Sustainability Associate Director: Net Zero Leader

Our Client is a leading provider of sustainable building services engineering across the UK and beyond, operating regionally from 9 city-centre offices with over 200 dedicated staff members. Their reputation for quality of product and quality of service has been well earned over 60+ years of trading, firmly installing them as the MEP consultancy of choice for many major developers, building contractors, end users and public sector institutions.

The Edinburgh Office sits in the heart of the city surrounded by independent shops and restaurants, with talented MEP & Sustainability teams based there. With further exciting project wins recently announced, a robust order book and strong leadership guiding the next phase of expansion, the business is actively seeking a Sustainability Associate / Associate Director to jointly manage the sustainability team on a day-to-day basis. The Associate / AD will lead projects on behalf of the Sustainability Group and manage delivery of services to the highest of standards on time and within budget.

Responsibilities:

• Day-to-day contact for the Location Directors, organising, and coordinating design team and client meetings discussing energy, sustainability, environmental and health & wellbeing topics.
• Specific focus on implementing Net Zero Carbon strategies, ideally leading the embodied carbon service-line.
• Assist the Sustainability Director to develop new business by building relationships with existing and new clients, both internally and externally.
• Effectively manage the Sustainability team day to day, including ensuring effective forecasting, measuring of works in progress and driving office initiatives, as well as managing resource.
• Effectively distribute project workload and liaise with technical and other support staff to ensure acceptable product delivery.
• Act as a role model for the Sustainability Team.
• Attend business development events, conferences and other marketing activities.
• Carry out presentations to clients, take the initiative in organising and leading technical meetings.
• Liaise with and provide project focal point for clients and lead and/or support consultants to ensure that client interests are most effectively fulfilled.
• Maximise staff effectiveness and improve efficiency by enhancing client relationships, improving internal systems and developing staff skills.
• Interlink and work effectively with all others affecting or affected by your work.
• Adopt a responsible attitude to project manage and actively undertake training and development of subordinate staff.
• Ensure application and maintenance of all Quality System procedures.
• Ensure documentation issued has been processed in accordance with all relevant procedures.
• Manage multiple projects including organisation of trainee staff and project delivery to time and cost requirements.
• Assist in the preparation of fee bids, proposals and interviews.
• Develop thought leadership and technical articles for industry publications.
• Undertake building environmental modelling, building physics, and sustainability models (energy, overheating, daylight/sunlight).
• Undertake preliminary concept design studies to influence building shape, form and function.
• Develop energy and sustainability strategies for diverse schemes.
• Comply with all security procedures and commercial in-confidence restrictions associated with work duties.
• Carry out all personal management duties including weekly recording of man-hour commitments to individual projects and reporting on a monthly basis particular project fee input information.
• Undertake all other duties as may be required to assist in the fulfilment of the primary objectives of the Directors.
• To ensure compliance with the IMS, by supporting the administration of the Internal Audit programme, corrective action and customer feedback registers.

Education and Experience:

• Chartered engineer or equivalent, with a minimum of Honours/Masters degree in an appropriate discipline, preferably Sustainable Design and Energy.
• Experienced energy assessor able to develop, maintain and validate energy models using IES VE.
• Relevant accreditations (e.g. LCC, LCEA).
• Exposure to LCA/WLCA, Circular Economy, BREEAM, WELL, LEED etc.
• Knowledge and experience in implementation of planning policy sustainability requirements (including GLA requirements).
• Significant industry experience with demonstrated leadership experience.
• Experience of office and regional team management.
• Confident engaging with senior design team personnel and clients, including Developers, Owners, Investors and Occupiers.
• Experience in managing multiple, concurrent projects covering all aspects of sustainability in the built environment.
• Ability to lead from the front and by example.
• Excellent people skills to ensure staff engagement.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Focus on quality and continuous improvement.