Sustainability Specialists

Business Operations & Enablement

Level 4476 of 1200 points

Job description

Sustainability Specialists

Job purpose

To develop, assess and support the organisation's sustainability initiatives — waste stream management, green building practices, green procurement and the monitoring of energy, resource and recycling performance — and to report their effectiveness to decision makers, so that sustainability objectives are met economically, lawfully and with the support of those who must implement them.

Skills

Working knowledge of sustainability practice across waste stream management, recycling, green building and green procurement, with business and management knowledge to frame objectives and allocate resources; the laws, regulations and agency rules governing natural resources, waste management and recycling; enough building, construction and engineering knowledge to judge technical feasibility; and training design and communications skills for outreach material. Bachelor's degree is the norm, with a substantial minority holding a master's, together with several years of related experience and on-the-job training.
Develops project goals and initiatives in collaboration with other sustainability professionals, advises managers and technical staff, and communicates results through reports, presentations, plans, brochures and web material. Persuades colleagues and external parties to adopt initiatives, negotiates and resolves disagreements over them, deals with regulators, suppliers and the public, and delivers training on sustainability procedures and objectives.
Assesses and proposes initiatives by weighing cost effectiveness, technical feasibility and likely acceptance against each other — considerations that frequently pull in different directions and admit no single correct answer. Researches regulatory, technical and market issues, revises proposals and policies, devises new indicators where none exist, and investigates suspected breaches of waste management, recycling and other environmental policies.
Determines own tasks, priorities and goals and sets longer-range objectives, planning project activity, monitoring cycles and training so that commitments are met under time pressure, and coordinating the contributions of others to project timetables.
Work is carried out at a desk using computers to record and analyse sustainability data and to produce plans and outreach media. No manual handling or dexterity demands.

Responsibilities

No general line management, though guides and directs those working on sustainability projects, coordinates project teams, and coaches, develops and trains colleagues. Influence rests on advice and on the standards set for sustainability practice.
Monitors and controls resources and oversees spending on sustainability projects, procures the resources needed to implement them, estimates project costs, and writes grant, rebate and project proposals to secure external funding. Assesses initiatives for cost effectiveness and recommends accordingly.
Ordinary care of a workstation and monitoring and reporting systems. Advises on the sustainability of buildings, plant, waste streams and procured goods without holding custody.
Owns the organisation's sustainability record: tracks energy usage, natural resource consumption, waste generation and recycling; creates and maintains project plans and documentation; and produces the reports and presentations on which sustainability decisions and external claims are based. Accuracy matters: decisions taken on this information affect colleagues and organisational results.

Effort required

Sustained analytical attention to indicator data, regulatory material and technical proposals, with exactness required in the figures reported. Judgement is exercised frequently — on feasibility, on cost, on whether a breach has occurred — and the work moves between monitoring, appraisal, advice and training under time pressure.
Advocacy is part of the work: initiatives must be argued for and adopted by colleagues who have other priorities, and disagreements over proposals, spending and compliance are dealt with directly. Investigating suspected breaches of environmental policy brings the postholder into contested situations calling for composure and even handling.
Predominantly seated office work. No lifting or exertion.

Working conditions

Office-based indoors, without exposure to hazardous conditions, contaminants, noise or weather. The work carries a high volume of contact — e-mail, telephone and face-to-face discussion within teams — along with dealings with external parties and the public, and occasional conflict where initiatives, compliance or spending are disputed.
Most incumbents work a regular established schedule, but around half regularly work beyond a standard week and a minority follow irregular patterns. Good freedom to make decisions and to determine tasks, priorities and goals within the organisation's sustainability policy, with reporting cycles, funding rounds and project deadlines setting the pace.

Skills

40% · 231 points▾

KnowledgeLevel 4 of 8
72 of 144 points
Factual and theoretical knowledge in broad contexts within a field of work. The job requires a range of thinking and practical knowledge to find solutions to specific problems in the job or study area.
Interpersonal and communication skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Effective communication and interpersonal relationships. The job holder is required to adapt communication to different audiences and foster trust, cooperation and positive working relationships.
Problem-solving skillsLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Variable problems. The job involves dealing with different kinds of problems that require careful thinking, research into different options or adjusting existing ways of doing things. Guidance and resources may be limited.
Planning and organisational skillsLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate organisational skills required. The job requires the organising and prioritising of multiple tasks, with some level of adjustment to plans on the basis of changing circumstances or deadlines.
Physical skillsLevel 0 of 5
0 of 72 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any particular physical skills (although there is likely to be some physical activity).

Responsibility

35% · 142 points▾

PeopleLevel 1 of 5
29 of 144 points
Very limited. Not required to supervise or perform a caregiving role. The job may involve providing basic guidance to or orientation for others, such as helping new colleagues settle in.
Goods and equipmentLevel 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Limited responsibility for goods or equipment. The job involves the care and proper use of low-value tools or materials, with minimal responsibility for their maintenance or security.
InformationLevel 3 of 5
58 of 96 points
Moderate responsibility for information. The job involves managing information to ensure it is accurate, of high quality and secure. The job holder may make decisions about the handling of sensitive data.
Financial resourcesLevel 2 of 5
38 of 96 points
Limited responsibility for financial resources. The job involves handling limited financial resources, such as managing small budgets, processing invoices or participating in financial planning discussions.

Effort

15% · 79 points▾

Mental effortLevel 3 of 5
36 of 60 points
High level of mental effort. The job involves frequent concentration on complex tasks that require considerable mental effort, such as interpreting complex data.
Psychosocial and emotional effortLevel 3 of 5
43 of 72 points
Moderate psychosocial and emotional effort. The job requires the regular management of emotional responses, such as dealing with sensitive or challenging individuals or situations.
Physical effortLevel 0 of 5
0 of 48 points
Not applicable. The job does not require any physical effort.

Working Conditions

10% · 24 points▾

Environment (physical, psychological or emotional)Level 1 of 5
17 of 84 points
Minimal exposure to hazards or stress. The job involves little or no exposure to physical hazards (e.g. chemicals, moving equipment, noise) and minimal emotional or psychological risks (e.g. occasional routine tasks with no emotional burden). There is minor exposure to dust, dirt, fumes, noise, waste, poor lighting, etc.
Organisational environmentLevel 1 of 5
7 of 36 points
Minimal organisational demands. The job requires standard working hours with no night shifts or irregular schedules. There is little or no need for travel or digital connectivity beyond typical working hours.