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ESG/ Sustainability Reporting and Improvement Lead

United Utilities • United Kingdom • Added on Aug 13, 2026
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This senior leadership role oversees the end-to-end ESG disclosure cycle and performance improvement strategy for a critical utility provider. You will be responsible for translating complex sustainability data into clear corporate narratives while ensuring that the business remains ahead of evolving regulatory frameworks and investor expectations. By managing the ESG improvement plan, you will act as a bridge between technical carbon specialists and the executive board to drive cultural and operational change.

In the water industry, sustainability is not a secondary concern but the core product. This role matters because you will directly influence how a massive infrastructure provider manages vital natural resources and biodiversity across 57,000 hectares of land. Your work ensures that the company’s environmental stewardship is transparently reported, holding the organization accountable to millions of customers and the regulators who oversee the UK’s essential water systems.

This suits someone who is a skilled communicator with a rigorous analytical mind, capable of influencing senior stakeholders while maintaining an obsessive eye for data integrity and reporting standards.

Preguntas frecuentes

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission of this role is to orchestrate the company’s ESG disclosure strategy, ensuring all reporting aligns with corporate objectives and regulatory requirements. You will be tasked with owning the ESG improvement plan, which involves identifying performance gaps and working with various departments to implement corrective actions. This is not just a reporting role; it is a leadership position designed to embed responsible business practices throughout the organizational culture. You will also provide essential support to the Board-level ESG Committee. This involves preparing high-level briefings that translate emerging trends and risks into actionable business intelligence. By overseeing data governance, you ensure that every sustainability claim made by the company is backed by robust, verifiable evidence, maintaining the utility's reputation for transparency.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates will gain unparalleled exposure to the complexities of the water industry, a sector where environmental impact and social responsibility are central to the license to operate. You will learn how to navigate high-level governance structures, working directly with executive leadership and board members to shape long-term strategy. This provides a masterclass in strategic influence and corporate diplomacy within a highly regulated environment. Furthermore, you will deepen your expertise in the rapidly evolving landscape of ESG frameworks and indices. The role offers the chance to master data-driven sustainability management, moving beyond simple reporting to utilize benchmarks as a tool for driving tangible operational improvements and organizational resilience.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate brings a sophisticated blend of technical ESG knowledge and executive-level influencing skills. You should have a proven track record in sustainability reporting and a deep understanding of how ratings and indices can be leveraged to drive corporate reputation. Strong analytical capabilities are essential, as you must be able to synthesize complex environmental and social data into strategic recommendations. Soft skills are equally important; the business looks for a proactive leader who can manage multiple high-priority projects simultaneously. A background in infrastructure, utilities, or heavy industry is often beneficial, as it demonstrates an ability to navigate large-scale, complex operational environments where sustainability must be balanced with commercial and regulatory realities.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, move beyond listing reporting frameworks you know and instead focus your application on measurable outcomes you have driven through ESG improvements. United Utilities values the bridge between 'ambition and action,' so provide concrete examples of how you influenced a senior leader to change a policy or how you improved a specific ESG rating through targeted intervention. Demonstrate a clear understanding of the specific challenges facing the UK water sector, such as biodiversity loss, climate resilience, and public trust. Tailoring your cover letter to reflect an appreciation for United Utilities' regional impact in the North West will show that you are not just an ESG expert, but a candidate who cares about the company’s specific environmental footprint.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

This role sits at the intersection of environmental stewardship and corporate transparency. You will likely focus heavily on the company’s performance regarding water quality, leakage reduction, and carbon sequestration within their 57,000 hectares of catchment land. These are critical components of the company's ESG score and are vital to its long-term viability. Social impact is also a major pillar, focusing on customer affordability and community engagement across the North West. On the governance side, the role ensures that the company’s sustainability commitments are integrated into its financial and operational decision-making, providing the accountability structures necessary to meet ambitious long-term targets.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the primary hurdles will be breaking down silos within a large, traditional infrastructure organization. Ensuring that various departments—from engineering to finance—all prioritize ESG data and performance can be a significant change-management task. You may face resistance when pushing for higher data standards or operational changes that conflict with immediate cost-saving goals. Additionally, the fast-moving regulatory landscape in the UK regarding sustainability reporting requires constant vigilance. Staying ahead of new standards while managing existing reporting cycles can create periods of high intensity. Balancing the need for technical accuracy with the need for a compelling corporate narrative is a constant tightrope walk.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with a review of ESG performance data to prepare a briefing for the Board-level committee, followed by a meeting with the Asset Management team to discuss the progress of a specific improvement initiative. You might spend your afternoon collaborating with the Carbon and Resilience functions to ensure that reporting narratives are consistent across all sustainability disclosures. Between these meetings, you will likely engage in stakeholder outreach, perhaps speaking with an investor relations colleague about a specific ESG rating or advising a department head on how to better document their social impact. The day often concludes with strategic planning, looking at emerging global trends to see how they might impact the company's five-year sustainability roadmap.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This role is a high-visibility platform that can lead to senior leadership positions within the sustainability or corporate affairs functions. Given the direct access to the executive board and the ESG Committee, successful leads are well-positioned for roles such as Head of Sustainability or even Chief Sustainability Officer in the future. The breadth of the role also allows for lateral moves into strategic planning or asset management leadership, as the skills gained in driving large-scale change and managing complex stakeholder networks are highly transferable. For those looking to become industry experts, the role offers a path to becoming a thought leader in utility-sector ESG strategy.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Your most critical interactions will be with senior executives and board members, whom you will advise on ESG strategy and performance. Within the company, you will work closely with the Sustainability, Carbon, and Resilience teams to align technical data with corporate reporting. You will also collaborate with departmental leads across the business to drive the implementation of improvement plans. Externally, you will interact with ESG rating agencies, investors, and potentially regulators. These interactions involve representing the company’s sustainability progress and ensuring that external stakeholders have an accurate and positive perception of the utility’s ESG journey and corporate responsibility efforts.

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