Head of Sustainability

Role Purpose & Context

Role Summary

The Head of Sustainability is responsible for defining and driving our entire sustainability strategy across the real estate portfolio. You'll be the architect of our environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programmes, making sure they actually get built and deliver real impact. Day-to-day, this means you're setting the vision, leading a team, and making sure our properties are not just compliant, but genuinely sustainable and attractive to investors. You'll sit right at the heart of our operations, investment, and finance teams, translating complex climate science and regulatory demands into clear, actionable business strategies. You're the bridge between our long-term vision and the practicalities of managing buildings. When this role is done well, our portfolio will be recognised as a leader in sustainable property, attracting green finance, reducing operational costs, and increasing asset value. Get it wrong, and we risk having 'stranded assets' – properties that become financially unviable due to climate risks or outdated standards. The challenge is balancing ambitious targets with the messy reality of property management and getting everyone on board. The reward? You get to genuinely shape the future of our real estate, making a tangible difference to our bottom line and the planet.

Reporting Structure

• Reports to: Director of ESG
• Direct reports: Roughly 10-25 people, including a few managers
• Matrix relationships: Principal Sustainability Manager, ESG Lead, Real Estate, Sustainability Director (Property),

Key Stakeholders

Internal:

• SVP, Asset Management
• Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Finance Committee
• Head of Property Development
• Legal & Compliance Team
• Heads of Facilities Management

External:

• Industry bodies (e.g., BPF, UKGBC)
• ESG rating agencies (e.g., GRESB, CDP, MSCI)
• Green finance providers and investors
• Key external sustainability consultants
• Regulatory bodies (e.g., BEIS, Environment Agency)

Organisational Impact

Scope: This role directly shapes our company's reputation, financial performance, and long-term resilience in the face of climate change. You'll be instrumental in securing green financing, mitigating climate-related risks to our assets, and ensuring we meet increasingly stringent regulatory requirements. Your work impacts everything from property valuations to tenant satisfaction and investor confidence. Frankly, it's about future-proofing the business.

Performance Metrics

Quantitative Metrics

1. Metric: Portfolio Decarbonisation Progress
2. Desc: Percentage of the managed portfolio (by GIA or value) aligned with our Science-Based Targets and CRREM pathways.
3. Target: Achieve 75% alignment of portfolio assets with 1.5°C CRREM pathways by 2030, with clear annual milestones.
4. Freq: Annually, with quarterly progress reviews.
5. Example: In 2024, ensure 45% of our core office portfolio is on track for net-zero by 2040, up from 30% in 2023. This means reviewing asset-level decarbonisation plans and capital expenditure proposals.
6. Metric: ESG Rating & Disclosure Improvement
7. Desc: Year-on-year improvement in key external ESG benchmarks and ratings (e.g., GRESB, CDP, MSCI).
8. Target: Increase our GRESB 'Green Star' rating by 5 points annually and improve our CDP climate score from 'B' to 'A-' within two years.
9. Freq: Annually, following submission cycles.
10. Example: After a GRESB score of 78 in 2023, aim for 83 in 2024 by implementing specific improvements identified in the gap analysis, such as enhanced tenant engagement on energy data.
11. Metric: Green Finance & Investment Integration
12. Desc: Amount of green financing secured or influenced, and the degree to which ESG factors are embedded in investment decisions.
13. Target: Directly contribute to securing £200M in green bonds or sustainability-linked loans within three years. Ensure ESG due diligence is a mandatory step for all new acquisitions over £50M.
14. Freq: Ongoing, reported quarterly to the Finance Committee.
15. Example: Successfully advise the investment team on the ESG risks and opportunities for a £75M acquisition, leading to the inclusion of specific green clauses in the financing agreement.
16. Metric: Sustainability Programme Budget Adherence
17. Desc: Management of the sustainability department's operational and capital expenditure budget.
18. Target: Maintain actual spend within ±5% of the approved annual budget for sustainability initiatives and team operations.
19. Freq: Monthly review, quarterly forecast updates.
20. Example: If the annual budget for a new energy efficiency programme is £1.5M, actual spend should be between £1.425M and £1.575M, with any significant variances explained and approved.
21. Metric: Team Development & Retention
22. Desc: Growth and stability of the sustainability team.
23. Target: Achieve a team retention rate of 85%+ annually and ensure all direct reports have a clear development plan with at least two completed objectives per year.
24. Freq: Annually for retention, bi-annually for development plan reviews.
25. Example: Successfully mentor a Senior Sustainability Advisor into a Manager role within 18 months, demonstrating clear progression and leadership development.

