Senior Sustainability Manager

Housing and Land

The Housing and Land directorate is responsible for the Mayor’s plans to deliver new and improved homes and strong communities. Working closely with boroughs and partners, we manage the Mayor’s housing investment programmes and land and property assets to support the building of affordable homes, job creation and regeneration.

About the team

The Land and Development team is within the Housing and Land Directorate. The Land and Development team supports GLA Land and Property Limited (GLAP), which is the Greater London Authority’s commercial subsidiary for property investment, development and assessment management. The team is responsible with the delivery of the GLAP portfolio of development on the Mayor’s land and joint venture interests, alongside entering into new opportunities to unlock development outcomes.

GLAP aims to deliver up to a total of 68,000 new homes on the Mayor’s land and joint venture interests, including homes delivered to date and looking ahead over the next 25 years.

Some of GLAP’s schemes include some of London’s largest regeneration projects, such as Royal Docks, Greenwich Peninsula and Barking Riverside. Sites are typically large-scale and mixed-use multi-phased development projects, working with our development partners collaboratively under development agreement delivery structures. While most sites are in contract with partners, others are in procurement, such as Royal Albert Dock. In addition to development land, GLAP holds a significant estate with investment properties, operational property and public realm.

More information about GLAP, its activities and priorities can be read in its Property Asset Strategy and Annual Reports. All interested applicants should familiarise themselves with GLAP’s recently published Climate Action Strategy on the GLA’s website here: GLA Land and Property Limited | London City Hall and GLAP’s Environmental Sustainability Framework, including our metrics here: GLAP Environmental Sustainability Framework — Levitt Bernstein.

About the role

This is a leadership role, ensuring that GLA Land and Property Limited (GLAP) is actively contributing to the delivery of Mayoral environmental sustainability and social value priorities and commitments. The role actively works across the GLA family delivery organisations, supporting collaboration and sharing of learning across the GLA group, with developers and to policy teams.

The Senior Sustainability Manager leads the implementation of GLAP’s Climate Action Strategy ensuring that it achieves its strategic goals and objectives. The role plays a strategic role in embedding sustainability requirements and outcomes in strategic development projects and estate management. The role leads on embedding climate risk management practices within GLAP ensuring that GLAP is resilient to the impacts of climate change.

What your day will look like

• Lead, working across GLAP, implementation, delivery and reporting against GLAP’s climate action strategy including capturing and monitoring GLAP’s emissions through the inventory model.
• Initiate, develop and oversee development of additional guidance documents as required to facilitate/ensure the delivery of GLAP’s objectives.
• Lead implementation of GLAP’s development standards, metrics and reporting including the integration of requirements and outcomes within future GLAP development projects, across residential and commercial projects.
• Develop innovative/joined up delivery of climate actions securing/benefits to GLAP’s business plan.
• Lead implementation of GLAP’s climate risk management and climate resilience and adaptation plan including keeping the climate risk assessment up to date and ensuring inclusion within decision making and broader risk management.
• Leads coordination of GLAP’s climate budget and quarterly reporting in partnership with GLAP’s Finance Director and the wider team.
• Responsible for facilitating and enhancing collaboration between the different GLA development bodies- sharing lessons and knowledge building on work undertaken to date, oversee group wide metrics reporting to collaboration programme as per agreed timescales.
• Building strategic relationships and partnerships both within the GLA, across the GLA bodies, developers and other stakeholders.
• Provide client-side sustainability input into Crystal Palace National Sports Centre redevelopment, operator procurement and ongoing management.

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role you must meet the following essential criteria:

• An appropriate professional qualification with significant regeneration and development experience, with demonstrable experience and success in supporting delivery of sustainability outcomes across major development projects and corporate activity.
• Strong understanding of relevant technical matters concerning sustainability, but also including procurement, design, project finance, planning and legal agreements for development transactions.
• Demonstrable experience and understanding of commercial considerations in respect of sustainability and delivery, in context of property development process and land ownership.
• Proven experience of contributing to the structuring of development agreements and joint ventures within the development sector demonstrating good commercial awareness
• Demonstrable experience of implementing sustainability strategies and policies, including monitoring and reporting against them.

