is a grassroots campaign organization fighting to end fuel poverty and ensure energy as a human right, as outlined in their Energy For All manifesto. What makes them unique is their direct-action approach combined with policy advocacy, working to transform the energy system rather than just alleviate symptoms. Someone might want to work here to contribute to a radical social justice movement addressing both climate and economic inequality through tangible campaigns.

About This Role

As Operations Lead at Fuel Poverty Action, you'll be the organizational backbone supporting both internal functions and external campaigns through administration, fundraising, HR, and strategic planning. This role is impactful because you'll enable the team to focus on campaign work while ensuring sustainable operations, directly contributing to the organization's ability to fight fuel poverty. You'll balance day-to-day systems management with long-term planning for events like their 2026 conference.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might start with managing the organization's email inbox and updating contact lists, then shift to working on sections of the annual report or fundraising materials. In the afternoon, you might have a check-in with your direct report, review HR policies for an upcoming recruitment, and contribute to planning documents for the 2026 conference. Throughout the day, you'd be balancing immediate administrative needs with longer-term strategic work.

🚀 Application Tools

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Fuel Poverty Action Is Looking For

  • Has hands-on experience with nonprofit operations including HR policies, fundraising plans, and data protection compliance (not just corporate experience)
  • Demonstrates a 'caring and collaborative' management style through examples of supporting colleagues while juggling varied administrative and strategic tasks
  • Can articulate specific alignment with the Energy For All manifesto and fuel poverty as a political issue, not just general social justice interest
  • Shows evidence of developing systems and processes in resource-constrained environments typical of grassroots organizations

📝 Tips for Applying to Fuel Poverty Action

1

Explicitly reference the Energy For All manifesto in your application materials and explain how your values align with its principles

2

Highlight specific experience with both operational tasks (like email management and record keeping) AND strategic elements (like three-year planning) that this hybrid role requires

3

Demonstrate your 'light touch management' approach with concrete examples rather than just stating you have management experience

4

Show how you've implemented or improved systems in previous roles, as this organization specifically wants someone to 'develop and refine systems'

5

If you have experience with both online and in-person event organization, emphasize this since they're planning a 2026 conference alongside regular meetings

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your understanding of fuel poverty as a systemic issue and how operations support campaign work in this context', 'Specific examples of creating or implementing fundraising plans, particularly for small-to-medium nonprofits', 'Experience balancing administrative detail-work with strategic thinking and planning', "How your approach to line management aligns with a 'caring and collaborative' culture in a remote, part-time setting"]

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → The Energy For All manifesto and Fuel Poverty Action's specific campaigns (like their work on prepayment meters or energy debt)
  • → The organization's history of direct actions and how operations might support these activities
  • → Current UK fuel poverty statistics and policy landscape to understand the context of their work
  • → Their previous annual reports to understand their organizational structure and priorities

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 How would you approach creating a three-year fundraising plan for a campaign-focused nonprofit with limited resources?
2 Describe a time you had to implement new systems or processes while maintaining team morale and collaboration
3 How do you ensure data protection and secure information storage in a distributed, remote organization?
4 What does 'light touch management' mean to you in practice, especially for a part-time remote role?
5 How would you contribute to strategic planning while also handling day-to-day administrative responsibilities?
Practice Interview Questions →

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Using generic corporate operations language without connecting it to campaign work or social justice contexts
  • Focusing only on either administrative tasks OR strategic planning rather than showing comfort with both aspects
  • Failing to demonstrate specific knowledge of or alignment with fuel poverty as a political issue

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Fuel Poverty Action!

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