Job overview
The New Hospital Programme is more than building hospitals, it’s a once in a generation opportunity to shape the future of healthcare in England. We’re delivering over 40 new hospitals that will be modern, sustainable and built around the needs of patients and staff. We’re looking for people who care about purpose, who thrive in complex environments and who want to help deliver change at scale for future generations.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an experienced Head of Environmental Sustainability to lead the delivery and embedding of environmental sustainability across the New Hospital Programme.
Reporting to the Director of Sustainability, you will play a key leadership role in implementing the programme's Social, Economic and Environmental (SEE) Delivery Strategy, ensuring environmental objectives are embedded across the design, planning, procurement, construction and operational delivery of hospital schemes.
Working across a complex national programme, you will drive the delivery of environmental initiatives, support the development of sustainability strategies, and ensure consistent measurement, monitoring and reporting of environmental outcomes. You will work closely with stakeholders and delivery partners to ensure environmental requirements are effectively incorporated into Hospital 2.0 products, spaces and scheme delivery.
We are looking for someone with:
- Significant experience in environmental sustainability, net zero, or environmental programme delivery.
- Strong knowledge of sustainability frameworks, policies and reporting requirements.
- Experience developing and implementing environmental strategies within large, complex programmes.
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
- A track record of driving measurable environmental improvements and continuous improvement initiatives.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
For more information on the NHP programme
Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.
Person specification
Skills
Essential
- Technical expertise environment and sustainability standards; Net Zero Carbon, whole life building standards; statutory requirements; reference design; industrialisation processes; utilities; logistics; technical and operational standards
- Highly developed communication skills with the ability to communicate on highly complex matters and difficult situations
- Ability to provide and receive, convey and present highly complex, sensitive and/or contentious information to large groups, responding openly to questions to ensure full understanding and engagement
- Ability to analyse numerical and written data, assess verbal, written, numerical and draw appropriate conclusions
- High level analytical skills and the ability to draw qualitative and quantitative data from a wide range of sources and present in a clear concise manner
Experience
Essential
- Significant experience in a large, complex organisation or major programme
- Significant experience of developing and embedding environment and sustainability strategies and plans
- Proven ability to translate sustainability strategies and initiatives into actionable plans
- Understanding of sustainability regulations and industry requirements.
- Proven track record of delivering against environmental/sustainability targets in the public or private sector
Desirable
- Extensive knowledge of sustainability principles
- Understanding of environmental sustainability within construction processes
- Understanding of the healthcare sector
- Extensive experience with internal and external stakeholder engagement and management.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in large and complex organisations
Desirable
- Relevant professional qualification commensurate with experience
- Certified environmental professional
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This advert is for Head of Environmental Sustainability with NHS England in Any NHSE Office. It is listed as a Band 8 role. The advertised salary is £94,356 - £108,814 per annum (exclusive of London Weighting). The contract type is Permanent. The application deadline is 07 Sep 2026.
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