Sustainability Specialist

Details
Reference number

435821

Salary

£42,450 - £46,636

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

GBP

Job grade

Senior Executive Officer

GPA SEO NATIONAL

Contract type

Fixed term

Loan

Length of employment

12 Months

Business area

GPA - Workplace Services - Assurance Team

Type of role

Environment and Sustainability

Operational Delivery

Property

Working pattern

Full-time

Number of jobs available

1

Contents

• Location
• About the job
• Benefits
• Things you need to know
• Apply and further information

Location

Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Manchester, Nottingham, Swindon

About the job
Job summary

The Government Property Agency is the largest property holder in government, with more

than £2.1 billion in property assets and over 55% of the government's office estate.

We are transforming the way the Civil Service works by creating great places to work, leading the largest commercial office programme in the UK, working towards halving carbon emissions from government offices, and achieving greater value for taxpayers. And we are looking for innovative, solutions-focused people to join our team.

Representing the best covenant in the UK – His Majesty's Government – we are leading significant transformational programmes such as the Government Hubs Programme, Whitehall Campus Programme and Net Zero Programme. We are also delivering cost- effective property services such as asset management, lifecycle replacement and workplace services.

Innovation and progress underpin our behaviours. We foster a culture of lifelong learning, where curiosity and self-improvement are encouraged. Our four core values are at the heart of everything we do. They shape our culture and guide how we work, lead and grow together:

• Striving for excellence- We always aim to deliver great results
• Empowering through respect- We insist on fair treatment for all, always
• Acting with integrity- We consistently do the right thing
• Succeeding together- We rely on each other to achieve success

We are committed to representing the communities we serve by making Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) part of everything we do. Our strong emphasis on EDI is not just about driving inclusion across our organisation, it is also about ensuring our services meet the needs of government departments and the civil servants who use our spaces. To ensure that we are always recruiting and retaining a diverse mix of talent, we are particularly inviting applications from candidates who are disabled, ethnically or gender diverse, and people who identify as being part of the LGBTQ+ community.

Join our dynamic and diverse team that leads with purpose, improving sustainability, nurturing social value, driving inclusivity and flexibility, and kickstarting economic growth.

We are driven by purpose, and you can be part of it too: where you make a meaningful impact; where you influence; where your voice really matters; where you help to shape our future direction.

Job description

The key purpose of the Assurance Team's Sustainability Specialist is to ensure effective delivery for GPA clients and customers in respect of sustainability reporting and initiatives, as well as delivering wider GPA sustainability assurance projects. The post holder will be part of a small team of subject specialists and will report to the Assurance Team, Sustainability Manager.

The Sustainability Specialist will:

• Support delivery of client sustainability reporting, in collaboration with other GPA colleagues, teams and external contractors.
• Ensure delivery of sustainability initiatives and promote stakeholder engagement on sustainability issues within GPA managed buildings
• Act as part of a wider team delivering the GPA Environmental Management System, including acting as an internal auditor.
• Assist clients and contractors with their own environmental management assurance activities, where required.

Key Responsibilities:

• Support delivery of GPA sustainability reporting for clients, including overseeing routine data collection processes and reporting and responding to ad hoc requests for information both internal and external.
• Develop and build on current data collection and reporting processes to ensure continuous improvement.
• Present trends in data and provide recommendations on improvements in sustainability performance based on reporting, both within GPA and to clients and customers.
• Collaborate with the GPA supply chain to ensure building specific sustainability trends and improvements are identified and acted on.
• Act as a subject knowledge expert for GPA colleagues, clients and customers.
• Contribute to the ongoing development and operation of the GPA Environmental Management System, including being part of the internal auditing team.
• Provide expert sustainability advice to clients, attending and presenting at performance meetings where required, and identifying and providing support to clients, for example on reporting, initiatives, assurance and auditing.
• Undertake any other reasonable tasks in consultation with the Sustainability Manager.

External Influence

• Build and maintain effective working relationships with key contacts in the supply chain, clients, third party data holders and external interested parties.
• Represent GPA at any relevant external groups.
• Attend corporate forums, committees and meetings in relation to sustainability
• Work with others to identify areas for improvement and simplify processes to use fewer resources.
• Use technology where possible to increase efficiency.

Risk Management

• Ensure that discipline specific risk registers are maintained, including risk management elements of the environmental management system.
• Support wider GPA teams, clients, customers and supplier chain managers to resolve key risks, taking ownership for risk mitigation where appropriate.
• Ensure that the need for expert advice is identified appropriately.

Leadership

• Encourage and promote delivery of sustainability improvements both within GPA and with clients, customers and the supply chain.
• Involve and consult with the team members and wider GPA colleagues to undertake continuous improvement of the processes and procedures that support the sustainability function
• Contribute to full team activities such as development days, team meetings etc.
• Lead client, customer and supply chain meetings, where required.
• Deputise for the Sustainability Manager, where required.

