Director of Sustainability

The Associate Director of Sustainability is an important leadership role responsible for driving forward the University’s net zero and environmental ambitions. The postholder will provide expert advice to the University’s senior leaders, providing strategic direction on sustainable development and environmental policy, developing implementing and managing a programme of environmental improvement. The postholder will be expected to keep up to date with current and new technologies and work with the academic and research community to understand emerging opportunities. The Associate Director of Sustainability will provide
strategic direction to the teams under their control, leading a team of professional staff responsible for delivering; energy efficiency, biodiversity, guidance
on sustainable construction and retrofit, travel policy and waste reduction This is a role that involves long-term planning and foresight, ability to develop
relationships across the University and beyond and a good understanding of best practice for delivering sustainability objectives across a diverse portfolio of
University buildings.

This post requires a highly motivated and enthusiastic person with considerable experience and a firm commitment to maintaining high standards for service delivery. He/she will collaborate and support the wider Estates Strategic leadership team in the development and delivery of the Estates Services vision and strategy. This is a key role reporting to the Director of Operations. They will work closely with the Head of Engineering and Maintenance and with the Capital
Projects teams to embed sustainable practice and implement sustainability and biodiversity projects.

Flexible working

Flexible hybrid working Is offered for this role. The successful candidate will be expected to spend 3 days at Oxford on a weekly basis to support their team and build stakeholder relationships.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Contribution:
• Lead the delivery of the objectives of Oxford
University’s Sustainability Strategy, provide
expertise and guidance to the senior members of
the University.
• Manage and support the Environmental
Sustainability Steering Committee (ESSC)
providing relevant and timely information to allow
the committee to make decisions in support of
the Sustainability Strategy.
• Manage budgets, including the Sustainability

Budget and the Oxford Carbon Management
Fund. Ensure reports on funding and spend are
structured to help decision making.
• Develop bids for funding from eg Capital
Plan based on well scoped Business Plan
demonstrating evidence of alignment with the
Sustainability Strategy and value for money.
• Lead on review of opportunities for commercial
partnerships to deliver sustainability infrastructure
on key sites.
• Develop and shape the strategic approach to
decarbonisation and energy saving, ensuring that
key stakeholders are engaged and support the
approach. Provide evidence of progress.
• Lead the Environmental Sustainability team,
ensuring that the team are effectively meeting
objectives, including energy efficiency, carbon
reduction, biodiversity, travel, waste reduction
and support for the development of sustainability
curriculum proposals.
• Develop and lead Biodiversity objectives, working
with the stewards of the ‘Oxford Green Estate’
to champion biodiversity across the Estates and
other land owners across the city.
• Manage the development of data and dashboards
to demonstrate progress against Sustainability
objectives for the University and its supply chain.
Provide effective reporting and communication to
committees and the wider University.
• Promote the Sustainability Design Guide develop
effective communication and training on the
guide, ensuring Capital Projects understand
how to use the guide to deliver cost effective
sustainable projects.
• Work collaboratively across the University and
wider community to promote and communicate
Oxford University’s sustainability ambitions.