Sustainability Manager

The core mission is to own and refresh Onward's decarbonisation strategy and net-zero trajectory, then embed it into the 30-year asset plan and component lifecycles. In practice this means setting retrofit programmes, keeping them compliant with PAS 2035, and ensuring the organisation meets MEES, ESOS, SECR and Heat Network Regulations. A second strand is energy and sustainability projects: managing heat network compliance under Ofgem's new rules, planning and submitting funding bids, and overseeing EPC surveys and retrofit assessments. The role also chairs the Sustainability Steering Group and reports progress and risks to the executive team and board. Finally there is a data and engagement dimension. The person defines carbon, energy and condition data requirements, improves asset data quality, and leads Carbon Literacy training for staff, partners and residents, making sure customer voice shapes decisions on energy efficiency.

This is a role where regulation is the curriculum. The candidate will build deep working knowledge of PAS 2035 retrofit standards, the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund application process, and Ofgem heat network authorisation and consumer protection frameworks, areas that are in short supply across the sector. There is also strong exposure to asset investment modelling: translating EPC and energy data into business cases that stand up to board scrutiny. Because the role chairs a steering group and reports to the executive, the person will sharpen governance and influencing skills at a senior level. Onward offers up to £150 annually through its Learning for life scheme and states it supports training and qualifications, which could open a path toward a formal retrofit coordinator or assessor accreditation if the candidate does not already hold one.

The ideal candidate likely has significant experience leading sustainability and asset strategy programmes in social housing or a regulated utility, including budget and programme management. Onward asks for strong knowledge of energy efficiency, low-carbon and renewable technologies, plus practical familiarity with PAS 2035 and SHDF delivery. Heat networks matter here: proven experience in operations, regulatory compliance and fair-pricing principles is listed as essential, which narrows the field considerably. Analytical skill is also key, since the role requires interpreting complex energy and condition data and turning it into investment decisions. On qualifications, a degree in environmental science, sustainability, energy management or a built environment discipline is expected, or equivalent experience. Desirable extras include PAS 2035 Retrofit Coordinator or Assessor status, membership of a body such as IEMA, and familiarity with asset management and energy monitoring software. People leadership and matrix management experience round out the profile.

Onward states plainly that a human reviews your CV, with no AI screening, so a clear, structured document that maps your experience to their essential list will be read properly. Lead with evidence of leading asset or decarbonisation strategy at scale, ideally in social housing or a regulated utility, and quantify outcomes such as homes retrofitted, funding secured or carbon reduced. Because heat network regulation is listed as essential, name your specific experience with Ofgem requirements, authorisation and consumer protection if you have it. If your background is in energy more broadly, draw the parallel explicitly rather than leaving the recruiter to infer it. For the cover letter, connect to Onward's purpose as a North West social landlord: talk about residents, affordability and the link between energy performance and people's lives, not just carbon accounting. Mentioning Carbon Literacy delivery or resident engagement experience signals you understand the engagement side of the role, which sits alongside the technical work.

The role centres on the environmental arm of ESG, specifically the energy performance and decarbonisation of a 35,000-home portfolio in the North West. Onward's stated aim of net zero and its compliance with MEES, ESOS, SECR and Heat Network Regulations frame the work. The social dimension is unusually strong for a sustainability role. Retrofit and energy efficiency directly affect fuel poverty, resident comfort and health, and the job description asks the postholder to involve customer voice in decisions and to run Carbon Literacy training. That places social value and environmental goals in the same programme. Governance is the third layer: chairing the Sustainability Steering Group and reporting to the executive and board means this person helps shape how Onward governs climate risk, funding bids and long-term investment, which is a governance and reporting contribution as much as a technical one.

Funding and delivery capacity are likely the biggest constraints. Social housing decarbonisation depends heavily on grant programmes such as the SHDF, and demand consistently outstrips available money, so the role holder will spend real effort on bids, evidence and prioritisation rather than only on technical design. Retrofit at scale is also disruptive: work inside occupied homes raises access, scheduling and resident trust issues, and PAS 2035 compliance adds coordination layers across contractors and assessors. Balancing regulatory deadlines with what residents will accept is a recurring tension. Internally, embedding sustainability into mainstream asset decisions means persuading colleagues whose priorities are repairs, lettings or finance. The matrix structure Onward describes suggests influence matters as much as authority, and the heat network regulatory requirements under Ofgem are new territory for much of the sector, so some of the answers will not yet be settled.

A typical day might start with data: reviewing EPC records, energy monitoring dashboards or heat network compliance documentation, then chasing gaps with the asset team. From there, the role could move into a project meeting on a live retrofit programme, checking timescales, contractor performance and PAS 2035 evidence. Meetings with internal colleagues feature heavily, since the job explicitly calls for a joined-up approach across assets, new developments, compliance and resident engagement. The postholder might brief the Sustainability Steering Group, prepare board or regulator reports, or work on a funding bid with finance and local authority partners. Resident-facing work adds variety: a session explaining energy efficiency, a Carbon Literacy training slot, or a discussion with the engagement team on how to make an initiative accessible. Some days are strategic and quiet, others are dominated by deadlines, so the rhythm is mixed rather than fixed.

This is a lead role, so growth starts with deepening authority over Onward's decarbonisation agenda: as the strategy matures, the postholder could take on larger capital programmes and more of the 30-year asset investment plan, with direct visibility to the executive and board. Sector demand for retrofit and heat network expertise is high, and a track record of delivering SHDF-funded programmes or Ofgem compliance is portable to other housing associations, local authorities or consultancies. The role also builds a governance and reporting portfolio that supports moves into head of sustainability or director-level positions. Internally, there is scope to shape the job itself, since the strategy is refreshed annually and the person chairs the steering group. That influence over scope, plus the training budget Onward offers, gives room to formalise skills such as retrofit coordination or broaden into wider ESG reporting.

Internally, the closest partners are likely the asset management and property teams who own the housing stock and investment plan, plus finance colleagues who help build funding cases. The executive team and board are key audiences for progress and risk reporting, and resident engagement and housing management teams are essential for making initiatives work on the ground. Externally, the role manages partnerships with manufacturers, local authorities and third parties, and will deal with contractors and assessors delivering retrofit and heat network work. Funders such as the Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund and regulators including the Regulator of Social Housing and Ofgem shape the compliance and reporting requirements. Residents are stakeholders in the fullest sense here, since the job description asks for customer voice in decision-making and for direct communication on energy efficiency. The balance between technical partners, regulators and residents is what makes the stakeholder map broad rather than narrow.