Head of Sustainability – Housing

Bimplus; Yorkshire Bridge; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Prosper Recruitment is partnering with a multi-disciplinary organisation to appoint a Head of Sustainability for Yorkshire & East Midlands. This role leads regional ESG strategy, environmental performance, social impact and governance programs, acting as the regional ambassador for sustainability.

The role requires strong stakeholder management, cross-functional collaboration, and the ability to translate data into actionable business decisions with regular travel to sites.

Qualifications

• Degree in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• 8+ years of experience in sustainability, ESG integration or related roles.

Responsibilities

• Translate ESG strategy into regional plans with measurable targets and timelines.
• Monitor and report regional ESG performance against targets and regulatory requirements.
• Lead regional ESG risk assessment and governance including climate risk and supplier ethics.
• Build relationships with regional clients, regulators, suppliers, communities and internal stakeholders.
• Lead regional sustainability projects from conception to delivery including budgeting and benefits realization.
• Establish robust data governance for regional ESG data and develop dashboards.

Skills

Sustainability leadership

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Engineering, Business or related field

Postgraduate qualification or MBA preferred

Job description

Head of Sustainability – Social Housing – Yorkshire & East Midlands

Location

Flexible within the Yorkshire & East Midlands region; hybrid working (office and remote) with regular travel to sites and regional offices

Salary

Competitive, commensurate with experience; plus comprehensive benefits package

Reporting to

Sustainability Director

Team

Regional Sustainability Leaders/Managers; dotted-line to functional sustainability leads; matrix collaboration with operations, procurement, finance, HSE, and HR

Company Overview

Prosper Recruitment are working in partnership with a multidisciplinary, purpose-driven organisation delivering sustainable energy, infrastructure, and built-environment solutions across the UK. They combine engineering excellence with a strong focus on environmental stewardship, social impact, and responsible governance to help clients decarbonise operations, improve resilience, and unlock long‑term value for stakeholders. Our clients portfolio spans energy generation and resilience projects, net‑zero retrofit programmes, and circular economy initiatives. They are committed to people, performance, and planet, and we seek to embed sustainability into every facet of our business operations and client delivery.

Role Purpose

The Head of Sustainability for the Yorkshire & East Midlands Region is a strategic, commercially‑minded leadership role responsible for delivering the Group’s regional sustainability agenda in alignment with the company‑wide ESG strategy. The role leads regional sustainability initiatives, drives environmental performance, leads social impact and governance programs, and acts as the regional ambassador for sustainability—engaging with clients, regulators, suppliers, communities, and internal stakeholders. The role requires strong stakeholder management, cross‑functional collaboration, risk management, and the ability to translate complex sustainability data into actionable business decisions.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy, Governance & Compliance

• Translate the Group’s ESG strategy into a clear, actionable regional plan with measurable targets, timelines, and accountability.
• Monitor, report, and govern regional ESG performance against internal targets and external requirements (e.g., UK GHG reporting, CDP, GRI, SASB where applicable; TCFD considerations for climate risk).
• Stay current on regional regulatory requirements, incentives, and industry best practices; interpret and apply them to regional operations.
• Lead regional ESG risk assessment and governance, including climate risk, supplier ethics, health, safety, and environmental risk management.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communications

• Build and maintain strong relationships with regional clients, communities, suppliers, regulators, industry groups, and internal stakeholders.
• Represent the Group on regional sustainability forums; articulate the company’s sustainability stance and respond to stakeholder inquiries.
• Lead external communications on regional sustainability initiatives and outcomes; support corporate communications as needed.
• Drive regional decarbonisation, energy efficiency, water stewardship, waste reduction, and circular economy initiatives.
• Oversee data collection, validation, and reporting of environmental metrics for the region; ensure data quality and timely submission for internal dashboards and external reporting.
• Identify opportunities for on‑site renewable energy projects, energy storage, and sustainable procurement practices.

Social & Governance Impact

• Lead regional social impact programs (workforce development, diversity & inclusion, community engagement, health and wellbeing).
• Oversee supplier code of conduct alignment, supplier risk management, and responsible procurement practices.
• Promote a strong safety culture and ensure alignment with Group HSE standards and regional legislation.

Programme Delivery & Change Management

• Lead regional sustainability projects from conception to delivery, including business case development, stakeholder engagement, budgeting, and benefits realisation.
• Collaborate with operations, procurement, finance, HR, and IT to embed sustainability into day‑to‑day decision‑making.
• Manage regional sustainability budgets and resource planning; optimize ROI on sustainability initiatives.

Data, Reporting & Assurance

• Establish robust data governance for regional ESG data; develop dashboards and analytics to inform decision‑making.
• Prepare and present progress reports to regional leadership and boards, including performance against KPIs and risk indicators.
• Lead or support assurance activities (e.g., ISO 14001, ISO 50001, or other applicable frameworks).

People & Capability

• Hire, develop, and mentor regional sustainability talent; foster a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and high ethical standards.
• Provide coaching and guidance to site leaders and regional managers to embed sustainability into operations.
• Foster cross‑functional collaboration and capability‑building across the region.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills

• Degree (or equivalent) in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field; postgraduate qualification or MBA preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in sustainability, environmental management, ESG integration, or related roles

Strategic & Technical Expertise

• Regional Insight: A deep understanding of the decarbonisation landscape, drivers, and barriers specifically within the Midlands and Northern England/Yorkshire markets.
• Strategy Delivery: An established track record in net‑zero strategy delivery and large‑scale project execution.
• Technical Proficiency: Expert knowledge of regulatory drivers, on‑site energy generation, and data‑driven performance optimisation.
• Financial Literacy: Experience in cost‑benefit analysis, ROI for retrofit, and green financing mechanisms