Q: Key learning opportunities for this job

In this position, you will gain deep exposure to the whole-life carbon management of commercial real estate. Working across 60+ locations provides a unique laboratory to understand how different building archetypes respond to efficiency measures and how to scale sustainability solutions in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Specifically, you can expect to master industry-leading frameworks such as NABERS, BREEAM, and WELL , which are critical for modern real estate professionals. The role offers a front-row seat to the intersection of hospitality and ESG, teaching you how to align technical environmental goals with the commercial demands of a design-led brand. Furthermore, you will sharpen your skills in sustainable procurement and circular economy principles. As you lead surveys and audits across the supply chain, you will learn how to effectively influence vendors and partners to adopt more responsible sourcing and manufacturing practices.

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

This role sits at the heart of Fora's decarbonization strategy , focusing heavily on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with building operations and capital works. A major focus will be on energy optimization and the transition toward low-carbon building performance across a multi-site London-centric portfolio. Social impact is also a significant pillar, with the role likely overseeing social value programs and volunteering initiatives that connect Fora’s members with their local communities. You will be tasked with ensuring these efforts are not just 'feel-good' activities but are grounded in measurable metrics and transparent reporting. Governance and supply chain transparency will be another priority. The company aims to embed sustainability into every procurement decision, meaning you will spend time auditing suppliers to ensure they align with Fora's ethical standards and circular economy ambitions.

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

One primary challenge will be standardizing performance across a portfolio of over 60 buildings that likely vary in age, technical infrastructure, and lease structures. Achieving consistent carbon reduction targets across such a diverse set of assets requires both technical creativity and persistent stakeholder management. Balancing the high-end hospitality standards of Fora with rigorous environmental constraints can also be difficult. For instance, ensuring that aesthetic design choices and member comfort do not compromise energy efficiency or waste management goals will require constant negotiation and compromise. Additionally, keeping up with the rapidly evolving ESG legislative environment in the UK real estate sector will be demanding. You will need to stay ahead of reporting requirements and ensure that data collection processes remain strong enough to withstand scrutiny from institutional investors like Blackstone.

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

A typical day might begin with a site visit to a new development or refurbishment project to review sustainability targets with contractors and architects. You might then transition to a data-heavy afternoon, analyzing energy consumption patterns across the portfolio to identify buildings that are underperforming against their carbon budgets. Mid-day, you could find yourself in a cross-functional meeting with the Procurement and Finance teams to evaluate the environmental credentials of new furniture suppliers or cleaning contractors. Communication is key, so you might also spend time drafting a sustainability briefing for the Marketing team or planning a member event centered on social impact. The day usually wraps up with reporting or governance tasks, such as updating an ESG dashboard or preparing documentation for a BREEAM assessment. The role is highly varied, shifting between on-site technical problem solving and high-level corporate strategy.

Q: The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will interact extensively with internal leadership across Real Estate, Operations, and Finance to ensure sustainability is integrated into the business's core commercial strategy. Close collaboration with the Facilities and Customer Success teams is essential to ensure site-level initiatives are actually working for the people using the spaces. External stakeholders include contractors and consultants who are responsible for delivering the physical transformations of the spaces. You will act as both a partner and a supervisor to these groups, ensuring they adhere to Fora’s sustainability requirements and reporting standards. Finally, you will engage with Fora’s members and investors . Members represent the community that experiences your work daily, while investors like Blackstone require high-quality ESG data to assess the long-term value and risk of the portfolio.

Question 1

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

Accepted Answer

The core mission involves embedding sustainability across a diverse portfolio of flexible workspaces, ensuring that every location meets high standards of environmental and social performance. You will be responsible for integrating green criteria into development and refurbishment projects, establishing clear targets, and collaborating with project teams to ensure these are met from concept to delivery. Beyond construction, you will drive operational efficiency by managing energy, carbon, and waste performance across active sites. A significant portion of the role is dedicated to ESG governance, which includes managing data collection, validation, and reporting for internal stakeholders and external investors, as well as maintaining building certifications like BREEAM or WELL. Finally, you will act as a bridge to the community by developing engagement programs for members and staff. This involves translating complex sustainability data into accessible content and supporting social value initiatives, ensuring that the company's impact strategy is visible, measurable, and authentically communicated.

