This senior leadership role directs the overarching sustainability strategy across essential utility engineering operations. You will oversee decarbonization pathways, embed environmental criteria into engineering project lifecycles, and steer social value initiatives from initial client bids to on-site delivery.
Working within critical water, wastewater, and power networks gives direct leverage over major regional resource resilience. You will translate carbon reductions, biodiversity preservation, and responsible procurement into verifiable operational practices that satisfy private equity investors, utility clients, and statutory bodies.
This suits someone who possesses solid environmental leadership credentials in construction or infrastructure, combining rigorous ESG reporting governance with practical site-level operational execution.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The Head of Sustainability is charged with defining and executing the corporate sustainability vision across business units. Core duties involve managing the transition toward science-based net-zero goals, encompassing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions reduction across vehicle fleets, operational compounds, and supply chain partners. You will design reliable frameworks to gauge progress in resource efficiency, pollution control, biodiversity net gain, and social value delivery.
A central operational responsibility is embedding environmental and social criteria into capital project lifecycles, spanning bid submissions, engineering designs, procurement selections, and construction handovers. You will also oversee ESG data integrity, producing formal updates for the Executive Committee, company board, institutional investors, and public utility clients.
Key learning opportunities for this job
Operating in a private equity-backed infrastructure company offers deep exposure to investor-grade ESG governance, sustainable financing metrics, and standard value creation models. You will expand your knowledge of infrastructure decarbonization, circular resource deployment in civil works, and nature-positive engineering practices.
The position presents opportunities to steer commercial strategy by structuring responses for complex framework tenders across regulated utilities like Severn Trent and United Utilities. You will also gain experience navigating evolving UK regulatory obligations, developing supply-chain assurance models, and leading organization-wide change across dispersed technical crews.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
Candidates need demonstrated senior experience in sustainability leadership within civil engineering, utilities, construction, or adjacent project-oriented sectors. A background in carbon accounting protocols, social value measurement tools, and sustainable procurement standards like ISO 20400 is required, coupled with familiarity with formal ESG disclosure frameworks.
The role calls for a commercially astute professional who pairs technical environmental knowledge with strong executive presence. You should demonstrate the ability to interrogate operational data, build confidence among site teams, and maintain clear alignment with private equity and executive stakeholders.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
Highlight your history of integrating environmental priorities into competitive commercial tenders and project operations. Concrete examples of reducing operational carbon footprints, driving Scope 3 engagement, or implementing measurable social value commitments in infrastructure projects will be central to your application.
Demonstrate how you interface with commercial directors and site delivery teams. Avoid generic corporate language by clearly articulating your approach to data assurance, regulatory compliance, and carbon footprint reduction within asset-heavy utility operations.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
The position targets three core priorities: decarbonization, ecological stewardship, and social impact. The environmental dimension focuses on net-zero delivery, vehicle fleet transition, embodied carbon reduction in materials, biodiversity protection, and water resilience across utility contracts.
From a social and governance perspective, the focus covers the implementation of quantified social value programs in local communities, ethical sourcing within sub-tier supply networks, and reliable ESG tracking that withstands third-party investor audits.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A frequent hurdle is aligning ambitious environmental targets with the daily commercial realities of contracted civil engineering. Balancing schedule constraints, client budgets, and low-carbon material availability across varied sites can create tension that requires clear negotiation skills.
Accurately capturing Scope 3 data across distributed subcontractor networks also presents practical challenges. You will need to address varying levels of supplier ESG readiness while holding operational leaders accountable for environmental compliance metrics alongside traditional productivity indicators.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A regular day could start with reviewing carbon and social value metrics within a major utility framework proposal alongside the commercial bid team. Mid-morning might involve a site visit or technical meeting with project managers to assess biodiversity measures and material efficiency on an active water infrastructure installation.
The afternoon might center on data governance, analyzing fuel consumption and fleet metrics to prepare reporting for the Board and investors. The day could conclude with coaching a procurement manager on sustainable vendor evaluation criteria or meeting client counterparts to review collaborative decarbonization roadmaps.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
As a pivotal senior role in an expanding business backed by private equity, there is potential to broaden organizational influence into comprehensive operational risk management or corporate strategy. Success in this role positions you as an established voice across the UK utility and infrastructure space.
Driving measurable carbon reduction and social value performance directly builds leadership credibility, opening pathways toward broader C-suite appointments or senior group-level operational responsibilities.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
Internal interactions include regular collaboration with the Executive Committee, Board members, project managers, bid leaders, and procurement teams. You will work side-by-side with operations teams to ensure standards are met on project sites.
External relationships include key client utility representatives, supply chain leaders, environmental regulators, certification auditors, local community partners, and private equity investment teams assessing portfolio ESG performance.
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