Environmental Sustainability Lead

Overview

Working with colleagues across the Agency and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), including Finance, People and Corporate Operations you will be responsible for developing and leading delivery of the UK Space Agency Sustainability Strategy.

You will be responsible for both internal and external sustainability reporting, including on performance and risk, as well as coordinating responses to relevant pan Departmental Freedom of Information Requests, Prime Ministers Questions, etc as well external and internal audits. You will ensure compliance with Treasury Sustainability Reporting Guidance, including Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosures and Government Greening Commitments.

At its heart, this is a role that would suit someone with strong experience leading on Sustainability Management including the creation and management of strategies or programmes, who is seeking to operate in an exciting and diverse organisation.

This role is pivotal in shaping the UK Space Agency’s journey in reducing our carbon impact in line with the government’s Net Zero commitments. The Sustainability Lead will be responsible for:

• Leading development and delivery and monitoring the UK Space Agency Sustainability Strategy including delivering against Greening Government Commitments (GGCs).

• Provide high quality reporting to UK Space Agency senior leaders and Decision Boards on UK Space Agency environmental and sustainability performance.

• Identify, model (with the support of UK Space Agency Finance), and reduce our exposure to climate change related risks, ensuring compliance with Treasury Sustainability Reporting Guidance, including Taskforce on Climate Related Financial Disclosures.

• Champion sustainability and environmental consideration as a key element of all property decision making including the development of our estate strategy10.

• Ensure best practices of Corporate Technology / Digital sustainability for environmental performance and social value.

• Represent the UK Space Agency when working alongside other government departments to understand and share best practice for sustainability.

• Partnering with the Government Property Agency (our 100% estates outsourcing partner) to set appropriate sustainability KPI’s and collecting and analysing the Government Property Agency sustainability and environmental data for UK Space Agency reporting purposes.

• Our estates, embedding behaviour change, improving biodiversity of the estate, delivering on Net Zero (driving the reduction in creating carbon and heat emissions).

• Review the UK Space Agency Value Chain and identify options for UK Space Agency suppliers and contractors to demonstrate a high standard of environmental performance and social value.

• Reducing waste (whether it be utilities, air travel, paper, or landfill).

You will work within the Launch, In Orbit Servicing and Manufacturing (ISAM) and Sustainability Directorate reporting to the Head of ISAM and Sustainability. You will provide support in matters of policy and briefings, reporting and analysis, and estates reviews. You will play a critical role in informing business case development, influencing spending decisions and shaping long term roadmaps that go beyond departmental boundaries, setting the standard for sustainability and environmental stewardship within the organisation.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) professional qualification.

• Possesses a high level of credibility and technical expertise in sustainability projects, with a keen emphasis on client satisfaction.

• A proven track record of developing and delivering sustainability projects and services using contracted suppliers.

• Strong Leadership Skills with the ability to shape strategic thinking and implement people and sustainability strategies.

• Possesses a comprehensive and current knowledge of the UK’s environmental strategies and key policies.

• Familiar with HMG best Sustainability Reporting Governance practices including formulating a Climate Change Adaption Strategy.

Desirable criteria:

• The ability to adjust to changing circumstances and new challenges.

• The ability to interact with customers and understand their needs across different levels of the organisation.

Qualifications
Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv)

Behaviours
We’ll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture

• Leadership

• Communicating and Influencing

• Managing a Quality Service

Benefits

Things you need to know
Selection process details
This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Civil Servants:
Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return. Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs).

UK Space Agency Employees:
You must seek approval from your substantive manager before applying for any non-permanent vacancy, this includes applying for a new post during an existing temporary posting. Please note that if applying for a temporary post within UK Space Agency or elsewhere on promotion, successful appointment will not automatically result in a permanent promotion – you will revert to your current substantive grade at the end of the Fixed Term or Loan period (unless funding has been approved to make the post permanent).

As part of the application process, you will be asked to complete a CV which will include job history, qualification details and previous skills and experience. The CV is for information and will not be scored.

The Personal Statement should be aligned to and demonstrate how you meet the skills and experience set out in the essential criteria, detailed in the job description.

The Sift will be assessed on Personal Statement and Behaviours.

The Interview will be assessed on Behaviours.

The Interview location will be MS Teams.

Should a large number of applications be received, an initial sift may be conducted using the lead behaviour Seeing the Big Picture. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview.

• Sift date: w/c 07/07/25

• Interview date: w/c 21/07/25

Candidates are asked to note the above timetable, exercising flexibility through the recruitment and selection process.

The UK Space Agency will not be able fund any travel or subsistence for candidates.

Further information
Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

• Contact Government Recruitment Service via uksarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk  as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

• Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the ‘Contact point for applicants’ section.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check maybe carried out.

Any move to UK Space Agency from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

A reserve list will be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Please note terms and conditions are attached. Please take time to read the document to determine how these may affect you.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service/Disclosure Scotland on your behalf. However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms directly. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre-Employment.Checks@cabinetoffice.gov.uk stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

For further information on the Disclosure Scotland confidential checking service telephone: the Disclosure Scotland Helpline on 0870 609 6006 and ask to speak to the operations manager in confidence, or email Info@disclosurescotland.co.uk.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who

resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Contact point for applicants
Job contact:

• Name :Matt Archer
• Email :matthew.archer@ukspaceagency.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email :uksarecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information
Appointment to the Civil Service is governed by the Civil Service Commission’s Recruitment Principles. If you feel that your application has not been treated in accordance with the recruitment principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance UKSARecruitment.GRS@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web pages: Click here to visit Civil Service Commission/Complaints

Attachments