Head of Sustainability, Urban Regeneration

Head of Sustainability, Urban Regeneration

About the team

The Sustainability team is committed to remaining at the leading edge of sustainability in the built environment, which is central to the corporate purpose 'to create places where communities thrive', places that are truly fit for people today and resillient for generations to come.

The company's ambition is to live in a world warmed by no more than 1.5??C and to be responsible for creating meaningful and measured social value on the journey.

In Europe, they have an unrivalled opportunity to help shape cities and places at scale with an urban regeneration development pipeline valued at over GBP20bn over the next 20 years across the UK and Italy, and many high value, high profile projects for external clients. This is sustainable development in practice.

The Head of Sustainability, Urban Regeneration is a critical role, responsible for managing and leading the team focused on supporting our Development and Investment Management businesses to achieve best practice holistic sustainability outcomes.

In this role, you will lead and manage a small team and act as the central liaison for all environmental sustainability issues across Development and Investment Management/Asset Management.

Key Accountabilities

Strategic

• Leads the development and implementation of the UK Urban Regeneration Sustainability Strategy, ensuring it informs and is aligned with the Group Sustainability Framework, strategy and goals.
• Sets the holistic Sustainability Framework-aligned plans, priorities and targets, and ensures these are agreed and communicated across the businesses. Oversees the tracking of targets, constructively challenges and holds the business to account, communicates the outcomes, and produces reports on performance as required.
• Ensures a consistent strategy and goals for Sustainability in Urban Regeneration across Development and IM/AM.
• Drives confidence in presenting sustainability data and improved knowledge of performance.
• Builds positive relationships with relevant UK and European government and industry networks.
• Represents the business at relevant external forums and events and to the media opportunities as required.
• Responsible for managing strategic direction and relevant sustainability input into Development and IM bids and business development activities.

Technical

• Acts as a key innovator and challenger for environmental sustainability in our major Development and Investment/Asset Management projects. Runs workshops, assembles panels of experts, gives design brief input to ensure our projects keep innovating to the highest sustainability standards.
• Leads and coordinates the regional, business-wide plan for climate action.

Operational

• Ensures all systems and processes are compliant with relevant internal and external performance and reporting requirement including QBRs (quarterly business reviews), PSGs (project steering groups), etc.
• Prepares summary information on the above for review as required at the Regional Leadership Team by the Managing Director Sustainability & External Affairs
• Manages all personnel and people related issues within the team.
• Manages day-to-day working relationships with other senior leaders across the Europe region and with colleagues in the Group Sustainability function as required.
• Producing regular sustainability reports and annual returns eg , GRESB.
• Oversight of accurate data capture and reporting systems and processes for Sustainability to ensure relevant information is communicated and audit results are achieved.

Skills, knowledge and experience required

Qualifications:

• A tertiary degree or equivalent expertise in a relevant subject area.

Experience:

• Experience working for a Tier 1 Development or Construction company
• Prior experience in a similar role
• People leadership experience

Technical Attributes:

• Ability to lead and inspire, constructively challenge and motivate people and teams beyond direct line reports.
• Ability to form and sustain relationships and networks and is diplomatic in their approach.
• An individual with a practical business mind.
• Ability to translate technical and/or academic information into daily business needs.
• Ability to interface with a large variety of people, including giving impactful presentations.
• Must be able to get things done efficiently and effectively in a complex, matrix organisation.

Please note that we will endeavour to review your application within two weeks and, if there is interest in your candidacy, a Consultant will be in touch. Unfortunately, due to the significant amount of applications we receive, we are unable to provide individual feedback so if you have not heard from us within two weeks, please consider your application unsuccessful. Thank you for your interest. All applications will be subject to Lewis Davey's privacy policy which can be viewed here: Lewis Davey specialise in recruiting talented people across Town Planning, Cleantech & Sustainability and Environmental industries.