Sustainability and Governance Director

1 week ago

Colchester Essex, United Kingdom Acre Full time

Acre is delighted to be partnering with Harwich Haven Authority , who play a vital role in keeping the country connected, protecting our coastline, and supporting the communities around us. More than 40% of the country's container trade passes through Harwich Haven, carried on some of the world's largest container ships - but they are just one element of what goes on in the Haven. To help deliver on that ambition, Acre is searching for a Sustainability & Governance Director who is ready to make a meaningful and lasting impact.
Reporting directly to the CEO and joining the Executive Team, you will help shape the organisation's long-term strategy and ensure that environmental responsibility, forward-thinking governance, and people-centred leadership are embedded into everything they do. A major part of your role will involve leading and developing a team of highly capable technical specialists across sustainability, governance, health and safety, engineering, and risk. You do not need to be an expert in every field; your strength will be in giving direction, building confidence, connecting people, and creating an environment where expertise can thrive. They are looking for someone who enjoys scanning the horizon for new opportunities-whether regulatory, environmental, or technological who sees emerging ideas not as risks, but as opportunities to strengthen how they work. You'll champion the use of digital tools, smarter data, modern engineering practices, and fresh thinking across the Authority, ensuring that they continue to evolve in a rapidly changing world.

Provide strategic leadership across sustainability, governance, health & safety, and harbour engineering, ensuring these disciplines shape organisational decisions and long-term planning.
Lead and develop a multidisciplinary team, nurturing high performance, capability, and collaboration.
Drive the Authority's environmental and sustainability strategy, including net zero, biodiversity, climate adaptation, and ESG reporting.
Oversee governance, compliance, and regulatory engagement, ensuring transparency and robust public accountability.
Support a proactive, learning-focused safety culture and effective risk management.
Represent the Authority confidently with regulators, environmental bodies, industry partners, and community stakeholders.

You will help shape how they respond to environmental challenges, how they look after our people, how they manage our infrastructure, and how they deliver long-term value for the region and beyond.

Senior leadership experience in sustainability, governance, engineering, H&S, or similarly regulated operational environments.
The confidence and credibility to lead multidisciplinary teams and support specialists to excel.
Excellent communication, relationship-building, and stakeholder management skills.
Your leadership will influence their environmental and social footprint, the safety and well-being of their people, the resilience of their infrastructure, and the trust placed upon them by their community. If you want to help shape a sustainable, forward-looking future for one of the UK's most important harbours, we would be delighted to hear from you.

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