Key Contacts

• GPA sustainability function colleagues
• Third party data holders
• GPA client managers and workplace services managers
• Senior client contacts
• Senior contractor contacts
• Sustainability contacts within other Government Departments

Authority

• Decision Making: Yes

Person specification

Experience & technical skills

Desirable criteria:

• Relevant degree in environmental management or sustainability
• Full membership of a relevant professional body e.g. ISEP (formerly IEMA) of equivalent experience
• Experience of managing sustainability in the building environment and handling and presenting related data.
• Experience of implementing an Environmental Management System, including internal auditing
• Experience of identifying and undertaking sustainability improvement initiatives
• Experience of dealing with supply chain and client-side relationships in a multi-client environment.
• Ability to engage and influence with stakeholders at senior level
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Client Focus – ability to interpret and understand business needs of clients in order to build positive
• relationships.
• Team working – working collaboratively in a positive manner to build trust and rapport across the
• GPA.
• Communication & Influence – ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing to
• gain support for initiatives and to enable solution implementation.
• Ability to work autonomously, prioritising tasks effectively in order to meet deadlines (both internal and external) and communicating progress wherever necessary.
• Conversant and competent in management of multiple clients and contractors.
• Commitment to continuous improvement.
• Conversant with IT systems and the ability to analyse Management Information to inform decision-making.
• Experience of overseeing delivery through third parties, such as facilities management providers.
• Ability to demonstrate exceptional service delivery in a similar working environment.

Qualifications & accreditations

Essential criteria:

• Relevant degree in environmental management or sustainability or equivalent experience
• Full membership of a relevant professional body e.g. ISEP or equivalent experience

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Working Together
• Managing a Quality Service
• Making Effective Decisions
• Changing and Improving

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Customer Perspective
• Commercial Acumen
• Property Market Knowledge
• Innovation

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £42,450, Government Property Agency contributes £12,297 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
• Generous annual leave

Things you need to know
Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles , and will assess your Behaviours, Experience and Technical skills.

We encourage applications from people from all backgrounds and aim to have a workforce that represents the communities and wider society that we serve. We pride ourselves on being an employer of choice. We champion diversity, inclusion and well-being and aim to create a sense of belonging in a workplace where everyone feels valued. The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service D&I Strategy.

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme (RIS) to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Please note - At this time GPA are unable to offer any Visa Sponsorship to candidates as we do not currently hold a visa sponsorship licence. Please do not apply for permanent roles with GPA if you will require your employer to take on the sponsorship of your current or any future visas.

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Sift

The sift is due to take place week commencing 17th November 2025.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to include a CV and a 500-word personal statement. The personal statement should then align with the person specification.

Interview

GPA policy is for interviews to be held face to face, with virtual interviews only by absolute exception. The date and location will be confirmed if you are invited to interview. If you feel this will be a problem for you, please contact to discuss prior to submitting your application.

At interview, applicants will be scored against 4 behaviours - Working Together, Managing A Quality Service, Making Effective Decisions, and Changing & Improving.

Interview questions will be a blend of Behaviour, Experience, and Technical (core skill) questions.

Further Information

A reserve list may be held for a period of 12 months from which further appointments can be made.

Any move to GPA from another employer will mean you can no longer access childcare vouchers. This includes moves between government departments. You may however be eligible for other government schemes, including Tax Free Childcare; for further information visit the Childcare Choices website.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the 'Assistance required' section in the 'Additional requirements' page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you're deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If successful and transferring from another Government Department a criminal record check may be carried out.

In order to process applications without delay, we will be sending a Criminal Record Check to Disclosure and Barring Service on your behalf.

However, we recognise in exceptional circumstances some candidates will want to send their completed forms direct. If you will be doing this, please advise Government Recruitment Service of your intention by emailing Pre- stating the job reference number in the subject heading.

Please note: in addition to the standard pre-employment checks for appointment into the Civil Service, all candidates must also obtain National Security Vetting at Security Check (SC) clearance level for this vacancy. You will normally need to meet the minimum UK residency period as determined by the level of vetting being undertaken, which for SC is 5 years UK residency prior to your vetting application. If you have any questions about this residency requirement, please speak to the vacancy holder for this post.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the Demystifying Vetting website.

New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant's details held on the IFD will be refused employment.

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5 year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Existing Civil Servants and applicants from accredited NDPBs are eligible to apply, but will only be considered on loan basis (Civil Servants) or secondment (accredited NDPBs). Prior agreement to be released on a loan basis must be obtained before commencing the application process. In the case of Civil Servants, the terms of the loan will be agreed between the home and host department and the Civil Servant. This includes grade on return.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should discuss this with the vacancy holder before applying.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check .

See our vetting charter .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy .

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.

The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants
Job contact :

• Name : Melanie Weaver
• Email :

Recruitment team

• Email :

Further information

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, in the first instance, you should contact

If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Department, you can contact the Civil Service Commission:

Click here to visit Civil Service Commission

---