Project and Impact Officer

University of Leeds; Leeds; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading educational institution in the UK seeks a Project and Impact Officer to lead initiatives focused on promoting active lifestyles amid climate challenges. This role involves strategic stakeholder engagement, project management, and aims to drive positive societal change across the region. The successful candidate will have strong communication and analytical skills, with a passion for health and climate action. Offers a hybrid working model and generous holiday benefits.

Benefits

26 days holiday plus bank holidays

Generous pension scheme

Discounted gym membership

Access to personal development courses

On-site childcare and shopping discounts

Qualifications

• Expertise in sport and active lifestyles.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement.
• Deep passion for mobilising positive change.

Responsibilities

• Lead pilot project on active lifestyles and climate change.
• Build engagements with stakeholders to address health and climate.
• Help develop strategies for access to sport and healthy spaces.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Job description

Project and Impact Officer (Sport and Active Lifestyles)

Salary: Grade 6 (£33,951 – £39,906 p.a. depending on experience)

Contract Duration: 6 months (fixed term)

This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.

Do you have a deep passion for mobilising positive change and building capacity within organisations? Expertise in sport and active lifestyles and the challenges and implications for people less able to access them? Strong analytical, organisational, and communication skills? Experience in supporting wide‑range stakeholder engagements? If so, we want to hear from you!

We're searching for a Project and Impact Officer with a focus on sport and active lifestyles to join our dynamic Climate Commissions Team at the University of Leeds. This isn't just any role; it's a chance to help people become healthier and more active, improve access to sport, mobilise positive societal change across Yorkshire and Humber Region and beyond, and inspire system‑level action locally, nationally, and internationally.

As our Project and Impact Officer, you'll lead our pilot project on supporting more active lifestyles in the face of climate change. The project involves working collaboratively with the three Active Partnerships within our region, supported and funded by Sport England, as well as working hand‑in‑hand with our Commissioners.

You’ll be instrumental in shaping the future by:

• Driving strategic engagement: building a network of key stakeholders across the region to address the critical interplay between sport and activity, health, and climate change.
• Boosting active lifestyles: increasing awareness and encouraging investment into making our sport and active lifestyle facilities resilient to the impacts of climate change and more environmentally positive.
• Addressing inequalities: developing an understanding of who in the region is most at risk of being inactive or unable to access sport and healthy, nature‑positive outdoor spaces as our climate changes and how we can more effectively address these inequalities.

You’ll do this by building and maintaining powerful collaborations across the public, private, and third sectors to help realise the ambitions of Sport England’s Every Move strategy and the region’s Climate Action Plan. This role is all about scoping the opportunities that will enable partners and stakeholders to design and deliver effective climate strategies, exchanging vital knowledge, and supporting extensive stakeholder engagement to make big things happen.

The climate crisis is the biggest challenge of our time, and at the University of Leeds, we’re relentlessly focused on impact. As a leading research‑intensive university, we’re uniquely positioned to foster unparalleled collaboration, combining our global outlook with a keen focus on local and regional impact. Our Climate Plan is central to everything we do, aiming to create a healthier, greener, and fairer world.

The Leeds Climate Commission, launched in 2017, was the first of its kind, and the Yorkshire and Humber Climate Commission is the largest. These "living lab" initiatives were designed to accelerate evidence‑based climate action by bridging global science with tangible local impacts. After years of dedicated work, these collaborations are making a real, positive difference, changing our future for the better. Come and be a part of a team that's making a real impact where it matters most.

As a Project and Impact Officer, you’ll be at the heart of the Commissions' team, driving an impactful project that shapes a sustainable future for Leeds, Yorkshire and the Humber and beyond. The role has been developed in partnership with Active Humber and funded by Sport England to support implementation of the Every Move strategy launched by Sport England in 2024, in line with the region’s Climate Action Plan. The role will involve developing and nurturing relationships with key stakeholders involved in sport, wellbeing and active lifestyles; gathering existing data and insight; and scoping the opportunities to deliver these strategies in a just and inclusive way.

As well as leading this pilot project, you’ll play a vital role in the broader work of the Climate Commissions. This means actively supporting and participating in our routine operations, including engaging in our essential quarterly meetings and contributing to our impactful annual events. Your involvement will help shape the strategic direction and collective efforts of the Commissions, ensuring our ongoing success in driving climate action.

You’ll be a key representative, building vital relationships with senior policymakers, businesses, and communities across the region, while also promoting our work nationally and internationally.

This role offers the unique opportunity to deepen your expertise in climate science, policy, and on‑the‑ground impacts, drawing on cutting‑edge research and fostering collaborations across diverse sectors. You’ll champion fair and just transitions, ensuring our efforts support vulnerable communities and amplify underrepresented voices in policy development.

Please note that due to Home Office visa requirements, this role is not suitable for first‑time Skilled Worker visa applicants. Information on other visa options is available at: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

What We Offer In Return

• 26 days holiday plus approx. 16 Bank Holidays/days that the University is closed by custom (including Christmas) – That’s 42 days a year!
• Generous pension scheme options plus life assurance
• Health and Wellbeing: Discounted staff membership options at The Edge, our state‑of‑the‑art Campus gym, with a pool, sauna, climbing wall, cycle circuit, and sports halls.
• Personal Development: Access to courses run by our Organisational Development & Professional Learning team.
• Access to on‑site childcare, shopping discounts and travel schemes are also available.

And much more!

To explore the post further or for any queries you may have, please contact:

Rosa Foster, email: [e-mail]