Qualitative Metrics

1. Metric: Strategic Influence & Integration
2. Desc: How well sustainability considerations are integrated into core business decisions, beyond just your team.
3. Evidence: You'll be regularly invited to investment committee meetings, asked for input on major development projects, and your recommendations will be visibly shaping corporate policy. Asset managers will proactively seek your advice on property upgrades and tenant engagement. The board will cite your insights in their external communications.
4. Metric: Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration
5. Desc: The effectiveness of your relationships with key internal and external stakeholders, fostering a collaborative approach to sustainability.
6. Evidence: Positive feedback from asset managers, finance, and development teams regarding your team's support and solutions. You'll have strong relationships with key industry bodies, leading to opportunities for thought leadership. External consultants will consistently report positive experiences working with your team.
7. Metric: Team Leadership & Culture
8. Desc: The ability to build, motivate, and develop a high-performing sustainability team.
9. Evidence: High team morale and engagement survey scores. Your team members will feel supported, challenged, and see clear career paths. You'll be known for fostering a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and accountability. People will want to work on your team, frankly.
10. Metric: Innovation & Future-Proofing
11. Desc: The proactive identification and implementation of new technologies, methodologies, or strategies to keep the company ahead of the curve.
12. Evidence: Successful pilot projects for emerging green technologies (e.g., smart building tech, low-carbon materials). Your team will regularly present new ideas that genuinely challenge the status quo. We'll be recognised externally for our forward-thinking approach to climate risk and opportunity.

Primary Traits

• Trait: Pragmatic Influencer
• Manifestation: You're the one who can walk into a room with the CFO and not just talk about carbon emissions, but about the ROI of a deep energy retrofit. You'll build robust business cases for green initiatives, focusing on how they boost asset value, reduce risk, and improve Net Operating Income (NOI). When an Asset Manager is sceptical, you'll find a solution that also makes their life easier or improves their quarterly numbers. You translate complex climate science into commercial language that makes sense to people whose bonuses are tied to property performance.
• Benefit: Honestly, you won't have direct authority over the multi-million-pound capital budgets. Your success depends entirely on your ability to convince the people who do have that power that your strategy isn't just a 'nice to have' cost, but a critical investment. It's about preventing 'stranded assets' and making us more competitive, not just being 'green'.
• Trait: Unflappable Resilience
• Manifestation: You'll hear 'the budget's been cut' for a big solar PV project and immediately pivot, perhaps exploring a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) model. When a GRESB score comes back lower than expected, you don't panic; you methodically deconstruct it into an actionable improvement plan for the next cycle. You'll face resistance from a major tenant on data sharing, but you'll patiently work with our legal and leasing teams to find a solution that works for everyone. Setbacks are just detours, not dead ends, in your mind.
• Benefit: The truth is, you will be constantly blocked. Budget constraints, frustrating data gaps, operational inertia, and the sheer complexity of property portfolios are daily realities. Without the ability to absorb these setbacks, maintain your composure, and creatively find alternative paths, you'll burn out quickly and fail to make any real progress. We need someone who can keep pushing, even when it feels like wading through treacle.
• Trait: Systems Thinker
• Manifestation: You're the person who connects the dots. You'll see how a change in our procurement policy for low-carbon concrete impacts our SBTi targets, our TCFD reporting obligations, and our green financing covenants all at once. You understand how implementing a new tenant engagement app can affect utility consumption, our WELL certification scores, and our overall GRESB performance. You don't just solve problems; you understand their ripple effects across the entire business.
• Benefit: Sustainability in real estate isn't a siloed function. It's a complex, interconnected web of interactions between asset management, finance, development, procurement, legal, and operations. You must see the entire system, understand these dependencies, and identify the highest-leverage interventions to make a meaningful, lasting impact. Otherwise, you're just putting out fires, not preventing them.

Supporting Traits

• Trait: Commercially Astute
• Desc: You understand property valuation, Net Operating Income (NOI), the difference between CapEx and OpEx, and what investors truly expect from a sustainable portfolio. You speak the language of finance and asset management.
• Trait: Data-Driven Storyteller
• Desc: You can take reams of complex data – energy consumption, waste audits, carbon footprints – and weave them into a compelling, easy-to-understand narrative for the board, investors, or even a sceptical asset manager. You don't just present numbers; you tell the story behind them.
• Trait: Patiently Tenacious
• Desc: You know when to push hard and when to wait for the right moment, but you never lose sight of the long-term goal. You're persistent without being annoying, understanding that big changes in real estate take time and consistent effort.
• Trait: Deeply Curious
• Desc: You're genuinely interested in staying ahead of the curve on emerging green technologies, evolving regulations (like CSRD), and market trends. You're always learning, always exploring new ways to make our properties better.

