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Sustainability Advisor

Careys United Kingdom Added on Jun 15, 2026
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As a Sustainability Advisor at Careys, you will act as a vital bridge between the central sustainability team and live construction sites. Your primary focus is to ensure that environmental best practices move from theoretical policy to practical application. You will own the collection and analysis of critical data points such as carbon performance, waste management, and energy usage across various civil engineering projects.

This role is crucial because the construction industry remains one of the largest contributors to global emissions and resource consumption. By working directly on-site, you help a legacy family business transform its operations to meet modern circular economy and decarbonisation goals. Your work provides the transparency needed to hold the company accountable to its vision of being the most socially responsible contractor in the UK.

This suits someone who possesses a proactive curiosity and a desire to see their environmental expertise translate into physical, tangible results. It is ideal for a graduate or early-career professional who enjoys a healthy mix of data analysis and on-site field visits.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission involves bridging the gap between high-level sustainability strategy and day-to-day operations on construction sites. You will be responsible for the accurate collection and analysis of environmental metrics, including carbon footprint data, water usage, and waste diversion rates. Beyond data, you will support project managers in maintaining environmental compliance and regulatory standards. This includes conducting site visits to monitor performance, identifying areas for process improvement, and preparing detailed sustainability reports for external clients and internal leadership teams.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates can expect a deep dive into the Built Environment's sustainability transition. You will gain technical expertise in carbon accounting and environmental legislation specifically tailored to civil engineering and large-scale infrastructure projects. Mentorship is a significant component of this role, as you will work directly under the Head of Sustainability. You will learn how to influence operational stakeholders and translate complex ESG metrics into actionable insights that site teams can easily understand and implement.

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

The ideal profile is an early-career professional with a degree in Environmental Science, Geography, or Engineering. You should possess strong analytical skills and the ability to find the story within the data, effectively communicating what the numbers mean for project performance. Technical knowledge of waste management and carbon reduction is highly valued, but a proactive attitude and willingness to travel are equally important. Since the role involves working with diverse site teams, strong interpersonal skills and a valid UK driving licence are essential requirements.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate an understanding of the specific sustainability challenges within the construction sector, such as material circularity or Scope 3 emissions. Mention your familiarity with industry-standard benchmarks or reporting frameworks if you have had exposure to them. Careys prides itself on its family-owned heritage and values. Aligning your application with their principles of authenticity and humility will resonate more than a corporate-heavy approach. Focus on how you can practically support site teams rather than just managing high-level data from a remote office.

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

The role focuses heavily on the environmental management of active projects. This includes reducing the embodied carbon of construction materials, optimising energy efficiency on-site, and ensuring rigorous waste segregation to support circular economy goals. There is also a strong focus on social responsibility, as you will assist with awareness campaigns that educate the workforce. Your work ensures that Careys remains a trusted partner for clients who increasingly demand high ESG performance from their supply chain.

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

One of the main challenges is embedding sustainability into established construction workflows where speed and cost are often the primary drivers. You may encounter resistance or lack of understanding from operational teams who are new to rigorous environmental reporting. Consistency in data collection across multiple sites can also be difficult. You will need to be persistent and highly organized to ensure that the information gathered from various project teams is accurate and timely enough for senior-level reporting.

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

A typical day might begin with a visit to a live project site to review their waste management practices and discuss energy-saving initiatives with the site manager. You would observe operations and offer immediate advice on environmental best practices. In the afternoon, you might return to the London office to process data sets and update carbon performance dashboards. This could be followed by a collaborative session with the Head of Sustainability to prepare for an upcoming client reporting deadline or developing materials for an internal training campaign.

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

This position offers a clear trajectory toward Sustainability Management. By gaining early exposure to major infrastructure projects, you build a portfolio of experience that is highly sought after in the construction and engineering industries. As the sustainability team grows, there are opportunities to specialize in niche areas such as carbon management, biodiversity net gain, or ESG compliance. The exposure to senior leadership through reporting also ensures high visibility for your professional achievements.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact daily with Site Project Managers and engineers, acting as their primary advisor on environmental matters. These relationships are critical to ensuring that sustainability objectives are met on the ground. Externally, you will engage with clients and environmental consultants to provide data and evidence of compliance. Internally, you will work closely with the Health, Safety, and Quality teams to ensure a holistic approach to project safety and environmental performance.

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