Environment and Sustainability Lead

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Job Purpose

As Environment and Sustainability Lead, this role is accountable for leading the strategic direction of Environment and Sustainability within the NHSBSA, continuing the transformation of our environment strategy. The post holder will bring creative and innovative ideas to ensure these strategies support the organisation to better understand and reduce it’s environmental impact across a broad range of areas, contributing to the deliver of central government environmental ambition as well as the delivery of the business strategy.

The post holder will lead multi-disciplinary organisational programmes of work from start to finish that cover a wide breadth of complex areas including Environmental Management Systems, Greenhouse Gas Emission, Waste and Resource Management, Sustainable Procurement and Sustainable ICT & Digital Services. They will also be accountable for leading the design and performance of highly specialist internal and external support services within these areas.

The post holder will be forward thinking, innovative, have highly developed communication and collaboration skills, and take an evidence-based approach, continually driving improvement and efficiency. As part of the People Senior Management Team, they will partner with Heads of Service across the organisation in the creation and delivery of short- and long-term sustainability strategies relevant to a diverse range of functions, leading on all aspects of Environment and Sustainability.

In addition to leading their own team, the Environment and Sustainability Lead will work collaboratively with colleagues across the People Team and will embrace a one team ethos, continually supporting team development and the achievement and delivery of the People and Environment strategies that impacts the whole of the organisation. 

Main Responsibilities:

• Design and lead the continued transformation of the NHSBSA Environment Strategy in support of the NHSBSA’s strategic goal of Environmental Sustainability, ensuring it takes account of current challenges, supports the organisation’s sustainability aspirations, and combines best practice, requirements of central government mandates such as Greening Government Commitments and legal obligations whilst continuing to adapt to a hybrid working model.
• Lead the direction and oversee the delivery of an Environment Action Plan setting actions and sustainability initiatives, outcomes, targets, deadlines and metrics to underpin the delivery of the NHSBSA Environment Strategy which are aligned to the broader business strategy and corporate goals. This includes creating programmes of work to align with corporate priorities of People and Culture, Waste and Resource Efficiency, Sustainable ICT & Digital Services, Good Governance, Sustainable Procurement, Water, Climate Change Adaptation and Biodiversity.
• Manage the Environment Committee responsible for setting the direction of and monitor progress against the NHSBSA Environment Strategy and supporting the Chief Executive as Chair of the Committee.
• Maintain and further enhance the NHSBSA’s Environmental Management System (EMS) ensuring continued alignment, and external accreditation, to ISO14001. Ensure adherence to all statutory and mandatory environmental requirements, leveraging best practice, with systems in place to ensure suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.
• Partner with the Chief Digital, Data and Technology Officer and their Senior Management Team to transform the organisation’s approach to Sustainable Technology and Digital Services to understand and reduce our impact in this area. 
• Partner with the Head of Commercial to develop and embed a new strategic approach to sustainable procurement and Social Value which is aligned to business strategies, where sustainability principles are fully embedded into due diligence and business change governance frameworks. 
• Lead the progression of the organisation’s approach to carbon management, which is aligned to business strategies. Working in partnership with the Estates’ Senior Management Team, design and oversee the organisation’s carbon management plan which provides a roadmap to Net Zero. 
• Lead the organisation’s approach to waste and resource efficiency, which is aligned to business strategies and central government requirements.  Work in collaboration with the Senior Management Teams within Estates, Digital, Data and Technology, Portfolio Management and Operations to transform the organisation’s approach to waste and resource efficiency, embedding circular economy principles and ensuring legal and central government requirements are met. 
• Collaborate with relevant teams  to create a data-informed strategy, utilising complex data analytics to guide the NHSBSA's environment strategy and action plan. 
• Use highly complex data and its analysis to enable the Leadership and other key teams  to focus on key current issues and future initiatives; using an evidence-based approach to inform future strategic priorities and plans. 
• Oversee the organisation's reporting regimes to ensure data sets are created and maintained in line with legal requirements, corporate environment targets, HM Treasury Annual Report requirements, Greening Government Commitments, Sustainable Technology Annual Reports and certification requirements
• Lead on the creation, implementation and continual review of highly complex policies, processes, practices, and systems related to environment and sustainability.  
• Trusted partnering with the Executive Leadership Team of the NHSBSA, and their senior leadership teams, to provide subject matter professional expertise and recommendations for all environment and sustainability activity. The post holder will ensure organisational compliance with all statutory and mandatory requirements for environment and sustainability, advising on best practice within these fields, and ensuring that robust arrangements are in place to withstand scrutiny by relevant audit or inspection bodies. This includes advising on the way forward where no precedent exists and providing support to the Leadership Team and other senior colleagues on matters relating to future strategy implications.
• Working in collaboration with diverse senior management communities and major suppliers on complex and evolving sustainability themes to drive transformation across services and specialist functions.
• Lead the development of an approach to colleague engagement on environmental sustainability, working in partnership with the Communications and Marketing Team and wider People Team to enhance colleague awareness and understanding of environmental sustainability goals to drive behavioural change using a variety of communications channels.
• Set the direction for the Environment related colleague networks and working groups, providing direction to the champions, and overseeing the networks Communications and Events annual plan, ensuring this is aligned to the environment and organisation strategies, and maximises colleague engagement.
• Manage the procurement of training, auditing, specialist compliance systems and other relevant suppliers, ensuring any associated budget is appropriately spent to maximise the value of return. In addition, manage the team and training budget, maximising value, and benefit realisation.
• Set the vision for and lead the Environment and Sustainability Team, enabling them to develop and grow their internal confidence and capabilities through an inclusive and compassionate leadership approach. 
• Relationship building and building excellent working relationships with internal and external stakeholders (including the Department of Health and other ALB’s)
• Continued thought leadership on environment and sustainability initiatives, actively sharing insight and knowledge and incorporating this into current and future activities and planning
• Deputise for the Head of Colleague Experience and Social Impact as appropriate, and coach, mentor and provide professional leadership to other team members and wider NHSBSA colleagues.