Primary Motivators

1. Motivator: Making a Tangible Impact
2. Daily: You'll feel a real sense of accomplishment when you see a major energy reduction project go live, or when a new development achieves a 'Outstanding' BREEAM rating. This isn't theoretical; it's about seeing physical changes and measurable environmental benefits on the ground.
3. Motivator: Shaping Strategic Direction
4. Daily: You thrive on defining the 'what' and 'how' of our sustainability journey. You'll be in strategic meetings, influencing investment decisions, and designing the frameworks that guide our future property acquisitions and developments. It's about being at the table, not just executing.
5. Motivator: Building and Empowering a Team
6. Daily: You get a kick out of seeing your team members grow, develop new skills, and take on bigger challenges. You'll spend time mentoring, coaching, and creating opportunities for your team to shine, knowing their collective success is your success.

Potential Demotivators

Honestly, this role isn't for everyone. If you need things to be perfectly linear or always go according to plan, you'll struggle. There's a lot of ambiguity, a lot of pushing against entrenched ways of doing things, and a fair bit of 'green-wishing' from leadership without the corresponding budget. You'll often feel like you're fighting for resources or explaining the same concept repeatedly. If you can't handle the grind of data collection or the political dance of getting buy-in, this might not be your gig.

Common Frustrations

1. The Data Nightmare: Spending 50% of your team's time chasing, cleaning, and validating inconsistent utility data from hundreds of tenant-controlled meters, manual spreadsheets, and disparate property management systems. It's a constant battle.
2. The CapEx Battle: Presenting a compelling energy retrofit project with a solid 4-year payback period, only to have it rejected by a finance committee focused on a 2-year hurdle rate and preserving short-term cash flow. It's frustrating when the long-term view gets sidelined.
3. Asset Manager Apathy: Dealing with asset managers whose bonuses are tied solely to quarterly NOI and who view your requests for building upgrades or tenant engagement as a distraction from their core job. Getting them on board is a constant negotiation.
4. "Green-wishing" from Leadership: Being asked by the board to commit to an ambitious 'Net Zero by 2030' target without the corresponding budget, resources, or genuine authority to actually implement the required changes. It feels like setting yourself up for failure.
5. Framework Fatigue: Just as you've mastered GRESB and TCFD, you're hit with the 1,100+ data points required for CSRD, forcing a complete overhaul of your data collection processes. It's a never-ending cycle of new regulations.
6. Tenant Indifference: Rolling out a state-of-the-art recycling programme only to find tenants are still putting coffee cups in the general waste, undermining all your waste diversion metrics. It's demoralising when your efforts are ignored.

What Role Doesn't Offer

1. A quiet, predictable work environment where everything follows a clear process. Expect constant shifts and unexpected challenges.
2. Unlimited budget for every green initiative you propose. You'll need to be smart and creative with resources.
3. Direct control over every operational decision in every building. You'll influence, persuade, and advise much more than you'll dictate.
4. A role where you can avoid complex financial discussions or difficult conversations with senior leaders. You'll be in the thick of it.

ADHD Positives

1. The fast-paced, multi-faceted nature of the role, with many different projects and challenges, can be really engaging. You'll rarely be bored.
2. The need for creative problem-solving and finding alternative solutions when faced with blockers can be a strong suit.
3. The constant learning about new technologies and regulations can be highly stimulating and rewarding.

ADHD Challenges and Accommodations

1. The sheer volume of information and the need to track progress across many different initiatives might be overwhelming. We can help with structured project management tools and dedicated support for tracking.
2. The need for meticulous data validation and reporting can be tedious. We can provide tools for automation and dedicated data analysts to support this, allowing you to focus on strategy.
3. Maintaining focus during long strategic meetings or detailed report reviews. We can ensure regular breaks and provide pre-reads with clear agendas and key decision points.

Dyslexia Positives

1. The strong emphasis on strategic thinking, problem-solving, and visual communication (dashboards, presentations) can be a real strength.
2. Your ability to see the 'big picture' and make connections across complex systems is highly valued in this role.
3. The need to communicate complex ideas in simple, compelling ways often benefits from a less conventional, more intuitive approach.

Dyslexia Challenges and Accommodations

1. The extensive written reporting (ESG reports, board papers) and detailed documentation requirements might be challenging. We can provide access to proofreading software, dedicated editorial support, and encourage visual communication methods.
2. Reading and synthesising dense regulatory documents. We can use AI summarisation tools and ensure key information is presented in bullet points or visual formats.
3. Ensuring accuracy in numerical data within reports. We can implement robust data validation processes and provide tools with strong error-checking capabilities.

Autism Positives

1. The analytical rigour required for carbon accounting, data analysis, and regulatory compliance can be a natural fit.
2. A deep focus on systems thinking and understanding complex interdependencies within the real estate ecosystem is crucial and often a strength.
3. The opportunity to specialise and become an expert in specific areas of sustainability (e.g., green building certifications, climate risk modelling).

