Associate Director – Sustainability and Resiliency

As our  Associate Director – Sustainability and Resiliencey, you will provide technical and operational leadership to our sustainability team. Working closely with Business Class Leaders, Project Managers and colleagues across Building Engineering Services, you will help drive technical excellence, strengthen project delivery and support the successful operation of the wider business.

About You

You will be an experienced sustainability professional with a strong consultancy background in the built environment and a proven record of delivering complex, multidisciplinary projects. You will combine advanced technical knowledge with confident leadership, sound commercial judgement and a genuine commitment to developing people. As a sustainability professional A recognised specialist accreditation would be advantageous. This could include BREEAM Licensed Assessor, WELL AP, LEED AP, EIA Practitioner, Envision Sustainability Professional, Low Carbon Consultant, NABERS UK Assessor or another qualification relevant to your specialist expertise

Responsibilities 

In the role of Associate Director – Sustainability and Resiliency and Team Lead, we’ll count on you to:

• Represent HDR and BES as a manager – with a Client/Customer service mentality.
• Work hand in hand with the Area Business Class Leads and Project Managers as a member of the area BES operations team to facilitate the successful operation of the group.
• Motivate individuals within the business class section.
• Exert a positive influence in the work environment and help to maintain team morale.
• Engage with fellow “Team Leads” throughout BES and build a community of practice around technical excellence and project delivery for respective business class. Work collaboratively to satisfy and support enterprise needs.
• Work closely with the Regional Business Class leaders to align culture of technical excellence within the Sustainability & Resilience section.
• Provide technical leadership across several sustainability disciplines.
• Maintain awareness of current legislation, regulations, guidance and industry best practice relevant to sustainability services.
• Undertake independent technical reviews of sustainability reports, calculations and project deliverables.
• Support Project Managers in planning, programming and delivering sustainability services.
• Develop and maintain strong client relationships.
• Identify opportunities for additional services and repeat business.
• Provide day-to-day supervision of Sustainability Graduates, Consultants, Senior Consultants and Associates.
• Act as mentor and technical coach to junior and developing staff.
• Assist Directors with resource forecasting and utilisation planning.
• Contribute to business planning and operational improvement initiatives.
• Maintain trusted relationships with key clients and project stakeholders.

Requirements

• Minimum 10 years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience working in a consultancy environment is essential.
• Proven experience delivering complex sustainability projects.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary design teams.
• Experience reviewing and approving technical deliverables.
• Experience mentoring and supervising technical professionals.
• Strong understanding of project delivery processes and commercial considerations.
• Experience supporting project management, workload planning and resource management activities
• Advanced technical knowledge of sustainability consultancy services.
• Strong quality assurance and technical review capability.
• Excellent leadership and people management skills.
• Strong project delivery and organisational skills.
• Effective stakeholder and client relationship management abilities.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of consultancy operations.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong mentoring and coaching capability.

What’s in it for you! 

We want our people to feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.  That’s why our reward package goes beyond salary, with benefits designed to support you at work and in the moments that matter outside it!

Financial Wellbeing

• Competitive pension scheme.
• Life Assurance
• Income Protection
• Interest-free season ticket loans
• Long service awards recognising and celebrating career milestones.

Employee Ownership & Rewards

• Opportunity to participate in the HDR Phantom Share Programme, giving employees the chance to share in the success of the business.
• Employee referral bonus scheme with rewards for successful introductions.
• Client introduction awards recognising business development contributions.

Health & Wellbeing

• Private Medical Insurance.
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellness platform that rewards healthy activities and provides wellbeing resources.

Lifestyle

• 25 days annual leave excluding bank holidays.
• Additional annual leave entitlement for long service.
• Cycle to Work scheme.

Family Support

• Enhanced maternity, adoption, and paternity pay and leave provisions.
• Compassionate leave.

Learning & Development

• Professional membership fee paid by HDR.
• Professional registration, chartership and certification support.
• Professional achievement bonus for eligible registrations, charterships and certifications.

What We Believe
HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other’s life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment
As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.