Overview
Join our ambitious team spearheading Leicester’s journey to becoming a net zero and climate-adapted city.
As a Sustainability Officer, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the council meets its net zero ambition and climate adaptation goals. You will be employed within the council’s Energy and Sustainability Service, working across departments and with external partners to help embed sustainability into council decision-making, support colleagues in delivering climate initiatives, and engage the wider community.
This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of a forward-thinking local authority that is driving real change. In this full time and permanent role, you will work hybrid, with a mix of remote working and office-based days at City Hall, alongside occasional site visits and external meetings. The role benefits from a flexitime scheme and typically involves standard office hours, with occasional evening work required.
What You’ll Be Doing:
- Advise on sustainability and climate change – Provide expert guidance to colleagues across the council, ensuring policies and projects align with our Climate Ready Leicester program goals.
- Assess compliance and policy impact – Review planning applications, committee reports, and key proposals to ensure they meet sustainability standards.
- Deliver training and engagement – Organise and present training sessions, workshops, and promotional campaigns to encourage climate action within the council and the wider community.
- Monitor and report on progress – Analyse data, track carbon reduction progress, and prepare reports for senior leaders, including the Lead Councillor for climate change.
- Support funding and project development – Identify opportunities for external funding, contribute to grant applications, and assist in delivering sustainability projects, particularly with our Net Zero ambitions.
- Organise high-level meetings – Coordinate agendas and logistics for Climate Emergency Programme Board meetings and Lead Member Briefings.
What You’ll Need:
- Sustainability expertise – Strong knowledge of climate change, carbon reduction, and sustainability issues and best practices.
- Analytical skills – Ability to assess proposals, interpret data, and produce clear, evidence-based recommendations.
- Communication and engagement skills – Confidence in presenting complex information to different audiences, from senior officials to community groups.
- Caseload and project management abilities – Experience in coordinating multiple requests and projects, organising events, and managing workloads effectively.
- Collaboration and influencing skills – Ability to work with a range of stakeholders to drive action and inspire change.
- Digital competency – Confidence working with spreadsheets and writing reports is essential, while sustainability experience with social media and other communications is an advantage.
What We Can Offer You
As well as the satisfaction of helping to improve thousands of lives across Leicester, you can look forward to a work environment that encourages a healthy work/life balance. You’ll enjoy generous annual leave, membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme and the option of flexible working. We’ll also give you the chance to develop your skills and expertise with a variety of training and development opportunities. In addition, you can choose from a number of flexible benefits, including discounts on city buses and trains. For an illustrative value of your benefits package, take a look at our benefits calculator.
For an informal discussion about this role, please contact Duncan Bell at duncan.bell@leicester.gov.uk.