Autism Challenges and Accommodations

1. The high degree of internal and external stakeholder engagement, requiring constant negotiation and influence, might be demanding. We can provide clear communication guidelines, pre-meeting agendas, and support for navigating complex social dynamics.
2. Dealing with ambiguity and frequently changing priorities. We aim for clear strategic objectives but acknowledge operational shifts. We can offer structured planning tools and regular check-ins to manage expectations.
3. Sensory considerations in various office and site environments. We can offer flexible working arrangements, quiet spaces, and ensure site visits are planned with sensory needs in mind.

Key Responsibilities

Experience Levels Responsibilities

1. Level: Head of Sustainability (L5)
2. Responsibilities: Set the overall corporate sustainability strategy for our real estate portfolio, making sure it aligns with our business goals and investor expectations. This means looking 3-5 years ahead, not just next quarter.
3. Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing sustainability team (roughly 10-25 people), fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement. You'll be responsible for their development and making sure they have what they need to succeed.
4. Own the sustainability budget (typically £500K-£2M annually), making sure we're getting the best value for money and allocating resources to the highest impact initiatives. You'll have to justify every pound.
5. Drive the integration of ESG considerations into our core business processes, especially in investment decisions, property development, and asset management. This isn't a side project; it's central to how we operate.
6. Oversee all external ESG reporting and disclosures, including our annual GRESB submission, CDP reporting, and preparing for upcoming mandatory frameworks like CSRD and ISSB. You're accountable for the accuracy and quality of these submissions.
7. Represent the company externally at industry events, investor briefings, and with key regulatory bodies. You'll be our voice on sustainability, shaping our reputation and influencing the wider sector.
8. Identify and assess emerging climate risks and opportunities for our portfolio, developing strategies to mitigate the former and capitalise on the latter. This means staying ahead of the curve on things like physical climate risk and transition risk.
9. Supervision: You'll operate with a high degree of autonomy, setting your own quarterly objectives in alignment with the Director of ESG and the executive team. Expect strategic alignment discussions monthly, but day-to-day, you're self-directed.
10. Decision: You'll have full authority for the sustainability function, including budget allocation up to £2M, hiring and firing decisions within your team, and selecting key external consultants (up to £250K contract value). Strategic direction for the function is yours to define, though major shifts will require alignment with the Director of ESG and the executive team. Decisions impacting company-wide P&L or major investment criteria will require SVP/CFO approval.
11. Success: Your success will be measured by the achievement of our portfolio decarbonisation targets, year-on-year improvements in our ESG ratings, the successful integration of ESG into investment processes, the effective management of your budget, and the growth and retention of your team. Ultimately, it's about making our real estate portfolio more resilient, valuable, and genuinely sustainable.

Decision-Making Authority

• Type: Strategic Direction for Sustainability
• Entry: No input. Executes defined tasks.
• Mid: Proposes improvements to existing strategies for specific projects.
• Senior: Designs and recommends new strategic initiatives for workstreams, with Director input.
• Type: Budget Allocation (Sustainability Programmes)
• Entry: None. Follows allocated budget for tasks.
• Mid: Manages project-level budgets up to £10K, escalating variances.
• Senior: Approves project budgets up to £50K, recommends larger CapEx proposals.
• Type: Team Hiring & Structure
• Entry: None. Is a direct report.
• Mid: Provides informal feedback on junior hires.
• Senior: Interviews junior team members, mentors new hires.
• Type: External Consultant Selection
• Entry: None. Works with chosen consultants.
• Mid: Provides feedback on consultant performance for specific tasks.
• Senior: Recommends specific consultants for project work up to £50K.

Competency Requirements

Foundation Skills (Transferable)

As Head of Sustainability, your foundation skills need to be rock solid. We're talking about the leadership, strategic thinking, and communication abilities that allow you to drive change across a complex organisation. These aren't just 'nice-to-haves'; they're essential for success in a role that demands influence and vision.

