Associate Director - Sustainability - Energy

Hoarelea; Greater London; On-site; GBP 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Hoare Lea is seeking an Associate Director to lead the Sustainability Group in its London office. You will work with a broad team of engineers to deliver large-scale, complex projects and develop client relationships.

The role emphasizes leadership, technical excellence, and delivering environmental assessments and net-zero strategies across projects, with focus on early design stages through to completion.

Qualifications

• Degree in an applicable field with chartered status
• Experience in a sustainability consultancy
• Strong communication and collaboration across teams
• Solid knowledge of London planning requirements
• Ability to lead sustainability workshops with design teams

Responsibilities

• Take ownership and deliver large scale sustainability projects for leading clients.
• Lead client meetings, disseminate briefs, and communicate clearly.
• Manage and prioritise team workload and resources.
• Oversee environmental assessments (BREEAM/WELL/HQM) from design to completion.
• Drive net zero and embodied carbon strategies.

Skills

Energy strategies

NABERS UK modelling

In-Use energy modelling

Dynamic modelling

BREEAM/HQM assessments

Net zero strategies

Circular economy

Leadership and workshops

London planning knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Degree in a relevant field

Job description

Description

Associate Director - Sustainability London

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 as committed to providing an environment where everyone can realise their unique potential. So, in joining Hoare Lea, you will experience a business that enriches your knowledge, supports your wellbeing, and welcomes your individuality. You’ll have the opportunity to participate in our 9-day fortnight scheme, thriving community groups, varied social and networking events, and 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. When we embark on a project journey, we are making a commitment to the client and to each other.

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. For example, 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 to also engage with the industry. Hoare Lea regularly collaborate with UKGBC, CIBSE and were one of the first to sign up to support the Building Services Engineers Declare initiative.
You’ll be part of progressive and exciting projects, able to experience innovative schemes and gain knowledge across all sectors. With a structured Career Paths Framework, you’ll have a clear understanding of the pathway for advancing your career.

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 a range of specialist engineers and consultants, you will be joining a collaborative, knowledgeable, highly engaged team who love what they do, and offer a supportive, flexible, and high performing work culture.

You will be both people-focused and client-centric. This 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 responsible for delivery across the team.

As part of the role you will:

• Take ownership and deliver large scale projects with industry leading clients.
• You will be in a Client facing role, attending project meetings and disseminating the brief within the project team. You will need to be of personable nature and an excellent communicator.
• 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.
• You will be financially astute and work with the Director to help monitor fee expenditure, resource and work delivered.
• Oversee and lead a range of Sustainable Design analysis workstreams, which may include but not limited to: embodied carbon of materials, circular economy opportunities, building performance simulation, operational energy use, energy generation, overheating.
• Lead the development of sustainability and energy strategies.
• Lead the delivery of environmental assessments (such as BREEAM, WELL, HQM, etc) from early design stages through to completion.
• Supporting the drive towards realising net zero whole life carbon in our projects.
• Working with other members of the Sustainability Group on research and development initiatives to allow us to stay at the cutting edge of knowledge in our industry.
• As well as project-related work, the Group engages directly with industry undertaking research and development studies, and authoring industry guidance. The role also presents the opportunity for involvement in this aspect of the Group’s work to those keen to have a direct influence on the industry.

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.

To be successful in this role you’ll need:

• Experience working within a sustainability consultancy, you will be looking for a new challenge within a practice at the very forefront of our field.
• Like us, you will be serious about sustainability.
• You will bring technical expertise (with a degree in an applicable field) and a passion for creating sustainable solutions.
• You will have an in‑depth understanding of London planning requirements
• You will be confident in leading sustainability workshops with design teams.
• You will relish being part of dynamic team within a progressive and well‑respected firm.
• You will have good communication skills and an enthusiasm for working within a team environment.
• Qualified and recognized within the industry with Chartered status
• You will provide a lead role in an integrated project design team with other construction professionals.
• Experienced team leader/line manager.
• An excellent communicator who enables, promotes, and drives technical excellence for the ultimate benefit of the client.
• Demonstrable experience working with clients / contractors / architects in a design oriented / consultant role.
• Self‑awareness, an open mind, and a spirit of generosity
• Experience of supporting others to develop knowledge, skills, and confidence.

Adjustments and accommodations

If there are adjustments or accommodations that we can put in place to help you participate and give your best at any stage of the recruitment process (whether relating to disability, neurodivergence or anything else) please let us know.

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