Associate Director - Sustainability - Energy - (2054)

About us

Hoare Lea is an award-winning engineering consultancy with a creative team of engineers, designers, and technical specialists. We provide innovative solutions to complex engineering and design challenges for buildings. We are committed to providing an environment where everyone can realise their unique potential. Joining Hoare Lea means experiencing a business that enriches your knowledge, supports your wellbeing, and welcomes your individuality. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in a 9‑day fortnight scheme, thrive in community groups, enjoy varied social events, and access extensive professional and technical development schemes.

We also offer an extensive benefits package, including private medical cover, electric vehicle salary‑sacrifice scheme, stock options, and up to 30 days of annual leave. Whatever your ambitions or circumstances, our aim is to enable everyone to develop their knowledge, give their best, and enjoy what they do. We take personal responsibility to achieve a shared vision, combining strong relationships with technical excellence. We are committed to demonstrating how positively balancing human‑centric design with planet‑conscious solutions is the ultimate measure of success through our North Star vision.

Our clients are industry leading, always striving to achieve the best and to push the boundaries of sustainability. We work on a wide range of projects in most sectors. With a focus on human‑centred, environmentally sustainable design, Hoare Lea delivered the world’s first workplace fit‑out to achieve both BREEAM Outstanding and WELL Certified Gold (One New St Square). Our DfP pioneer project (Timber Square) became the UK’s first NABERSUK Design for Performance project to achieve a 5* design‑reviewed target rating. At Hoare Lea you’ll have the opportunity to not just work on exciting projects such as these, but also engage with the industry, collaborate with UKGBC, CIBSE, and support the Building Services Engineers Declare initiative.

About the role

A fantastic career opportunity has arisen for a creative and driven Associate Director to join our Sustainability Group. The role is based in our London office and will be part of our broader Sustainability group which has a presence in every Hoare Lea office across the country. Working alongside specialist engineers and consultants, you will join a collaborative, knowledgeable, highly engaged team who love what they do and offer a supportive, flexible, high‑performing work culture. You will be people‑focused and client‑centric. The role focuses on overall team leadership, line management, project delivery, technical leadership, and business development. You will be responsible for project leadership of Sustainability workstreams for our most complex projects and for delivery across the team.

Key responsibilities

• Take ownership and deliver large‑scale projects with industry‑leading clients.
• Be client‑facing, attending project meetings and disseminating the brief within the project team.
• Manage and prioritise the workload of the team.
• Report resourcing requirements to the project lead team.
• Contribute to the development of other team members.
• Effectively delegate, manage and review work undertaken by others.
• Work with the Director to monitor fee expenditure, resources and work delivered.
• Oversee and lead a range of Sustainable Design analysis workstreams, including embodied carbon of materials, circular economy opportunities, building performance simulation, operational energy use, energy generation and overheating.
• Lead the development of sustainability and energy strategies.
• Lead the delivery of environmental assessments such as BREEAM, WELL and HQM from early design stages through to completion.
• Support the drive toward realising net‑zero whole‑life carbon in our projects.
• Work with other members of the Sustainability Group on research and development initiatives to stay at the cutting edge of industry knowledge.
• Engage in research and development studies and author industry guidance.

About you

Key Skills & Knowledge

• Energy strategies
• Building Regulations Part L assessments using Elmhurst and IES
• NABERS UK modelling
• In‑use energy modelling and assessment
• Dynamic modelling for thermal comfort assessments and overheating risk assessments
• BREEAM and HQM assessments
• Bespoke sustainability charters
• Health and wellbeing strategies and certification
• Production of planning documents including sustainability statements, energy statements, whole‑life carbon reports and circular economy statements
• Net‑zero carbon strategies and embodied carbon calculations
• Circular economy strategies

Qualifications

• Experience working within a sustainability consultancy and seeking a new challenge at the forefront of the field.
• Serious commitment to sustainability.
• Technical expertise with a degree in an applicable field and passion for creating sustainable solutions.
• In‑depth understanding of London planning requirements.
• Confident in leading sustainability workshops with design teams.
• Dynamic team player within a progressive, well‑respected firm.
• Strong communication skills and enthusiasm for team collaboration.
• Chartered status in the industry.
• Leadership experience as a line manager.
• Excellent communicator enabling, promoting and driving technical excellence for clients.
• Demonstrable experience working with clients, contractors, and architects in a design‑oriented consultancy role.
• Self‑awareness, open mind and spirit of generosity.
• Experience supporting others to develop knowledge, skills and confidence.

Benefits

Extensive benefits package including private medical cover, electric vehicle salary‑sacrifice scheme, stock options, and up to 30 days of annual leave.