• Category: Strategic Leadership & Vision
• Skills: Ability to translate broad organisational goals into a clear, actionable sustainability strategy.
• Proven track record of building and leading high-performing teams, fostering a culture of accountability and innovation.
• Capacity to anticipate future trends and risks (e.g., climate change impacts, regulatory shifts) and integrate them into long-term planning.
• Skill in defining and communicating a compelling vision that inspires action across different departments.
• Category: Executive Communication & Influence
• Skills: Exceptional ability to present complex information clearly and concisely to senior leadership, the board, and external stakeholders.
• Mastery of negotiation and persuasion, particularly when advocating for sustainability initiatives that require significant investment or operational changes.
• Skill in building strong, collaborative relationships with diverse internal and external stakeholders, from asset managers to investors.
• Adept at tailoring communication style and content to different audiences, ensuring messages resonate and drive desired outcomes.
• Category: Change Management & Resilience
• Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead organisational change, overcoming resistance and driving adoption of new practices and technologies.
• High degree of resilience and adaptability when faced with budget constraints, unexpected challenges, or shifting priorities.
• Capacity to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, ensuring key milestones are met and resources are optimised.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving, identifying root causes and implementing sustainable solutions rather than just patching symptoms.
• Category: Commercial Acumen & Financial Literacy
• Skills: Deep understanding of real estate finance, including property valuation, Net Operating Income (NOI), CapEx vs. OpEx, and investor return expectations.
• Ability to build robust business cases for sustainability initiatives, demonstrating clear ROI, risk mitigation, and asset value uplift.
• Experience managing significant departmental budgets (£500K-£2M+), including forecasting, allocation, and cost control.
• Understanding of green finance mechanisms (e.g., green bonds, sustainability-linked loans) and their application in real estate.

Functional Skills (Role-Specific Technical)

This role demands a deep, practical understanding of sustainability within the real estate and facilities management sector. You'll need to be an expert in the frameworks, methodologies, and technologies that drive real environmental and social impact, and crucially, you'll need to know how to apply them strategically.

Technical Competencies

• Skill: GHG Protocol & Carbon Accounting (Strategic Application)
• Desc: You'll need a mastery of Scope 1, 2, and all 15 categories of Scope 3 emissions, with a particular focus on Category 13 (Downstream Leased Assets) and Category 1 (Purchased Goods & Services) for development projects. This isn't just about calculation; it's about designing the data collection strategy, ensuring data quality, and setting portfolio-wide reduction targets.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Climate-Related Financial Reporting Frameworks (Implementation Strategy)
• Desc: Deep practical experience in implementing TCFD recommendations, preparing for mandatory reporting under ISSB (S1 & S2), and navigating CSRD requirements. This includes leading double materiality assessments and translating these frameworks into actionable data collection and disclosure processes for a large portfolio.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Green Building Certification Standards (Portfolio-wide Strategy)
• Desc: Expertise in the technical requirements, documentation, and strategic application of BREEAM (In-Use, New Construction), LEED (O+M, BD+C), WELL, and NABERS across a diverse property portfolio. You'll set the certification targets and oversee their delivery, ensuring they align with our overall sustainability goals.
• Level: Expert
• Skill: Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) & Embodied Carbon (Strategic Integration)
• Desc: Ability to integrate whole-life carbon assessments (per EN 15978) into new developments and major retrofits. This means not just understanding the methodology, but influencing procurement and design decisions to minimise embodied carbon from materials like concrete and steel, and construction processes.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Science-Based Targets initiative (SBTi) (Target Setting & Monitoring)
• Desc: Comprehensive knowledge of SBTi methodologies for setting near-term and long-term corporate decarbonisation targets, including the specific guidance for the buildings sector. You'll be responsible for setting, validating, and monitoring our company's SBTi commitments.
• Level: Advanced
• Skill: Energy Auditing & Management (Programme Oversight)
• Desc: A strong understanding of ASHRAE energy audit levels (I, II, III) and principles of energy procurement, utility bill validation, and Measurement & Verification (M&V) using IPMVP. You'll oversee programmes that deliver energy efficiency, rather than conducting the audits yourself.
• Level: Advanced

Digital Tools

• Tool: Measurabl, Deepki, Envizi (IBM), Schneider Electric Resource Advisor
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Leading the selection, procurement, and enterprise-wide deployment of ESG data platforms. Designing the data governance framework, architecting API integrations with ERP/BMS, and ensuring data quality for all reporting. You're defining how we use these tools at scale.
• Tool: IESVE (Integrated Environmental Solutions), eQuest, EnergyPlus
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Setting corporate building energy modeling standards and using aggregated model data to inform portfolio-wide decarbonisation capital planning. You're not running individual models, but using their outputs to drive strategic decisions.
• Tool: Schneider Electric EcoStruxure, Siemens Desigo CC, Johnson Controls Metasys
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Defining the enterprise-level BMS data strategy, specifying which data points are critical for ESG reporting, performance optimisation, and integration with other platforms. You're ensuring the data we need is available and clean.
• Tool: Power BI, Tableau
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Designing the executive-level ESG dashboard suite, defining key performance indicators (KPIs), and crafting the data stories for the Board and Investment Committee. You're making sure the right people see the right information in a compelling way.
• Tool: OneTrust ESG & Sustainability Cloud, Diligent ESG
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Setting the overall GRC strategy, overseeing the platform's use for climate risk scenario analysis (TCFD), and reporting to the board on compliance status and risk exposure. You're ensuring we're compliant and proactive.
• Tool: Diligent Boards, Nasdaq Boardvantage
• Level: Strategic/Architect
• Usage: Presenting the ESG strategy and performance directly to the board using these platforms, answering live questions on risk, opportunity, and progress. You're the one facing the music at the highest level.

