Job description

Allen & York are delighted to be working with a multisector global, purpose led business as they look to recruit a Group Director of Sustainability to join their organisation. A newly created role, the position is signed off at Board level, consolidating their commitment to continued investment in ESG.
This represents a rare opportunity to bring your wealth of knowledge and strategic capabilities to bear across such a diverse portfolio of companies and operating sectors, through which significant Environmental & Social benefits may be realised.
In the era of COP26, the creation of this role is incredibly apt and an excellent opportunity for an experienced Sustainability professional to join this complex organisation and pull together, through a consolidated strategy, businesses with different priorities and opportunities to contribute positively, whilst directly steering group functions.
A key element of this role is to influence and guide people of all levels and engage with a range of different stakeholders including representatives on company boards but focusing in particular on the high carbon emitters within the group, so you'll benefit greatly from your experience of having developed excellent communications and stakeholder skills in your current or previous roles. Prior experience of reporting to C-Suite is essential.
You will have direct reporting from and oversight of a team of Sustainability professionals who sit within designated divisions of the business, so you'll require a good oversight of their disciplines and will require a broad range of technical knowledge to be able to advise and guide decision making.
An exciting challenge within the role is determining how to make an impact and drive change, you'll need to be prepared to roll your sleeves up from time to time…be happy to switch between high level strategy work to execution. As such, you'll be required to build, design, think on your feet and undertake the research to inform decision making. Candidates with a strong analytical background and proven expertise in high level stakeholder engagement towards positive organisation change will be welcomed.
Engaging with a range of stakeholders from managers to the Board, you'll be a strong influencer who can challenge decisions and be innovative, whilst also being pragmatic and in tune with business priorities and operational realities.
A further element of the role is linked to governance and standards so you will ideally be able to exhibit examples of when you've implemented these in previous roles.
You'll keep up to date with political, social, economic and environmental developments that will influence sustainability risk through attending conferences, events and webinars, etc
A background in financial sectors would be beneficial or awareness of finance in a corporate setting but a strong corporate background where you've been exposed to a number of challenges and obstacles would suffice. Candidates with a consultancy background would also be of interest as the role is hybrid in the sense that you will be advising departments at a strategic level.
You will have excellent communications and project management skills as there will be changing priorities and you'll need to decide on their importance. You'll be confident, have impact and a certain level of gravitas needed to enact change but you'll also be a pragmatist and be able to engage at all levels and with sustainability and non-sustainability professionals.
So, if you're looking for an opportunity to really make a difference, join one of the largest collection of businesses in the world and realise your potential in Sustainability please register your interest by sending your CV to kpereira@allen-york.com.