Senior Director, ESG programmes

Sprweb; Greater London; On-site; GBP 78,500 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Life insurance

Generous vacation leave

Retirement plan with employer match

Job summary

ULI Europe is seeking a Senior Director to lead the delivery of C Change for Housing and support C Change, ULI Europe’s flagship decarbonisation programmes. The role splits across Housing and Support workstreams, with the aim to mobilise the real estate industry to decarbonise Europe’s housing stock.

Hybrid London-based, with strong funder relationships and visibility across Europe. The successful candidate will manage programme direction, develop new ESG initiatives, and engage with members and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Hands-on content expertise in housing and decarbonisation alongside project management.
• Strong relationship-building across a wide stakeholder landscape.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills for senior audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead delivery of C Change for Housing and shape its workstreams with autonomy.
• Support C Change programme development and identify business development opportunities.
• Develop new ESG programmes with staff and partners.
• Manage funder relationships and quarterly reporting to sustain grants.
• Represent ULI in Europe at events and external conferences.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Housing decarbonisation

Project management

Communication

Networking

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Senior Director, ESG Programmes, ULI Europe

Location: London

ULI, the Urban Land Institute, is a non-profit research and education organisation supported by its members. Founded in 1936, we now have over 48,000 members worldwide. ULI has been active in Europe since the early 1990s and today we have over 5,000 members. Members, both individual and corporate, represent all disciplines active in real estate and urban development from public and private sectors, including architects, developers, investors, and urban planners.

ULI’s mission is to shape the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide, delivered through a wide variety of events, awards, and thought leadership.

Research and ESG programmes are a key element of the value proposition offered to members and the wider industry. Topics and projects are initiated and executed in close cooperation with ULI’s members, providing perspectives from across the value chain to help members and the broader industry navigate challenges and unlock opportunities.

ABOUT THE ROLE

ULI Europe is seeking a Senior Director to lead the delivery and shaping of C Change for Housing, and to support C Change, ULI Europe’s two flagship programmes driving decarbonisation of the built environment across Europe.

C Change for Housing launched in January 2025 with philanthropic support from the Laudes Foundation, with the aim of mobilising the real estate industry to decarbonise Europe’s existing and future affordable housing stock. Two workstreams are currently active — defining affordable, sustainable housing and rebuilding the business case for it — with a third workstream due to launch in early 2027.

This is a maternity cover position, with the postholder joining ahead of the current programme lead’s leave to allow for a handover period. The role reports to the Vice President, Content, who will provide guidance rather than close day‑to‑day management — this is a role for someone confident shaping programme direction and managing their own workload with real autonomy. There is genuine scope to shape both programmes over the course of the term, working closely with ULI members, the C Change for Housing steering committee, and the Vice President, Content. Should additional funded work be secured during the term, there is potential for the role to extend or convert to a permanent position.

The role splits across the two programmes: approximately four days per week leading C Change for Housing, and one day per week supporting C Change — working alongside the C Change Programme Lead on programme direction, profile‑raising, and business development.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Delivery of C Change for Housing

• Work with ULI’s members, staff, consultants, and the wider industry to deliver the programme’s active workstreams and progress them toward tangible, actionable solutions.
• Develop new programme workstreams related to existing interventions, including supporting the launch of a third workstream in early 2027.
• Manage the relationship with the Laudes Foundation and other funders, including quarterly reporting and ongoing stakeholder engagement to maintain funder confidence and support future grant renewal.
• Closely collaborate with other industry associations and sustainability-focused organisations to gather input and share progress.
• Identify potential corporate and philanthropic funding sources and support fundraising for the core programme and specific workstreams, including contributing to live funding bids.

Support for C Change

• Work with the C Change Programme Lead to support programme development.
• Focus on raising the profile of the programme and identifying business development opportunities.

Development of New ESG Programmes

• Work with staff, members, and external organisations to develop new ESG programmes.
• Work closely with research colleagues within ULI to prime new ideas.
• Identify potential corporate and philanthropic funding sources for new programmes.

Internal and External Representation

• Work with ULI Europe’s national council team to support the pan-European rollout of programme outputs.
• Support the preparation of research project-related events, in particular the C Change Summit.
• Represent the Institute in Europe by presenting at national councils’ events, ULI Europe’s flagship events, and external conferences.
• Represent ULI to the media on an as-needed basis.
• Serve as an expert resource and adviser to ULI members, product and national councils, and staff.

Management

• Provide clear direction and decisive leadership to supporting freelancers and, as the function grows, staff.
• Develop and manage the annual budget for C Change for Housing, monitor financial performance of individual workstreams, and provide regular financial and other reporting.

WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR

Required

• 8–12 years of progressively responsible experience in housing, affordable housing, decarbonisation, sustainability consulting, or related real estate/ESG research or programme work, including experience initiating or directing projects.
• A background either within industry (e.g., a real estate developer, investor, or ULI member organisation) or within a non‑profit or mission‑driven organisation; candidates moving from industry into more purpose‑driven work have historically been particularly strong fits for this team.
• Genuine subject‑matter depth in housing and/or decarbonisation — this is not a pure programme‑management role, and candidates should bring hands‑on content expertise alongside project management skill.
• A demonstrated self‑starter, able to shape and manage programme direction with minimal day‑to‑day oversight.
• Strong relationship‑building skills across a wide stakeholder landscape — members, funders, industry partners, and internal teams.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience presenting research and programme work to senior audiences.
• Education: Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree in a related field preferred.
• Based in or able to work from London, with availability for a minimum of two days per week in the office.

Preferred

• Experience working with philanthropic or foundation‑funded programmes, particularly relating to housing.
• Experience contributing to fundraising, grant reporting, or bid‑writing.
• Familiarity with sustainability and decarbonisation policy and the affordable housing sector across Europe.
• Fluent in written and spoken English; additional European languages a plus.
• Ability to travel within Europe occasionally.

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

Within the term, a successful Senior Director will have driven tangible progress on solutions across the active C Change for Housing workstreams and supported the successful launch of the third workstream in early 2027. They will have maintained strong funder relationships — particularly with the Laudes Foundation — through consistent, high‑quality reporting and engagement. They will have raised the profile of C Change for Housing across the European real estate industry, grown industry engagement with the programme, and made a meaningful contribution to C Change’s broader profile‑raising and business development goals. They will have established themselves as a credible, trusted voice with ULI members, the steering committee, and the wider Impact Lab and Europe teams.

COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS

The salary range for this position is £78,500 to £88,000. Actual compensation will be based on experience, education, skills, and other job‑related factors. ULI offers a comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and life insurance; generous vacation leave; and retirement plan with employer match.

WORKING CONDITIONS

The Urban Land Institute (ULI) is committed to shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide, and we embrace our core values of integrity, collaboration, inclusion, and excellence in service to our members. This role is based in ULI’s London office on a hybrid basis, with a minimum of two days per week on‑site to support in‑person collaboration with the wider Europe team.

ULI is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to protected characteristics. All applicants are encouraged to confirm whether any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process are required.

No relocation reimbursement is offered at this time.