Industry Knowledge

• Area: Real Estate Investment & Development Lifecycle
• Desc: Deep understanding of the entire property lifecycle, from acquisition and development to asset management, leasing, and disposition. Knowing where sustainability interventions can have the most impact at each stage.
• Area: Facilities Management & Building Operations
• Desc: Comprehensive knowledge of building systems (HVAC, lighting, controls), energy management best practices, waste management, and water efficiency in commercial and residential properties.
• Area: Property Valuation & Green Premiums
• Desc: Understanding how sustainability features and performance can impact property valuations, rental premiums, and investor appeal (the 'green premium').
• Area: Tenant Engagement & Behavioural Change
• Desc: Strategies and best practices for engaging tenants in sustainability initiatives, encouraging energy-efficient behaviours, and improving waste diversion rates.

Regulatory Compliance Regulations

• Reg: UK Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
• Usage: Ensuring portfolio-wide compliance, developing strategies for assets at risk, and advising on capital expenditure to meet future MEES requirements.
• Reg: Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR)
• Usage: Overseeing the accurate and timely submission of SECR reports, ensuring data integrity and compliance with reporting standards.
• Reg: EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) & European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS)
• Usage: Leading the company's preparation for CSRD, including conducting double materiality assessments, implementing new data collection processes, and ensuring compliance with ESRS for relevant entities.
• Reg: International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) S1 & S2
• Usage: Advising on the integration of ISSB standards into our financial reporting, particularly concerning climate-related disclosures (S2) and general sustainability-related financial disclosures (S1).
• Reg: Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD)
• Usage: Overseeing the full implementation of TCFD recommendations across governance, strategy, risk management, metrics, and targets, ensuring robust disclosures in annual reports.

Essential Prerequisites

• A proven track record of 12-16 years leading successful sustainability programmes within the real estate or facilities management sector, with at least 5 years in a management or strategic role.
• Demonstrated experience in developing and implementing corporate sustainability strategies that have delivered measurable environmental and financial outcomes.
• Deep expertise in at least two major green building certification schemes (e.g., BREEAM, LEED, WELL) and significant experience with global ESG reporting frameworks (e.g., GRESB, CDP, TCFD).
• Experience managing significant budgets (£500K+) and leading diverse teams (10+ individuals, including other managers).
• A strong understanding of real estate financial metrics, investment processes, and how sustainability impacts asset value and risk.
• A network within the UK real estate sustainability community, including industry bodies, consultants, and peer organisations.

Career Pathway Context

You're not just stepping into a job; you're stepping into a leadership role that builds on years of hands-on experience and strategic thinking. We expect you to hit the ground running, not just with technical knowledge, but with the ability to lead, influence, and drive change from day one. This isn't a learning role; it's a doing role for someone who's already proven their stripes.

