Overview

This is a hands-on, technical role, with responsibility for managing, mentoring, and inspiring a project team.

You’ll work closely with clients, consultants, and contractors, ensuring projects are technically sound, well-coordinated, and delivered to the highest standards.

Job responsibilities

Sustainability Strategy and Leadership:

  • Develop and implement the Practice’s sustainability strategy, aligned with business objectives and industry best practice.
  • Establish clear sustainability priorities, targets, and measures of success.
  • Provide sustainability leadership and guidance to Directors, project teams, and wider Practice groups.
  • Monitor emerging legislation, standards, and industry trends to ensure the Practice remains current and competitive.
  • Support the development of the Practice’s ESG and sustainability reporting.

Project Sustainability Support:

  • Provide sustainability advice throughout all project stages, from briefing and concept design through to delivery.
  • Support teams in achieving sustainability targets, certifications, and performance outcomes.
  • Review project approaches to carbon reduction, energy efficiency, materials, biodiversity, and climate resilience.
  • Work collaboratively to embed sustainable solutions.

Social Value:

  • Develop and embed the Practice’s approach to social value, ensuring it is integrated into project delivery and the wider Practice strategy.
  • Work with project teams, clients, consultants, and communities to identify opportunities to create meaningful social, economic, and environmental benefits throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Develop and coordinate social value initiatives, including engagement with local communities, schools, colleges, universities, and other stakeholder groups.
  • Support the delivery of education and outreach activities, including school engagement sessions, careers events, workshops, mentoring, and work experience opportunities that encourage future talent and improve access to the profession.
  • Collaborate with project teams and external partners to create opportunities for skills development, apprenticeships, employment pathways, and knowledge sharing where appropriate.
  • Coordinate and maximise the impact of the Practice’s social value activities, including the effective planning and delivery of volunteering initiatives, community partnerships, and employee led engagement activities.
  • Support project teams in identifying and delivering social value commitments within bids, tenders, frameworks, and project delivery plans, ensuring alignment with client requirements and measurable outcomes.
  • Establish appropriate methods for monitoring and evaluating social value impact, capturing outcomes such as community engagement, learning opportunities, skills development, and local economic benefits.
  • Capture, communicate, and share social value achievements, case studies, and lessons learned to demonstrate impact and support continuous improvement across the Practice.

Knowledge Sharing and Capability Building:

  • Develop sustainability guidance, resources, and tools to support project teams.
  • Deliver training sessions and knowledge sharing activities.
  • Promote a culture of continuous improvement and sustainable design excellence.
  • Support the development of sustainability skills across all levels of the Practice.

Bid Support and Business Development:

  • Represent the Practice on sustainability matters      with clients, consultants, industry groups, and professional networks.
  • Support the preparation of bid responses by providing sustainability expertise, evidence, and technical input that demonstrates the Practice’s capability and approach.
  • Review bid requirements, sustainability criteria, and client expectations to ensure responses are aligned with project objectives, procurement requirements, and evaluation criteria.
  • Work collaboratively with to develop clear, compelling, and tailored sustainability narratives.
  • Identify opportunities to strengthen bids through sustainability innovation, net zero approaches, social value commitments, ESG performance, and relevant project experience.
  • Ensure sustainability commitments made during bidding are realistic, measurable, and capable of being delivered through project stages.
  • Maintain and develop sustainability content, case studies, evidence, and best practice examples to support future bids and framework submissions.

Job requirements

  • Proven experience leading sustainability initiatives within an architecture, built environment, or design practice.
  • Strong understanding of sustainable design principles, building performance, carbon reduction, and environmental assessment methodologies.
  • Passionate about sustainability, social value, and improving the built environment.
  • Able to influence and inspire others to adopt more sustainable ways of working.
  • Experience delivering sustainability strategies and advising project teams from concept through to completion.
  • Ability to analyse data, identify insights, and translate findings into practical improvements.
  • Strong communication skills with the ability to influence architects, clients, consultants, and senior stakeholders.
  • Comfortable challenging existing approaches and encouraging continuous improvement.
  • Able to balance strategic thinking with practical project delivery.
  • Experience developing social value strategies and demonstrating positive outcomes through projects.
  • Committed to sharing knowledge and developing sustainability capability across teams.
Apply for job