Director, Environment and Climate Change

Minimum salary

Maximum salary

Location

London

Close date

02/11/2025

Job description

Contract type: Fixed term contract or secondment until 31 December 2027

Location: The role can be based in either our London or Newcastle office, with a minimum of 2 days per week in the office or at an audited body.

Working hours: Full time (36 hours a week), job share, flexible working 28.8 hours/4 days minimum

Salary: The starting salary is c.£93,000,although this can be subject to negotiation for exceptional candidates.

About the role

Within the NAO we have small teams with a focus on specialist areas of expertise. These are our Hubs. The Hubs play a key role in external influencing, knowledge management, and the development of our capability on cross-cutting issues. This role is to lead our Hub on Environment and Climate Change.

The purpose of the Environment and Climate Change (E&CC) hub is to:

• build the NAO's skills, influence and programme of work on environment and climate change, to support the value for money of Government' delivery of its goals; and

• be a catalyst for improved sustainability reporting and assurance practices in the public sector.

The main purpose of the role is to lead our work on environmental sustainability and climate change. It is an exciting opportunity to lead our E&CC hub through the next stage of development.

Government has set ambitious goals for net zero by 2050 and in its environment plan. Over the last five years the NAO has produced value for money reports examining government's spending and activities in pursuit of these goals. Sustainability reporting requirements are also evolving rapidly for both the public and private sectors. The National Audit Office has an important part to play in ensuring that the system of public sector sustainability reporting that develops is useful, reliable and proportionate, as well as holding government to account for how it pursues its long-term goals.

We are looking for someone with the experience and vision to take forward the next stage of our strategy for environment and climate change work, and to building our capability to deliver insightful value for money work, effectively draw out learning and good practice, and to assure sustainability reporting in government. Using your experience in building strong networks and credibility across Parliament and the public sector you will lead our engagement on these issues with senior stakeholders in government and the private sector, as well as with national and international standard-setters and expert communities.

You will lead the team delivering our work on environment and climate change insights and developing our approach to sustainability reporting and assurance. You and your team will produce reports for Parliament and relevant good practice guides, as well as supporting value for money teams across the NAO to deliver insightful and impactful reports.

We're at an important stage in the development of our approach to sustainability reporting and assurance, so it's a great time to join and provide your leadership to this leadership role for the NAO.

How to apply

To be considered for this role, please submit your up-to-date CV along with a covering letter (maximum two pages) detailing with specific examples, how you meet the key person criteria before the application deadline of Sunday 2 November 2025.

If you experience any issues during the application process, please contact

Interviews are scheduled to take place during the week commencing 17 & 24 November 2025.

CANDIDATE DROP-IN SESSION

We will be hosting a candidate drop-in session on Tuesday 21 October from 3pm until 3.30pm. You will have the opportunity to hear more about the role from Verity Prime, Executive Director for the Environment and Climate Change Hub. If you would like to attend, please contact us via and we will then send you a link to the session.

Conflicts of interest

It is essential that the NAO upholds, and is seen to uphold, the highest standards of propriety in its governance, and potential candidates will need to ensure that they do not hold any non-executive posts, any other appointments, or any other interests which may be in conflict with their NAO role. Please contact us at should you have any questions regarding potential conflicts of interest.

Nationality Requirements:

• UK nationals

• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK

• nationals from the EU, EEA or Switzerland with (or eligible for) status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)

Please note, we are not able to sponsor work visas. Please contact us at should you have any questions on your nationality eligibility.

Equal opportunities and diversity

Disability and Reasonable Adjustments

Applicants with a disability who wish their application to be considered under the Disability Confident scheme should confirm this when submitting their application. Under this scheme we guarantee an interview to an applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for the role. You should also let our HR team know if you wish us to consider any Reasonable Adjustments at any stage of the process (HR Service Desk ).

Applicants will not be discriminated against on the grounds of any protected characteristic or any other extraneous factor.

Responsibilities

• Develop long term strategy for the Environment hub in supporting delivery our NAO five year strategy
  

• Initiate, direct or advise on relevant outputs, including good practice guides, value-for- money (performance audit) work and assurance activities

• Lead teams and oversee provision of expert advice on sustainability assurance and reporting matters to relevant groups and consultations, working with NAO experts in financial and non-financial audit

• Build and maintain external networks with senior civil servants, Parliament, expert communities, standard setters and representative bodies

• Work with the senior leaders in the Hub and the Deputy Head of the Financial Audit service line and our Financial Audit Practice and Quality Team to develop our methodological approach to sustainability assurance, in accordance with relevant standards, good practice and guidance

• Take a central role in the development of a learning and professional development plan for performance audit of environment and climate change programmes and sustainability reporting and assurance skills at the NAO

• Keep abreast of significant future developments, changes, emerging trends, and relevant issues in the external environment

People Management

• Lead development of Hub team, ways of working and culture

• Contribute to the development of our people and organisation as part of the NAO senior management

• Be a credible and effective thought leader and bring together insights from our people

• Build effective working relationships across the NAO corporate services, and financial and value for money audit teams

• Be an effective team leader and coach and motivate professional development across a wide network as well as through your direct line management role

Relationships

• Reports to: Executive Director, Infrastructure Group. The team sits within the NAO's Infrastructure Group but you will also work closely with other senior leaders in the NAO including the Executive Director for Knowledge and Insights, as well the Deputy Head of Financial Audit.

• Internal relationships: Directors of other specialist insight teams, audit teams covering a range of audited bodies, practice and quality teams for value for money and financial audit, external communications, and parliamentary relations.

• External relationships: External experts within government and in external organisations; national and international standard-setters; parliamentary officials, MPs and relevant Committees, including the Environmental Audit Committee and the Public Accounts Committee.

• Staff resources managed: You will manage a core team with three senior managers, one focused on developing our methodologies and approach to reporting standards, and one leading our reports for public and parliamentary scrutiny and one leading the value for money portfolio for the hub, as well as a small team of analysts and auditors. You will also be able to draw in others from across the NAO where needed on a project basis.

Skills required

We are looking for someone who can:

• Be highly credible in representing the NAO's work with external experts, Parliament and senior stakeholders. An expert leader internally and externally

• Oversee and deliver well-produced written outputs which support our findings and recommendations and are designed to engage a wide audience.

• Make sound, independent judgements when advising others.

• Confidently and effectively influence positive and impactful change using a range of communication and engagement approaches tailored to key stakeholders both internally and externally

• Lead and inspire diverse, multidisciplinary, collaborative high performing teams, promoting a culture of feedback, continuous improvement and wellbeing

• Show creativity and innovation in how we do our work and build insights and support teams to do so

• Experience analysing or auditing environment and climate policy interventions; a sound understanding of relevant frameworks, principles and standards for sustainability reporting and assurance; as well as

• Experience managing projects and producing clear, high-quality written work, meeting professional standards and supporting organisational aims

• Experience working effectively with a range of stakeholders, including the ability to communicate complex findings clearly to diverse audiences. Experience with public sector bodies is desirable but not essential.

Attributes

In addition, we are looking for the candidates with the following attributes:

• Shows determination and flexibility in overcoming challenges and meeting goals, adapting positively to change

• Demonstrates a genuine interest in improving public services, upholding organisational values and constructively sharing your professional perspective

• Committed to ongoing personal development and delivering organisational objectives, actively seeking feedback and maintaining up-to-date knowledge in your field

• Compliance with corporate responsibilities and interest in supporting others to do so

• Working in accordance with the NAO's values and championing our diversity and inclusion strategy

• Intellectual curiosity, especially about using data and evidence to answer questions

Educational requirements