Qualifications & Credentials

Emerging Foundation Skills

• Skill: Climate Risk Modelling & Scenario Analysis (TCFD, CRREM)
• Why: Climate change isn't just an environmental issue; it's a financial one. Investors and regulators (like TCFD and ISSB) are demanding more sophisticated analysis of physical and transition risks to real estate portfolios. Understanding tools like CRREM pathways is becoming critical for asset valuation and capital allocation.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Physical climate risks (e.g., flood, heat stress) ', 'description': 'Physical climate risks (e.g., flood, heat stress) and their impact on assets.'}, {'concept_name': 'Transition risks (e.g., carbon pricing, policy cha', 'description': 'Transition risks (e.g., carbon pricing, policy changes) and their financial implications.'}, {'concept_name': 'Scenario analysis (e.g., 1.5°C vs. 2°C pathways) f', 'description': 'Scenario analysis (e.g., 1.5°C vs. 2°C pathways) for long-term portfolio resilience.'}, {'concept_name': 'Integration of climate risk data into property val', 'description': 'Integration of climate risk data into property valuation models.'}, {'concept_name': 'Communicating climate risk to finance committees a', 'description': 'Communicating climate risk to finance committees and the board.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Deep dive into the latest TCFD guidance and ISSB S2 standards.
• Next 6 months: Work with our risk team to integrate CRREM pathways into our asset-level planning.
• Within 12 months: Lead a workshop with the finance and investment teams on climate-related financial disclosures.
• Ongoing: Stay updated on climate science and its regional impacts on our portfolio locations.
• QuickWin: Start regularly reviewing climate risk reports from the IPCC and industry bodies. Subscribe to newsletters on green finance and climate risk in real estate.
• Skill: Green Finance & Capital Markets Integration
• Why: The availability of 'green' capital is growing, and investors are increasingly linking financing terms to ESG performance. You'll need to be fluent in how sustainability performance can unlock better financing rates, attract new investors, and ultimately improve our cost of capital.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Green bonds and sustainability-linked loans (SLLs)', 'description': 'Green bonds and sustainability-linked loans (SLLs) structures.'}, {'concept_name': 'ESG covenants and key performance indicators (KPIs', 'description': 'ESG covenants and key performance indicators (KPIs) in financing agreements.'}, {'concept_name': 'Investor expectations regarding ESG disclosures an', 'description': 'Investor expectations regarding ESG disclosures and performance.'}, {'concept_name': 'The role of ESG ratings in investment decisions.', 'description': 'The role of ESG ratings in investment decisions.'}, {'concept_name': 'Impact investing principles in real estate.', 'description': 'Impact investing principles in real estate.'}]
• Prepare: This month: Meet with our Treasury and Investor Relations teams to understand current financing structures.
• Next 3 months: Research case studies of green bonds issued by peer real estate companies.
• Within 6 months: Develop a proposal for a sustainability-linked loan for a portion of our portfolio.
• Ongoing: Attend webinars and conferences on sustainable finance in real estate.
• QuickWin: Familiarise yourself with the ICMA Green Bond Principles and the LMA Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles. Understand how our current ESG ratings might impact future financing.

Advancing Technical Skills

• Skill: Advanced ESG Data Governance & Architecture
• Why: With CSRD and ISSB, the volume and complexity of ESG data will explode. You'll need to move beyond simply collecting data to designing robust, auditable data governance frameworks and architecture that can handle this scale and scrutiny. It's about ensuring data quality and integration across disparate systems.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Data lineage and audit trails for ESG metrics.', 'description': 'Data lineage and audit trails for ESG metrics.'}, {'concept_name': 'API integration strategies for various data source', 'description': 'API integration strategies for various data sources (BMS, utility providers, ERP).'}, {'concept_name': 'Data quality assurance protocols and validation ru', 'description': 'Data quality assurance protocols and validation rules.'}, {'concept_name': 'Master data management for property and tenant inf', 'description': 'Master data management for property and tenant information.'}, {'concept_name': 'Cybersecurity considerations for sensitive ESG dat', 'description': 'Cybersecurity considerations for sensitive ESG data.'}]
• Prepare: This quarter: Review our current ESG data architecture and identify key gaps for CSRD readiness.
• Next 6 months: Work with IT to design a roadmap for integrating new data sources and improving data quality.
• Within 12 months: Lead the implementation of a new data governance policy for ESG information.
• Ongoing: Research best practices in enterprise data management and ESG data assurance.
• QuickWin: Map out the current flow of our top 5 critical ESG data points (e.g., energy consumption, waste tonnage) and identify potential points of failure or manual intervention.
• Skill: Circular Economy Principles in REFM
• Why: Beyond just reducing waste, the real estate sector is moving towards a circular economy model – designing out waste, keeping materials in use, and regenerating natural systems. This means rethinking everything from material procurement to building design and end-of-life strategies.
• Concepts: [{'concept_name': 'Design for deconstruction and adaptability.', 'description': 'Design for deconstruction and adaptability.'}, {'concept_name': 'Material passports and digital logbooks for buildi', 'description': 'Material passports and digital logbooks for buildings.'}, {'concept_name': 'Upcycling and reuse of building components.', 'description': 'Upcycling and reuse of building components.'}, {'concept_name': 'Resource efficiency in construction and operations', 'description': 'Resource efficiency in construction and operations.'}, {'concept_name': "Business models for 'product-as-a-service' in faci", 'description': "Business models for 'product-as-a-service' in facilities management."}]
• Prepare: This month: Read 'Circular Economy in the Built Environment' reports from leading think tanks.
• Next 3 months: Identify 1-2 pilot projects (e.g., a small refurbishment) where circular principles can be applied.
• Within 6 months: Develop a framework for assessing circularity in new development projects.
• Ongoing: Engage with suppliers on their circular material offerings and take-back schemes.
• QuickWin: Start by auditing waste streams on a specific site to identify opportunities for higher-value recycling or reuse. Challenge your development team on material selection for their next project.

