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Sustainability Specialist

Royce Simmons Foundation United Kingdom Added on Jul 25, 2026
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As a Sustainability Specialist at the Royce Simmons Foundation, you will lead the charge in embedding environmental consciousness into the core of a mission-driven non-profit. You will own the development of strategies to shrink the organization’s carbon footprint while coordinating outreach events that bridge the gap between healthcare advocacy and environmental stewardship. Day-to-day, you will turn sustainability metrics into actionable community projects.

This role is unique because it blends a high-stakes health mission—curing Dementia—with a proactive environmental mandate. By ensuring the foundation operates sustainably, you help model how clinical research organizations can mitigate their ecological impact while fighting for human health. You are not just managing data; you are ensuring that the fight for a cure does not come at the cost of the planet’s future.

This suits someone who possesses a degree in environmental science and a knack for grant writing. You should be equally comfortable analyzing technical ESG metrics as you are inspiring local partners to join green initiatives.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

In this role, you will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of the organization’s environmental strategy. This includes developing carbon reduction frameworks and managing specific eco-friendly projects that involve local community members and institutional partners. You will also be expected to bridge the gap between operational sustainability and fundraising. This involves monitoring sustainability metrics to ensure transparency while leveraging that data to support grant writing and donor relations efforts that fund the Foundation’s primary research goals.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Working within a specialized non-profit provides a rare look at the intersection of healthcare philanthropy and ESG standards. You will gain deep experience in how small, agile organizations can implement robust sustainability reporting without the massive resources of a multinational corporation. You will also sharpen your skills in community mobilization, learning how to translate technical environmental regulations into compelling narratives for donors and research partners, which is a highly transferable skill in the social impact sector.

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

The ideal candidate holds a degree in Environmental Science or Sustainability and can prove they have successfully implemented green programs in the past. Because this is a lean team, self-starters with a secondary background in fundraising or grant writing will stand out significantly. Beyond technical knowledge of environmental regulations, you need strong interpersonal skills. You must be able to communicate the importance of sustainability to stakeholders who are primarily focused on medical research, requiring empathy, patience, and strategic persuasion.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Focus your application on your ability to wear multiple hats. Since the Foundation is small, highlight instances where you owned a project from conception to reporting. Mentioning any specific experience with grant applications for environmental projects would be a major advantage. Research the Foundation’s work in Dementia and express a genuine connection to that cause. Your sustainability expertise is the 'how', but your commitment to their medical mission is the 'why' that will make you a cultural fit for this dedicated team.

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

The role focuses heavily on the operational footprint of the foundation, ensuring that outreach events and research-funding activities are conducted with minimal environmental impact. This includes waste reduction, sustainable sourcing for events, and carbon tracking. There is also a significant focus on social sustainability. By engaging the community in eco-friendly projects, the role promotes a holistic view of health that includes a clean, sustainable environment as a prerequisite for long-term well-being.

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

The most likely challenge is resource allocation. In a non-profit where the primary goal is medical research, you will need to make a compelling business case for every sustainability investment to ensure it doesn't detract from the core mission. You may also face the challenge of data collection in a small organization. Establishing first-time metrics and reporting cycles requires significant grit and the ability to build systems from scratch without existing historical data.

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

A typical day might begin with reviewing legislation to ensure the Foundation remains compliant with environmental regulations, followed by a meeting with a local community partner to plan a joint outreach event. In the afternoon, you might shift to a more technical mode, analyzing internal energy usage or drafting a sustainability section for a major grant proposal. Your day will likely end with internal discussions on how to better integrate green practices into the foundation’s daily workflows.

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

Given the small size of the organization, this role offers unparalleled visibility. You will work directly with leadership, providing you with high-level experience in strategic decision-making and organizational governance that is often gate-kept in larger firms. Success in this role could lead to a Global Sustainability Director path as the foundation grows, or provide the specialized non-profit ESG experience required to lead sustainability departments in larger healthcare or research institutions.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will frequently interact with the Foundation Director and Board, providing them with sustainability progress reports. External stakeholders include community leaders, local government environmental officers, and corporate donors. You will also collaborate with clinical researchers and scientists to ensure that the projects the foundation funds are viewed through a lens of environmental responsibility where possible.

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