Question 2

Key learning opportunities for this job

Accepted Answer

In this position, you will gain deep exposure to the whole-life carbon management of commercial real estate. Working across 60+ locations provides a unique laboratory to understand how different building archetypes respond to efficiency measures and how to scale sustainability solutions in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. Specifically, you can expect to master industry-leading frameworks such as NABERS, BREEAM, and WELL, which are critical for modern real estate professionals. The role offers a front-row seat to the intersection of hospitality and ESG, teaching you how to align technical environmental goals with the commercial demands of a design-led brand. Furthermore, you will sharpen your skills in sustainable procurement and circular economy principles. As you lead surveys and audits across the supply chain, you will learn how to effectively influence vendors and partners to adopt more responsible sourcing and manufacturing practices.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

The successful candidate should have a solid background in sustainability specifically within the built environment, commercial real estate, or facilities management sectors. You need to demonstrate experience in managing sustainability goals within development projects and have a firm grasp of operational energy and carbon data analysis. Technical knowledge of energy, waste, and resource efficiency is essential, as is familiarity with ESG reporting frameworks and building certifications. You should be comfortable navigating technical specifications while maintaining a commercial mindset, ensuring that sustainability improvements also support business growth and member satisfaction. Soft skills are just as vital; the role requires a proactive influencer who can communicate complex ideas to non-technical teams like Marketing or Finance. A degree in environmental management or engineering is preferred, and professional accreditations such as IEMA or RICS will significantly strengthen your profile.

Question 4

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Accepted Answer

To stand out, move beyond generic sustainability statements and demonstrate a clear understanding of the flexible workspace market. Fora is design-led and member-focused, so your application should show how you can make sustainability tangible and attractive to office occupiers who prioritize both aesthetics and impact. Highlight specific projects where you have bridged the gap between construction teams and operational staff. Providing examples of how you used data to influence a commercial decision or how you successfully navigated a certification process like BREEAM will prove your ability to handle the complexities of this portfolio. Tailor your cover letter to reflect an appreciation for conscious design and community building. Fora looks for 'status-quo challengers,' so highlighting times you have implemented innovative social value programs or circular economy initiatives will resonate more than just listing reporting experience.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

This role sits at the heart of Fora's decarbonization strategy, focusing heavily on reducing the greenhouse gas emissions associated with building operations and capital works. A major focus will be on energy optimization and the transition toward low-carbon building performance across a multi-site London-centric portfolio. Social impact is also a significant pillar, with the role likely overseeing social value programs and volunteering initiatives that connect Fora’s members with their local communities. You will be tasked with ensuring these efforts are not just 'feel-good' activities but are grounded in measurable metrics and transparent reporting. Governance and supply chain transparency will be another priority. The company aims to embed sustainability into every procurement decision, meaning you will spend time auditing suppliers to ensure they align with Fora's ethical standards and circular economy ambitions.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

One primary challenge will be standardizing performance across a portfolio of over 60 buildings that likely vary in age, technical infrastructure, and lease structures. Achieving consistent carbon reduction targets across such a diverse set of assets requires both technical creativity and persistent stakeholder management. Balancing the high-end hospitality standards of Fora with rigorous environmental constraints can also be difficult. For instance, ensuring that aesthetic design choices and member comfort do not compromise energy efficiency or waste management goals will require constant negotiation and compromise. Additionally, keeping up with the rapidly evolving ESG legislative environment in the UK real estate sector will be demanding. You will need to stay ahead of reporting requirements and ensure that data collection processes remain strong enough to withstand scrutiny from institutional investors like Blackstone.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

A typical day might begin with a site visit to a new development or refurbishment project to review sustainability targets with contractors and architects. You might then transition to a data-heavy afternoon, analyzing energy consumption patterns across the portfolio to identify buildings that are underperforming against their carbon budgets. Mid-day, you could find yourself in a cross-functional meeting with the Procurement and Finance teams to evaluate the environmental credentials of new furniture suppliers or cleaning contractors. Communication is key, so you might also spend time drafting a sustainability briefing for the Marketing team or planning a member event centered on social impact. The day usually wraps up with reporting or governance tasks, such as updating an ESG dashboard or preparing documentation for a BREEAM assessment. The role is highly varied, shifting between on-site technical problem solving and high-level corporate strategy.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

Given the backing of major investors like Blackstone and the company's fast-paced growth, this role offers significant professional visibility. You will be the primary point of contact for sustainability across the business, providing ample opportunity to establish yourself as a thought leader within the UK's green building sector. There is room for lateral and vertical growth as the sustainability function expands. You could eventually move into a more strategic leadership role, overseeing a larger team or focusing on high-level ESG investment strategies for the wider group. The breadth of the role (covering real estate, operations, and community engagement) equips you with a versatile skill set that is highly transferable. Whether you want to specialize in carbon accounting, green building certification, or social impact strategy, this position provides the foundation to pivot into various senior ESG career paths.

Question 9

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Accepted Answer

You will interact extensively with internal leadership across Real Estate, Operations, and Finance to ensure sustainability is integrated into the business's core commercial strategy. Close collaboration with the Facilities and Customer Success teams is essential to ensure site-level initiatives are actually working for the people using the spaces. External stakeholders include contractors and consultants who are responsible for delivering the physical transformations of the spaces. You will act as both a partner and a supervisor to these groups, ensuring they adhere to Fora’s sustainability requirements and reporting standards. Finally, you will engage with Fora’s members and investors. Members represent the community that experiences your work daily, while investors like Blackstone require high-quality ESG data to assess the long-term value and risk of the portfolio.

Sustainability Manager

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

Key learning opportunities for this job

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

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

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

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

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

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

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

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