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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead sustainability initiatives and engage with customers to drive commercial growth.
- Company: Privately owned UK manufacturing group focused on construction products.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, high visibility, and opportunity to shape sustainability strategies.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in sustainability while driving business success.
- Qualifications: Experience in customer-facing sustainability roles and strong communication skills.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with a long-term investment mindset.
The predicted salary is between 48000 - 72000 £ per year.
A highly successful, privately owned UK manufacturing group operating across multiple construction product brands is seeking to appoint a Head of Group Sustainability Development. This is a senior, customer-facing sustainability leadership role, designed to use sustainability as a commercial growth lever, not a back-office compliance function.
The Opportunity
This role sits at the intersection of sustainability, sales, and strategic customer engagement. Approximately 80% of the role is externally focused, working with customers, specifiers, and industry stakeholders to position the Group’s sustainability credentials as a competitive advantage. The remaining 20% focuses on group-level sustainability governance, ensuring credibility, consistency, and alignment across a portfolio of brands. The successful candidate will act as the public-facing sustainability ambassador for the Group, supporting specification wins, strengthening customer relationships, and reinforcing long-term Net Zero commitments.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead customer-facing sustainability engagement across a multi-brand manufacturing group
- Support sales teams with sustainability-led presentations, meetings, and bid input
- Engage with housing associations, public sector bodies, housebuilders, and contractors
- Translate sustainability strategy into clear commercial value propositions
- Represent the business at industry events, forums, and working groups
- Own the direction and credibility of group sustainability frameworks (Net Zero, SBTi, Scope 1–3)
- Oversee compliance, reporting integrity, and consistency of external messaging
- Coordinate sustainability champions across the Group
This is a hybrid sustainability–commercial leadership role, not a traditional ESG or reporting position.
Candidate Profile
You are likely to have:
- Experience in a customer-facing sustainability, technical sales, or commercial role within construction products, building materials, or related supply chains
- Strong understanding of how sustainability influences procurement and specification decisions
- Confidence operating with customers, senior leadership, and boards
- A pragmatic, commercially minded approach to sustainability
- The ability to communicate complex sustainability topics in plain, credible business language
- Existing relationships within social housing or public sector procurement would be highly advantageous.
Why This Role Stands Out
- Group-level remit with genuine commercial influence
- Long-term investment mindset from a privately owned business
- High external visibility and board-level engagement
- Opportunity to shape and define a modern, commercially driven sustainability function
Applications
This search is being managed confidentially. All enquiries will be treated in strict confidence.
Head of Group Sustainability Development UK – Midlands preferred (national remit) in Birmingham employer: Builders' Merchants News
Contact Detail:
Builders' Merchants News Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Group Sustainability Development UK – Midlands preferred (national remit) in Birmingham
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with industry folks at events, forums, and working groups. The more people you know, the better your chances of landing that Head of Group Sustainability Development role.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your sustainability chops! Prepare to discuss how you've used sustainability as a commercial growth lever in past roles. We want to see you translate complex topics into clear, business-friendly language.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply – engage! When you submit your application through our website, follow up with a friendly email expressing your enthusiasm for the role. It shows initiative and keeps you on their radar.
✨Tip Number 4
Be ready to demonstrate your customer-facing skills. This role is all about building relationships, so think of examples where you've successfully engaged with clients or stakeholders in the past.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Group Sustainability Development UK – Midlands preferred (national remit) in Birmingham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role. Highlight your experience in customer-facing sustainability roles and how you've used sustainability as a commercial growth lever. We want to see how you can bring value to our team!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about sustainability and how your background aligns with our mission. Don’t forget to mention any existing relationships you have within social housing or public sector procurement.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since this role involves engaging with various stakeholders, make sure to demonstrate your ability to communicate complex sustainability topics in plain language. We love candidates who can make sustainability relatable and actionable!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother application process. It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at Builders' Merchants News
✨Know Your Sustainability Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and regulations in sustainability, especially as they relate to the construction industry. Be ready to discuss how these can be leveraged for commercial growth, as this role is all about using sustainability as a competitive advantage.
✨Showcase Your Customer Engagement Skills
Since this role is heavily customer-facing, prepare examples of how you've successfully engaged with clients or stakeholders in the past. Think about specific instances where your sustainability initiatives led to positive outcomes for both the client and your previous company.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Practice explaining complex sustainability concepts in simple terms. The interviewers will want to see that you can translate technical jargon into clear, business-friendly language that resonates with customers and senior leadership alike.
✨Demonstrate Your Commercial Mindset
Be prepared to discuss how you can align sustainability goals with commercial objectives. Think about how you can create value propositions that not only meet sustainability targets but also drive sales and strengthen customer relationships.