Education Requirements

• Level: Minimum
• Req: A Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Engineering, Real Estate, Business, or a closely related field.
• Alts: We're open to candidates with exceptional relevant experience (15+ years) in a senior sustainability role, even without a specific degree, but you'll need to demonstrate equivalent strategic and technical understanding.
• Level: Preferred
• Req: A Master's degree (e.g., MBA, MSc in Environmental Management, Sustainable Real Estate) or a relevant PhD.
• Alts: Relevant executive education programmes or advanced professional certifications can sometimes be considered in lieu of a Master's, especially if coupled with extensive experience.

Experience Requirements

You'll need roughly 12-16 years of progressive experience in sustainability, with a significant portion (at least 7-10 years) directly within the real estate or facilities management sector. This isn't an entry-level leadership role; we're looking for someone who has a proven track record of setting and delivering corporate sustainability strategy for a large, complex property portfolio. Experience managing significant budgets and leading teams of 10+ people (including other managers) is essential. We want to see that you've not just advised, but actually owned and delivered major sustainability programmes.

Preferred Certifications

• Cert: BREEAM Assessor or LEED AP (O+M or BD+C)
• Prod: BRE Global / Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI)
• Usage: Demonstrates deep technical knowledge of green building standards and the ability to oversee certification processes across a portfolio.
• Cert: Certified Energy Manager (CEM) or similar
• Prod: Association of Energy Engineers (AEE)
• Usage: Shows a strong understanding of energy management principles, crucial for driving decarbonisation efforts in buildings.
• Cert: GRI Standards Certified Professional
• Prod: Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
• Usage: Highlights expertise in sustainability reporting frameworks, which is vital for our external disclosures and stakeholder communication.
• Cert: ISO 14001 Lead Auditor/Implementer
• Prod: Various accredited bodies
• Usage: Indicates a structured approach to environmental management systems, ensuring robust processes for compliance and continuous improvement.

Recommended Activities

• Regularly attend key industry conferences and seminars (e.g., UKGBC, Green Property Futures, Real Estate Live) to stay abreast of emerging trends and network with peers.
• Participate in executive education programmes focused on sustainable business, climate risk, or responsible investment.
• Engage with relevant professional bodies (e.g., RICS, IEMA) and contribute to industry working groups or committees.
• Undertake continuous learning on new regulatory developments (e.g., CSRD, ISSB) and green technologies through online courses or specialised workshops.
• Seek out opportunities for public speaking or thought leadership within the real estate sustainability sector.

Career Progression Pathways

Entry Paths to This Role

• Path: From Lead Sustainability Strategist (L4) within a large property firm
• Time: 3-5 years as an L4
• Path: From Senior Sustainability Consultant at a leading advisory firm
• Time: 5-8 years in a senior consulting role focusing on real estate ESG
• Path: From Head of ESG for a smaller, growing real estate company
• Time: 3-6 years in a similar leadership role

Career Progression From This Role

• Pathway: Director of ESG (L6)
• Time: 3-5 years in the Head of Sustainability role

Long Term Vision Potential Roles

• Title: Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) (L7)
• Time: 5-10 years from Head of Sustainability
• Title: Head of Responsible Investment
• Time: 5-8 years from Head of Sustainability
• Title: Board Member (Non-Executive Director)
• Time: 10-15+ years from Head of Sustainability

How Zavmo Delivers This Role's Development

DISCOVER Phase: Skills Gap Analysis

Zavmo maps your current competencies against all requirements in this job description through conversational assessment. We evaluate your foundation skills (communication, strategic thinking), functional skills (CRM expertise, negotiation), and readiness for career progression.

Output: Personalised skills gap heat map showing strengths and priorities, estimated time to competency, neurodiversity accommodations.

DISCUSS Phase: Personalised Learning Pathway

Based on your DISCOVER results, Zavmo creates a personalised learning plan prioritised by impact: foundation skills first, then functional skills. We adapt to your learning style, pace, and neurodiversity needs (ADHD, dyslexia, autism).

Output: Week-by-week schedule, each module linked to specific job responsibilities, checkpoints and milestones.

DELIVER Phase: Conversational Learning

Learn through conversation, not boring modules. Zavmo uses 10 conversation types (Socratic dialogue, role-play, coaching, case studies) to build competence. Practice difficult QBR presentations, negotiate tough renewals, and handle churn conversations in a safe AI environment before facing real clients.

Example: "For 'Stakeholder Mapping', Zavmo will guide you through analysing a complex enterprise account, identifying key decision-makers, and building an engagement strategy."

DEMONSTRATE Phase: Competency Assessment

Zavmo automatically builds your evidence portfolio as you learn. Every conversation, practice scenario, and application example is captured and mapped to NOS performance criteria. When ready, your portfolio supports OFQUAL qualification claims and demonstrates competence to employers.

Output: Competency matrix, evidence portfolio (downloadable), qualification readiness, career progression score.