Overview
The NHS has committed to becoming the world’s first net zero health service. At Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, that ambition is live, supported, and moving fast. We now need an exceptional leader to drive it forward.
This is a genuinely rare opportunity. As Head of Sustainability, you will lead our Green Plan from strategy into delivery: shaping how a busy integrated Trust serving over half a million patients reduces its carbon footprint, builds climate resilience, and embeds sustainability into everyday clinical and operational practice.
You will have real authority and real resources. The role is funded, Board-supported, and sits within a Property Services leadership team that is already delivering major sustainability projects, including the completion of the Wycombe Hospital de-steaming scheme.
If you would like to find out more before applying, you are warmly encouraged to contact Matt Taylor, Director of Estates, directly at matt.taylor1@nhs.net.
To understand the scale and ambition of what you will be leading, we encourage you to read our Green Plan 2025 to 2028 before applying: Green Plan 2025 to 2028 – Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust
Main duties of the job
Senior leadership role owning the Trust’s sustainability agenda, reporting to the Director of Estates and providing assurance to the Board, Executive Team, and NHS England on statutory obligations and Net Zero targets.
You will chair the Sustainability Committee, lead the Green Champions Network, and represent BHT in ICS and NHS England forums, influencing at Board level and holding teams and partners to account for delivery.
You will lead energy efficiency and carbon reduction programmes, oversee Heat Decarbonisation Plans across all sites, and provide sustainability assurance on capital projects against the NHS Net Zero Building Standard and whole-life carbon principles.
You will develop investment proposals, pursue external funding, embed the NHS Net Zero Supplier Roadmap into procurement, and manage utility budgets and energy contracts.
You will lead the Sustainable Travel Plan, waste reduction, biodiversity strategy, and sustainable food agenda, ensuring each contributes measurably to Green Plan targets.
You will own mandatory returns including ERIC, Greener NHS, ESOS, and UK ETS, and build the systems needed to evidence performance to the Board and regulators.
We are looking for a senior sustainability professional with expertise in environmental legislation, carbon management, and NHS frameworks, a proven track record in a complex organisation, and the leadership skills to inspire and make sustainability a shared endeavour at every level.
Working for our organisation
Why colleagues think we are “a great place to work!”
What does Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust offer you?
As part of our BHT family, you’ll benefit from learning and development opportunities to support your career progression.
Alongside NHS benefits of generous annual leave entitlement and pension scheme, you’ll have access to NHS discount schemes.
We provide a range of health and wellbeing services to promote a healthy, happy workforce.
What do we stand for?
Our vision is to provide outstanding care, support healthy communities and be a great place to work.
Our mission is to provide personal and compassionate care every time.
We are working hard to increase diversity at all levels within the trust. We believe a diverse workforce can have a positive effect on both staff wellbeing and patient outcomes.
We welcome applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates, candidates with disabilities and care-experienced candidates.
We are proud to achieve the Gold award for the Armed Forces Covenant and support applications from the Armed Forces Community. Please contact Pam.Daley@nhs.net (our Armed Forces Covenant Lead) if you would like guidance or assistance with your application.
We make employment decisions by matching our service needs with the skills and experience of candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For a comprehensive list of responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to the Job Description and Person Specification by downloading the JD and PS attachment in the advert.
If you are an internal applicant there is the option for secondment, all applicants must have the endorsement/support of their line manager prior to application.
If you have a disability that makes submitting this online application difficult and would like assistance, please contact us on bht.recruitment@nhs.net quoting the vacancy reference number.
Person specification
Qualifications & Training
Essential criteria
- Master’s Degree (or equivalent specialist qualification).
- Further specialist professional knowledge acquired through documented CPD training which provides, or is equivalent to, a master’s-level qualification.
Desirable criteria
- Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) or member of the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) or Chartered Institute of Waste Management (CIWM).
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Strategic leadership and problem-solving abilities to handle complex corporate objectives.
- Expert knowledge of environmental legislation, NHS sustainability requirements, and relevant technical guidance.
- Strong financial acumen including budget management and business case development.
- Proven track record in delivering sustainability improvements in a complex organisation.
- Knowledge of sustainability reporting frameworks and methodologies.
Desirable criteria
- Prior experience of managing compliance schemes such as: Department of Health and other estates and health schemes, NHS Premises Assurance Model (PAM), NHS Estates Return Information, Collection (ERIC), 6 Facet Surveys, HTM’s and Estates specific legislation
- Experience of developing and implementing NHS Green Plans (or equivalent).
PPE requirements: Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust requires all colleagues to wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) in accordance with our infection prevention and control procedures.
COVID-19 and Flu vaccinations remain the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course our patients from the viruses when working in our healthcare settings. We encourage our staff to be vaccinated when recommended.
Application deadline: This post will close on the closing date stated at midnight, however if we receive a large number of applications or there is a change in circumstance, we may be required to close a job before the advertised date.
Contacting you: We will contact candidates through the email address supplied on their application form. Please make sure you check this regularly.
Application information: If you are offered a job, information will be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records (ESR) system.
Shortlisting: The monitoring and safeguarding sections are not made visible to the shortlisting panel. The safeguarding section may be made visible to the interview panel, dependent on the role being recruited into.
Travel expenses: It is Trust policy that travel expenses for interviews will not be reimbursed.
Smoking: All Trust sites are NO SMOKING. Smoking in all areas of the buildings and premises is prohibited.
