Sustainability Manager (Risk & Governance)

Government Recruitment Service; North East; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK Government Department is seeking a committed professional to join its Sustainability Strategy Team. The role involves managing climate-related risks, collaborating across teams, and supporting the development of departmental strategies to adapt to climate change. Ideal candidates will have a passion for sustainability and experience in risk management. This opportunity represents a chance to significantly impact how the department meets future challenges related to climate change.

Qualifications

• Self-starting team player committed to sustainability and environmental issues.

Responsibilities

• Mature and understand DWP’s Climate Related Risks.
• Manage external suppliers for climate risk assessments.
• Run sustainability governance forums.
• Lead Sustainability Team Risk Reporting.
• Improve collaboration across sustainability teams.

Job description

This exciting and important role sits within our Sustainability Strategy Team. Climate change is increasingly presenting both new risks and opportunities for the Department - from managing the operational impacts of extreme weather events to ensuring the UK has a workforce equipped for a Net Zero economy. Recognising the growing significance of these challenges, the Department is raising climate risk to one of the top departmental risks to be managed by our Executive Team.

This presents an exciting opportunity to help refine and manage Department for Work & Pensions’ (DWP) evolving climate risk landscape by joining a small, dynamic Sustainability Team. The role also encompasses broader responsibilities in risk management, governance, and enhancing collaboration with sustainability professionals across the department. We are seeking a self-starting team player who is committed to sustainability and environmental issues.

As DWP embarks on this journey, there is a unique chance to influence how the Department adapts its policies and operations in response to climate change, ensuring it continues to meet the needs of future customers.

Successful candidates can expect to be involved in a range of the following:

• To mature and better understand DWP’s Climate Related Risks and their impact across the department and work towards having accountable owners across all directorates
• To manage external suppliers on understanding the financial implications of our climate risks in different future climate scenarios and ensure work is delivered on time and within budget
• To support on running sustainability governance forums to ensure they run effectively, generate lively engagement and impactful strategic decision making
• To lead on Sustainability Team Risk Reporting and ensure it aligns with best practice across the department
• To improve collaboration and ways of working across all the department’s sustainability teams through shared L&D, Events and Knowledge Sharing and governance
• To support with ad-hoc cross department engagement on climate change
• To support with monitoring performance of different directorates on delivery against the new departmental 2030 Sustainability Strategy
• To engage across the department and externally on Climate risk with stakeholders from: ALBs working group, Horizon Scanning Network, Chronic Risks Team, Business Continuity Team and Estates Team
• To support on the development of a new departmental adaptation strategy to tackle climate risks