Building Performance Principal Technical Manager (Embodied Carbon Lead)

Are you passionate about driving down embodied carbon and shaping the future of sustainable building services? Do you want to influence how major projects are designed, delivered, and measured — and help define a market‑leading proposition for a national building services engineering business? SES Engineering Services is looking for a Building Performance Technical Leader with a specialist focus on embodied carbon strategy, modelling, and delivery to join our growing Building Performance function. This is a key strategic role at the forefront of SES's ambition to deliver high‑performance, low‑carbon, digitally enabled buildings for our customers.

The Opportunity

You will act as one of our technical experts in building performance, but with a primary mandate to develop, embed and scale SES's embodied carbon approach across bids, design stages, and project delivery. Working closely with regional teams, consultants, supply chain partners, and our customers, you will guide the adoption of low‑carbon engineering solutions, shape our embodied‑carbon tools and methodologies, and help position SES as a leader in performance‑led, climate‑responsive building services. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who combines deep technical knowledge with a collaborative mindset and a passion for climate‑positive engineering.

What You'll Be Doing

• Lead the technical development of SES's embodied carbon proposition, including modelling approaches, assessment methodologies, and integration into design workflows.
• Collaborate with regional teams to embed embodied‑carbon thinking from early‑stage bids through to handover, ensuring compliant, innovative, and value‑driven solutions.
• Undertake governance, quality review, and independent analysis of building performance strategies including energy, carbon, thermal modelling, and digital performance simulations.
• Troubleshoot complex building performance and embodied‑carbon issues, working with external consultants and internal teams to implement solutions.
• Drive SES's contribution to sustainability accelerators, new value propositions, and differentiators in the marketplace.
• Provide leadership, coaching, and mentoring to building performance experts across the UK.
• Work with supply chain partners to bring innovative low‑carbon products, materials, and technologies into SES projects.
• Promote compliance with UKNZCBS, NABERS, BREEAM, WELL, Passivhaus and other certification schemes where carbon performance plays a critical role.
• Represent SES in technical forums, client meetings, bid reviews and industry discussions on carbon performance and digital engineering.

What You Bring

• Specialist knowledge of embodied carbon and whole‑life carbon (WLC) assessment methodologies, including EN 15978‑aligned approaches and lifecycle modules relevant to building services.
• Strong understanding of life‑cycle assessment (LCA) principles and hands‑on experience using recognised LCA tools (e.g. OneClick LCA, eTool, SimaPro, GaBi) to quantify and analyse carbon impacts of MEP systems.
• Advanced knowledge of building performance, including dynamic thermal simulation, energy and carbon modelling, ventilation analysis, and performance‑led design.
• Familiarity with UK‑based sustainability frameworks and carbon standards, such as PAS 2080, UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard, NABERS UK, BREEAM, WELL, and Passivhaus, and how carbon performance integrates into these assessments.
• Understanding of digital engineering workflows, including BIM‑based carbon data integration and digital twins for performance and lifecycle optimisation.
• Strong grasp of UK Building Regulations, CDM 2015, and environmental legislation relevant to low‑carbon building services design and delivery.

Qualifications

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) or working toward chartership.
• MCIBSE or equivalent membership preferred.
• Relevant degree (BEng/MEng/MSc) or equivalent experience.
• Desirable: Professional training or certification in embodied carbon or whole‑life carbon assessment, including: BRE LCA / BREEAM Mat 01 training, PAS 2080 Practitioner training, OneClick LCA / eTool / GaBi / SimaPro recognised practitioner certification.

Skills & Behaviours

• Strong communicator with the ability to influence technical and commercial stakeholders.
• Skilled in modelling, data interpretation, and performance‑led design decision‑making.
• Passionate about sustainability, innovation and improving building outcomes.
• Demonstrates SES values: We care, We are fair, We look for a better way.

Why Join SES?

• Help shape a building performance strategy in a business committed to sustainability and innovation.
• Lead the development of our embodied‑carbon proposition with real industry impact.
• Work in a collaborative, forward‑thinking environment that values technical excellence and new ideas.
• Be part of a team helping customers achieve Net Zero ambitions through evidence‑based engineering.

Ready to Make an Impact? Apply now and help us redefine how building services contribute to a low‑carbon future.