Senior Manager - Sustainability

The purpose of the Senior Manager – Sustainability role is, under the guidance of the Vice President of Sustainability, to lead initiatives from the Sustainability team scope of Expo City Dubai, developing, implementing, and assuring, against a range of sustainable activities under the vision towards Net Carbon Zero 2030. This will include managing projects and consultants, and providing hands-on assurance against, and reporting on, the wider sustainability approach, whilst balancing the planning and delivery of COP 28 to be hosted at Expo City Dubai. The role will focus on the urban and built environment, assurance of LEED and WELL Certification processes, Smart City development, sustainable materials and innovation in sustainable technologies and methods.

The main responsibilities for this role include:

Strategic Responsibilities:

• Engage in assurance against requirements and KPIs for the built environment, including sustainability Certification
• Contribute to strategy development, focusing on built environment, LEED and WELL Certification, Smart City development, materials, and innovation in technologies and methods
• Help to define and communicate detailed requirements and KPIs aligned to ECD organisational, national and international frameworks and practice
• Provide lead contract management of external technical consultants where required
• Lead meetings and workshops with internal and external teams, and interface with departments up to C-suite level, to help drive sustainability engagement and incorporation through the programme
• Identify where new sustainability initiatives are required, and help define delivery scope and time-programme
• Support project/ operations planning for COP 28 Climate
• Change Conference to be hosted at the Expo City Dubai Site

Operational Responsibilities:

• Assume the lead role within the Sustainability Team for the hands-on assurance of LEED and WELL Community Certification processes across the site, putting in place a monitoring & reporting regime and effective progress tracking processes, and reviewing design and construction deliverables, with the aim of achieving ECD’s ambitious Certification requirements and maximising the associated sustainability outcomes
• In addition to leading on LEED and WELL Community Certification assurance, assume a support role to the relevant Sustainability Team lead for the achievement of ECD’s ambitious Certification requirements for CEEQUAL
• Be a focal point within the Sustainability Team for technological and materials innovation, providing expertise and engagement across the programme to support the drive for sustainable technologies, materials and methods, including practical and cost-effective low & zero carbon solutions, through optioneering, procurement, design and construction stages
• Assume a supporting role in helping the relevant lead within the Sustainability Team in providing team input into the development and beneficial use of ECD’s emerging Smart City platform
• Support the communication, integration and assurance of ECD sustainability requirements into masterplans, infrastructure, landscape, buildings, fit-out, materials & tenancies
• Provide progressive hands-on assurance of built environment deliverables and outputs, interfacing with internal and external project teams, tracking and reporting progress towards the achievement of all sustainability requirements and KPIs, identifying mitigations and providing support to teams where issues in their achievement arise, escalating where needed

People Responsibilities:

• Provide expert input, support and guidance to the team to achieve strategic and project success
• Work closely and flexibly with the team, with the ability to jump between diverse sustainability projects simultaneously
• Support team cohesion through organisational behaviour, performance management, feedback and coaching
• Develop a culture of collaborative and transparent working
• Foster a creative ecosystem where individual strengths of the team are identified, encouraged and developed

10+ years of professional experience, with sustainability experience primarily in the built environment including building systems, materials and formal Certification, ideally with assurance experience as well as:

• A degree and/ or post-graduate qualification in an Architectural, Urban Planning, Engineering, Renewable Energy, Sustainability or related discipline
• Excellent technical knowledge and practical understanding of sustainability from an environmental, social, and economic perspective, including technological innovation
• Ability to evaluate technical information and provide concise informed advice including and understanding of cost-benefit evaluation
• Development of low & zero carbon roadmaps and solutions
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Ability to effectively manage key stakeholder and strategic partner engagements
• Ability to deal with complex market engagement and supply chain issues
• Ability to deal with social and environment policy issues affecting large scale and/or high-profile organisations
• Excellent attention to detail and report writing skills
• Ability to communicate effectively and diplomatically at senior levels
• Advanced project management skills and ability to multi-task on various initiatives concurrently
• Experience in working with high-impact teams from diverse cultures and specialised fields
• Interest in sustainability innovation in the built environment, including renewable technologies, emerging design and construction methods, sustainable materials, and Smart City applications