Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Head of Sustainability and Assurance

The closing date is 01 January 2026

Job summary

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, self-motivated and experienced full time Sustainability and Assurance Manager.

Working within a busy and dynamic Estates and Facilities department you will programme managing the Trusts Annual sustainability programme of works developed around Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation.

This programme aims to reduce the Trusts overall Carbon Footprint and work towards contributing to sustainable healthcare across Sussex and East Surrey.

You will oversee a contracted Sustainability Healthcare Service team working to achieve the annual programme of works, focusing on implementing the Sustainable Management Plan (SDMP), Energy Bureau, Staff Engagement, Sustainability work-streams such as Waste, Transport & Travel, Procurement, Sustainability support with Capital projects.

Additionally you will also coordinate a Building Assurance programme with external contacted Maintenance Providers to provide audits on the level of Statutory and Mandatory Compliance of buildings leased and rented properties occupied by the Trust.

Main duties of the job

You will be responsible for providing specialist expertise in the development of the Trust's Green Plan. This will include assisting with specific feasibility studies, preparing budget estimates and producing high level programmes and reports.

Other duties will include:

Managing a programme of regular Assurance meetings with external contracted maintenance providers to audit their levels of statutory and mandatory compliance to ensure leased and rented properties occupied by the Trust are safe and welcoming environments.

Managing a programme of works reducing the Trust's overall Carbon Footprint and working towards contributing to sustainable healthcare across Sussex.

Manage the Trusts annual utilities budget, reporting monthly on consumption, overseeing meter readings and liaising with contracted energy procurement and energy management provider to achieve firm control of energy consumption and spending.

The successful applicant will also be required to take part in the Trusts' Estates and Facilities On-Call rota.

About us

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of specialist services across south east England for people with mental health problems and learning disabilities. We care for people of all ages, from children and young people through to older people with conditions such as dementia.

We provide hospital and community mental health services from more than 110 locations across Sussex. Our estate covers a floor area of some 85,000 square meters which is about the size of 16 football pitches.

It is made up of:

48 Freehold properties

57 Leasehold properties, and

5 Private Finance Initiative (PFI) properties.

These include 36 inpatient wards and homes, with a total of 579 beds, 68 community team bases and 10 corporate buildings.

Details

Date posted

18 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

354-EF-20327

Job locations

Portland House

Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Job description

Job responsibilities

This is a newly created, senior management role reporting directly to the Deputy Director - Estate Infrastructure and Compliance. Educated to Degree level (or have equivalent experience in a sustainability and assurance related role) you will have significant senior management experience of large scale projects within the NHS or similar public sector organisation. You will have excellent communication skills and be able to exchange technical project related information with specialists and non specialists, including Senior Managers, Directors, Contractors and Suppliers.

The successful applicant will be required to travel to sites across Sussex and any other counties the Trust may operates in the future so must have their own transport, hold a valid UK driving licence and hold the relevant 'Business' insurance cover.

For more details, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

For an informal discussion, please contact David Kent, Deputy Director - Estate Infrastructure and Compliance. Email: david.kent12@nhs.net

Job description

Job responsibilities

This is a newly created, senior management role reporting directly to the Deputy Director - Estate Infrastructure and Compliance. Educated to Degree level (or have equivalent experience in a sustainability and assurance related role) you will have significant senior management experience of large scale projects within the NHS or similar public sector organisation. You will have excellent communication skills and be able to exchange technical project related information with specialists and non specialists, including Senior Managers, Directors, Contractors and Suppliers.

The successful applicant will be required to travel to sites across Sussex and any other counties the Trust may operates in the future so must have their own transport, hold a valid UK driving licence and hold the relevant 'Business' insurance cover.

For more details, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

For an informal discussion, please contact David Kent, Deputy Director - Estate Infrastructure and Compliance. Email: david.kent12@nhs.net

Person Specification

Communication & Relationship Skills

Essential

  • Exchanges maintenance, technical project-related information with specialists, non-specialists, including senior managers, directors; negotiates with contractors, suppliers / Communicates multistranded project, design, financial, contractual information to Board, senior managers and contractors.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills to garner stakeholder engagement and stakeholder buy in.
  • The ability to build purposeful relationships with key partners, and staff throughout the Trust
  • Well-developed interpersonal skills; able to negotiate and persuade people with a balanced consultative approach to implementing change and meeting objectives.
  • An open and facilitative style of leadership which can be adapted when necessary to ensure service delivery
  • Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account.

Knowledge, Training & Experience

Essential

  • Professional knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent plus specialist knowledge acquired through post-graduate courses and experience to masters equivalent level
  • Significant senior management experience of largescale hard facilities/support services, preferably multi-site operations within the NHS or a similar public sector organisation.
  • Detailed knowledge of Health Facilities/Support Services legislative guidance and operational requirements
  • In depth knowledge of SFG 20, British Standards CIBSE guides, and FM related ACoP's
  • Able to effectively manage resources with a good track record of change management, efficiency savings, systematic investment plans and financial recovery plans
  • Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account
Person Specification

Communication & Relationship Skills

Essential

  • Exchanges maintenance, technical project-related information with specialists, non-specialists, including senior managers, directors; negotiates with contractors, suppliers / Communicates multistranded project, design, financial, contractual information to Board, senior managers and contractors.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills to garner stakeholder engagement and stakeholder buy in.
  • The ability to build purposeful relationships with key partners, and staff throughout the Trust
  • Well-developed interpersonal skills; able to negotiate and persuade people with a balanced consultative approach to implementing change and meeting objectives.
  • An open and facilitative style of leadership which can be adapted when necessary to ensure service delivery
  • Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account.

Knowledge, Training & Experience

Essential

  • Professional knowledge acquired through degree or equivalent plus specialist knowledge acquired through post-graduate courses and experience to masters equivalent level
  • Significant senior management experience of largescale hard facilities/support services, preferably multi-site operations within the NHS or a similar public sector organisation.
  • Detailed knowledge of Health Facilities/Support Services legislative guidance and operational requirements
  • In depth knowledge of SFG 20, British Standards CIBSE guides, and FM related ACoP's
  • Able to effectively manage resources with a good track record of change management, efficiency savings, systematic investment plans and financial recovery plans
  • Good performance management skills combining clarity around expectations, direction and holding others to account

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Portland House

Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Portland House

Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Employer's website

https://www.sussexpartnership.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Dep Director - Estates Infrastructure & Compliance

David Kent

david.kent12@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

18 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year pa

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

354-EF-20327

Job locations

Portland House

Richmond Road

Worthing

BN11 1HS


Supporting documents

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