Job Overview
Better Bankside is seeking a dynamic Sustainability Manager to deliver on our ambition for Bankside to become one of London’s most sustainable neighbourhoods.
This is an exciting opportunity to work with leading partners and iconic member businesses to shape and deliver a place-based action plan for decarbonisation, and through an enhanced green and sustainable infrastructure, deliver a resilient built environment. You will be part of an innovative approach building on our track record of successful sustainability initiatives, including the award winning Southwark Climate Collective.
Carbon Literate Neighbourhood. Better Bankside is leading on a project supported by neighbouring BIDs to become the UK’s second major area of carbon literate employees and residents - Home - The Carbon Literacy Project.
Investment Case for Greening is an innovative and unique area-based approach, establishing a case for investing in a functioning green infrastructure that also provides a range of wider environmental and social benefits.
Waste, Recycling and a Circular Economy. Supporting over 150 businesses with their day to day needs as well as co-designing projects and programmes that make business operation more efficient and sustainable.
Sustainable Transport & Infrastructure. From piloting greener last mile logistics, operating a free bike hub to partnering with Southwark Council on Streets for People delivery Better Bankside often delivers beyond expectations.
How can you take us forward?
Bankside is one of London’s most interesting places, layered in history and home to a diverse, connected and future-focused business community. Better Bankside leads the partnership of these businesses, delivering effective projects and services that benefit the whole Bankside neighbourhood.
Better Bankside is one of the UK’s longest established Business Improvement Districts and following a successful member ballot, is entering its fifth term. The Sustainability Manager will join at a pivotal moment: delivering on the ‘Greener’ goals at the heart of our five-year plan.
Innovation, collaboration, and strong partnerships are central to Better Bankside’s success, and the Sustainability Manager will play a key role in a driven, goal-focused team, working alongside some of London's most influential stakeholders.
Main Responsibilities
The Sustainability Manager is responsible for delivering a range of innovative and creative initiatives as part of Better Bankside’s commitment to a Stronger, Greener, Happier neighbourhood. These include:
- Responsibility for the management and delivery of Better Bankside’s Sustainability Annual Business Plan and annual business planning process.
- Lead on evolving and continuing the Southwark Climate Collective supporting SMEs in decarbonising and growing their business. Our core work focusses on collaboration with strategic partners continuing to develop a scalable model for business support. Our key objectives going forward are;
- Establishing a regional approach to SME support
- Identifying longer term financial incentives
- Work with the Director of Place and Place Manager in delivering a business case for greening, nature restoration and increasing biodiversity in the BID area and beyond. Work in partnership with key stakeholders to deliver more sustainable and high performing greening that can deliver a wide range of benefits for business, people and planet.
- Working with key business members and local stakeholders such as Southwark Council & TFL; propose and deliver a refreshed programme of support focussing on more sustainable travel, logistics and deliveries for the BID area.
- Evolve our current waste and recycling support to local businesses with more of a focus on ‘reduce’.
- Identify and deliver targeted partnership-based training and awareness-raising campaigns to increase our members’ knowledge, skills and capacity around climate mitigation, resilience and managing the risks associated with climate impact.
- Manage and facilitate Better Bankside’s ‘Sustainability Theme Group’ ensuring goals, business plans and our delivered actions have members’ support and respond to their needs.
- As required be responsible for financial and commercial management and reporting (including external grant funding) of Better Bankside’s Sustainability workstream, ensuring programmes and projects are delivered within budget and any agreements or contracts are managed in accordance with Better Bankside governance and risk management.
- Responsible for managing existing/new strategic partnerships and relationships that support delivery of our sustainability programmes, projects and ‘greener goals’, e.g. BIDs, Southwark Council, GLA, TFL, technical consultants, skills providers, external funders, academic organisations and commercial operators.
- As required, support the Director of Place on applications for external funding to assist delivery of wider BB Sustainability or strategic goals.
- Working with Better Bankside’s Communications and Engagement team, develop opportunities for positive engagement around the climate agenda and produce regular communications and marketing of our sustainability action to our members and across wider social media and general media.
- Support the Executive Team in developing our data and insight capability.
- If required, manage day-to-day, external or temporary resources supporting delivery of BB Sustainability workstreams.
- Undertake any other reasonable service or project management-related duties, deemed to fit within the remit of the postholder.
Person Specification – Qualities and Attributes
We are looking for a passionate sustainability professional who is eager to take the next step in an ambitious career. Driven by a desire to help businesses take meaningful climate action, you will be a collaborator and problem-solver; a strategic thinker and confident communicator; keen to learn and willing to get stuck in.
You will thrive in a small, successful organisation with a reputation for innovation and the delivery of high quality, high impact projects.
Key Knowledge & Experience:
- Proven knowledge of core sustainability and climate policy, standards, and best practice at national, regional, and local levels.
- Proven capability of translating sustainability and climate policy, strategy and best practice into action and project delivery within the public and or private realm.
- Proven capability of successfully delivering climate mitigation or sustainability projects within a recognised project management framework or lifecycle – (for example APM, Prince 2).
- Proven capability in developing and maintaining reciprocal strategic partnerships and relationships with a diverse range of external stakeholders including funders.
- Some experience of working in partnership or engaging with businesses.
- Proven capability of working collaboratively with team members and or external stakeholders. Beneficial to have experience of co-design and co-delivery.
- Proven capability of effective communication and presentation skills with an ability to engage and/or influence stakeholders.
- Proven capability of applying for and managing external funding / grants at any scale.
About Better Bankside
Better Bankside was one of the first Business Improvement Districts (BID) in the UK, established in 2004.
We are a partnership of local businesses, working closely with other community stakeholders to co-create a programme of projects and services that benefits the whole Bankside neighborhood.
As a BID, we are funded by a mandatory levy on businesses within a defined boundary. BIDs are established through a ballot process, and every five years must return to their members to secure a majority vote in favor of their continuation. Our last ballot took place in November 2024, achieving overwhelming support from the business community, with 91% voting for another five years of Better Bankside.
Better Bankside is an organisation where you can make a real impact; and where you can expect to get involved in a wide-ranging programme of work. We are a small team of fifteen in the Bankside office, plus our wardens and street cleaning teams. The way that we work with our members through our governance structure provides an extended network of regular collaborators and contributors.
Our vision
Powered by the people of Bankside, Better Bankside will be an agent of change, leading innovative economic, environmental, and social action to advance one of the world’s great neighbourhoods, bringing benefits to business and Banksiders.
Our mission
We will improve everyone’s experience of the neighbourhood by co-creating our programme with Banksiders, responding inventively to urban challenges, and celebrating the differences that define Bankside as London’s Other Side.
Working arrangements
Better Bankside offers a flexible working policy. Core hours are 10am – 4pm, Monday to Friday, with the ability to flex two hours to suit personal needs. Some evening and weekend work will be required in accordance with the needs of the post. Due to the nature of our work it is expected that a minimum of three days per week will be based in the office with up to two days working from home.
At Better Bankside, we celebrate diversity and promote equality and inclusion amongst our staff. We welcome applications from all, regardless of personal characteristics or background.
