Job summary
The New Hospital Programme is more than building hospitals, it's a once in a generation opportunity to shape the future of healthcare in England. We're delivering over 40 new hospitals that will be modern, sustainable and built around the needs of patients and staff.
We're looking for people who care about purpose, who thrive in complex environments and who want to help deliver change at scale for future generations.
Main duties of the job
The New Hospital Programme (NHP) is seeking an experienced Director of Sustainability to lead the integration of sustainability and social value into every layer of the programme from concept & design to construction and long term operations. You will be responsible for shaping the NHS with purpose and long term sustainable initiatives.
As part of the senior leadership team, you'll play a critical leadership role in shaping and embedding sustainability across the NHP and wider, working together with the Health Delivery Partners (HDP) our delivery partner. You'll ensure that Hospital 2.0 products, spaces and scheme delivery meet environmental standards and contribute to NHP's ambitious sustainability and social goals. You'll work across planning, procurement, design and delivery to bring a systems thinking approach to embed Net Zero, social value and resilience into everything we build.
You'll bring:
- A strong track record of leading the integration of sustainability and social value into large scale infrastructure or public sector programmes.
- Expertise in environmental compliance, carbon reduction and sustainable design and delivery.
- Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement skills with experience working across complex supply chains and government frameworks with the ability to influence at the highest level.
- A passion for delivering real, measurable change not just at project level but nationally and systemically.
About us
The NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values, and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/.
Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in-person.
Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.
If you are successful at interview, we will run an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) in the Electronic Staff Record system (ESR). This transfer gathers valuable information from a previous or current NHS employer to support the onboarding process, including; statutory and mandatory competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You will have the opportunity throughout the recruitment process to inform us if you do not consent.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Please note that the grade for this post is ESM 1.
For more information on the NHP programme
Closing date: 31July 2025
Interview dates: TBC
Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Please note that the grade for this post is ESM 1.
For more information on the NHP programme
Closing date: 31July 2025
Interview dates: TBC
Due to ongoing organisational change and developments, aspects of this role may be subject to change.
By applying for this position, you acknowledge and understand that NHS England is currently undergoing a consultation process to finalise its structure, which may impact this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in large and complex organisations
Desirable
- Certified environmental professional
- Relevant professional qualification commensurate with experience
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates extensive knowledge of sustainability principles and their application within construction processes, with significant experience in developing environmental and sustainability strategies and setting relevant standards
- Proven ability to translate sustainability strategies into actionable plans, underpinned by a strong understanding of relevant regulations, industry requirements, and social sustainability frameworks, with a focus on outcome-based impact delivery
- A track record of delivering against sustainability targets in the public or private sector, and experience leading social value or inclusive economic growth initiatives within major public programmes
- Experience designing or delivering strategies that generate inclusive economic growth, workforce development, or community investment at scale
- Strong understanding of the relationship between infrastructure investment and social or economic outcomes, including approaches to place-based development and equality objectives
- Demonstrated experience in measuring and reporting on social impact or public value, ideally within a government, NHS, or infrastructure delivery context
Desirable
- Understanding of the healthcare sector
- Experience working with social value measurement and reporting mechanisms
Skills, Capabilities & Attributes
Essential
- Technical expertise environment and sustainability standards; Net Zero Carbon, whole life building standards; statutory requirements; reference design; industrialisation processes; utilities; logistics; technical and operational standards
- Skilled influencer with strong leadership, vision, strategic thinking, and planning with highly developed political skills
- Determination, perseverance, and emotional resilience, including when under pressure from senior stakeholders
- Highly collaborative with great interpersonal skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a similar level in large and complex organisations
Desirable
- Certified environmental professional
- Relevant professional qualification commensurate with experience
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Demonstrates extensive knowledge of sustainability principles and their application within construction processes, with significant experience in developing environmental and sustainability strategies and setting relevant standards
- Proven ability to translate sustainability strategies into actionable plans, underpinned by a strong understanding of relevant regulations, industry requirements, and social sustainability frameworks, with a focus on outcome-based impact delivery
- A track record of delivering against sustainability targets in the public or private sector, and experience leading social value or inclusive economic growth initiatives within major public programmes
- Experience designing or delivering strategies that generate inclusive economic growth, workforce development, or community investment at scale
- Strong understanding of the relationship between infrastructure investment and social or economic outcomes, including approaches to place-based development and equality objectives
- Demonstrated experience in measuring and reporting on social impact or public value, ideally within a government, NHS, or infrastructure delivery context
Desirable
- Understanding of the healthcare sector
- Experience working with social value measurement and reporting mechanisms
Skills, Capabilities & Attributes
Essential
- Technical expertise environment and sustainability standards; Net Zero Carbon, whole life building standards; statutory requirements; reference design; industrialisation processes; utilities; logistics; technical and operational standards
- Skilled influencer with strong leadership, vision, strategic thinking, and planning with highly developed political skills
- Determination, perseverance, and emotional resilience, including when under pressure from senior stakeholders
- Highly collaborative with great interpersonal skills
