Sustainability & Impact Principal

Sustainability & Impact Principal

About Sustainability & Impact at Luminous

Luminous is a strategic advisory and communications agency based in London and working with clients around the world. We have been building the Sustainability & Impact (S&I) offer in recent years, moving from a solid base of award-winning reporting to a diversified suite of services, including materiality assessments, strategy development, implementation and internal engagement. We are now an established team of four with a growing pipeline and an enviable client list and expect to double revenue over the next couple of years. To support this growth, we are seeking a strategic senior hire, in the role of Sustainability & Impact Principal.

Role Summary

As Sustainability & Impact Principal, you will play a pivotal role within our strategy team, working closely with the Director of Sustainability & Impact to shape and deliver impactful sustainability projects and relationships. You will lead the development and execution of our Sustainability & Impact offer – from conducting materiality assessments and crafting sustainability strategies to delivering high-quality reports and supporting internal transformation projects.

This is a client-facing, hands-on role where your deep technical expertise in ESG reporting, issue management, materiality, and transition planning will be critical. You combine strategic thinking with an eye for detail and the ability to communicate and influence effectively at all levels of an organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Consultancy and Subject Matter Expertise

You are an experienced sustainability advisor, confident leading our most complex and strategic projects. You thrive in client settings—guiding conversations, shaping outcomes, and building trust. You demonstrate resilience and professionalism, even in challenging scenarios.

• Advise clients on alignment with leading sustainability and ESG frameworks (GRI, ISSB, SASB, TCFD, CSRD), offering tailored, actionable guidance.
• Lead the development of high-quality sustainability reports, transition plans, materiality assessments, and ESG strategies.
• Deliver internal transformation projects that embed sustainability into the core of business operations and culture.
• Track and interpret emerging sustainability trends, offering strategic insights to clients and internal teams on issues such as climate change, regulation, and stakeholder expectations.

Team development and Practice Growth

You bring a commercial and collaborative mindset, helping strengthen our Sustainability & Impact offer and supporting the professional development of others.

• Partner with the Director of Sustainability & Impact to shape the strategic direction and growth of the practice.
• Provide day-to-day support and mentorship to team members, ensuring delivery against project scope, budget, and timelines.
• Act as a knowledge leader, sharing insights and best practices across the wider business.

New Business and Marketing

You are a confident communicator, skilled in identifying opportunities and positioning Luminous as a leader in the sustainability space.

• Lead client pitches and presentations to win new business.
• Contribute to the development of thought leadership—blogs, podcasts, and research—enhancing the visibility of our expertise.
• Identify opportunities to cross-sell the broader Luminous offer, helping to build integrated client relationships.

Skills, experience, attributes

• 8-10 years’ experience in sustainability, with either recent experience in a senior-level role or ready to take that next step
• Team or programme management experience
• In-depth knowledge of industry standards and frameworks such as the CSRD, GRI Standards, ISSB, TCFD, UNGC, and UN SDGs
• Experience delivering materiality assessments, sustainability strategies, and transition plans
• Proactive with meeting your targets, tracking budgets against project progress and delivery where required
• You are passionate about the work you do, taking immense pride in delivering work to a high standard and strive to give the best customer service
• You are positive, friendly and a team player who can help motivate colleagues and inspire others around you
• You have a can-do attitude with the ability to multi-task across different projects
• You can work both autonomously and as part of a team, being organised and possessing great attention to detail, to deliver the highest standards of output while working across multiple projects
• You are attentive and committed to clients’ needs, can be flexible in approach and always offer solutions to problems

Living our Values

At Luminous, the work we do matters. It has meaning, impact and builds belief. Our people are united by our common purpose and want to make a difference in business and society. They aspire to do their best work and be proud of what they achieve.

Our culture is a conscious choice and built around shared values and behaviours. We celebrate individual strengths and perspectives but together we are connected by a shared ambition, mutual respect, and kindness. We know what we stand for and what we want to be known for.

The whole company works to a clear set of values and behaviours that determine the way we do things. You can find these here