Behavioural Competencies

Building and Managing Relationships

…is developing rapport and working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Actively engages partners and encourage others to build relationships that support GLA objectives
• Understands the needs of others, the constraints they face and the levers to their engagement
• Understands differences, anticipates areas of conflict and takes action
• Fosters an environment where others feel respected
• Delivers objectives by bringing together diverse stakeholders to work effectively in partnership

Decision Making

…is forming sound, evidence-based judgements, making choices, assessing risks to delivery, and taking accountability for results.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Makes sound decisions quickly on behalf of the GLA when a situation requires intervention
• Takes responsibility for team decisions, providing rationale when those decisions are questioned
• Involves senior stakeholders early in decisions that impact them
• Analyses organisational risks associated with decisions, including those with long term impacts, before committing to action
• Encourages others in the team to make decisions in their own area of expertise, take appropriate risks and learn from experience

Organisational Awareness

…is understanding and being sensitive to organisational dynamics, culture and politics across and beyond the GLA and shaping our approach accordingly.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Usesunderstanding of differences between the GLA and its partners to improve working relationships
• Helps others understand the GLA and the complex environment in which it operates
• Translates changing political agendas into tangible actions
• Considers the diverse needs of Londoners in formulating GLA objectives
• Helps others understand how the media and external perceptions of the GLA influence work

Planning and Organising

..is thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time to a high standard.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Monitors allocations of resources, anticipating changing requirements that may impact work delivery
• Ensures evaluation processes are in place to measure project benefits
• Identifies and consults with sponsors or stakeholders in planning work
• Implements quality measures to ensure directorate output is of a high standard
• Negotiates realistic timescales for work delivery, ensuring team deliverables can be met

Strategic Thinking

…is using an understanding of the bigger picture to uncover potential challenges and opportunities for the long term and turning these into a compelling vision for action.

Level 3 indicators of effective performance

• Translates GLA vision and strategy into practical and tangible plans for own team or delivery partners
• Consistently takes account of the wider implications of team’s actions for the GLA
• Encourages self and others to think about organisation’s long term potential
• Informs strategy development by identifying gaps in current delivery or evidence
• Takes account of a wide range of public and partner needs to inform team’s work

The GLA Competency Framework Guidelines further detailing each competency and the different level indicators can be found here: GLA Competency Framework

This role is based at City Hall, Royal Docks (Kamal Chunchie Way, London, E16 1ZE), although will also require working at London Fire Brigade’s Head Office (Union Street SE1 0LL).

How to apply

If you would like to apply for the role you will need to submit the following:

• Up to date CV
• Personal statement with a maximum of 1500 words. Please ensure you address how you demonstrate the essential criteria outlined above in the advert.

Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement have a maximum file size of 1.5MB each and upload your Personal Statement to the ‘CV and Cover Letters’ section’ of the form, ensuring you address the technical requirements and competencies in your Personal Statement.

Word or PDF format preferred and do not include any photographs or images. Please ensure your CV and Personal Statement are saved with the job reference number as part of the naming convention (E.g., “CV – applicant name - 012345)

As part of GLA’s continuing commitment to be an inclusive and equal opportunity employer we will be removing personal identifiable information from CVs and Personal Statements that could cause discrimination.

If you have questions about the role

If you wish to talk to someone about the role, the hiring manager Sarah Birt, Head of Development, would be happy to speak to you. Please contact them at Sarah.Birt@london.gov.uk

If you have any questions about the recruitment process, contact the glaopdcrecruitment@tfl.gov.uk who support the GLA with recruitment.

Assessment process

Once you have submitted an application, your details will be reviewed by a panel.

If shortlisted, you’ll be invited to an interview/assessment.

The interview/assessment date is: Week commencing 29th September 2025

Equality, diversity and inclusion

London's diversity is its biggest asset, and we strive to ensure our workforce reflects London's diversity at all levels. We welcome applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, gender identity, gender expression, ethnicity, sexual orientation, faith or disability.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority ethnic candidates and disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and we are happy to consider flexible working arrangements. We would welcome applications from candidates who are seeking part time work as this role is open to job share.

Please note we are a Disability Confident Employer so for candidates who wish to be considered under the scheme and meet the essential criteria, they will automatically be invited to interview. Please note, should you require any adjustments through the process, we will accommodate as much as possible. Please contact the recruitment team for further information if required.

Benefits

GLA staff are hybrid working up to 3 days a week in our offices and remotely depending on their role. As part of this, you will need to split your time between home working and coming into the office.

In addition to a good salary package, you will be paid every four weeks, providing frequent salary payments. We also offer an attractive range of benefits including 30 days’ annual leave, interest free season ticket loan, interest free bicycle loan and a career average pension scheme.

Additional Information

Please note, all candidates will need to confirm that the information provided in this application form is true and correct. Should a candidate deliberately give false information, including the use of AI software, they understand that this would disqualify them from consideration.

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record (DBS) check but some roles may require additional security screening.

More Support

If you have a disability which makes submitting an online application form difficult, please contact resourcingteam@london.gov.uk.