Director Sustainability

Job Description

<strong>Role Purpose</strong><p><br></p><strong>Oversees the establishment of sustainability policy and standards, monitors and audits sustainability performance at multiple scales, and oversees a program for sustainable supply chain, resources management and safe end of life disposal:</strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Sustainability Policy, Standards and Procedures</li><li> Sustainability Code for the Built Environment (planning and developments)</li><li> Sustainable Supply Chain and Resources Management</li><li> Sustainability Reporting</li><li> Monitoring, Auditing and Improving Sustainability Performance</li><li> Division Management</li><li> Stakeholder Engagement</li><li> Readiness for Activation</li><li> Transition Planning</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Key Accountabilities &amp; Activitie</strong><p><br></p>Sustainability Functions<p><br></p><ul><li> Establish sustainability policy, standards and procedures for the built environment</li><li> Establish initial sustainable supply chain and resources management program</li><li> Establish sustainability reporting requirements and methods</li><li> Initiate stakeholder engagement to support transition</li><li> Achieve readiness for activation</li><li> Support Department-wide transition planning</li><li> Develop division strategy and end-state operating model for sustainability functions </li><li> Use global benchmarks to establish organizational design, required workforce targets, and operating model for end state</li><li> Oversee development of Division strategy for achieving regulatory mandates</li><li> Ensure end-state operating model is fully lean, highly relying on automation and outsourcing while ensuring collaboration across Authority departments</li><li> Drive readiness of all sustainability functions across 5 Criteria: </li></ul><p><br></p><strong>i) Regulatory instruments</strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Work with the Governance, Strategy &amp; Policy Division and NEOM Legal Affairs on developing and finalizing sustainability regulations, policies and standards</li><li> Develop sustainability policies, standards, and technical guidelines</li><li> Provide expert content and collaborate with other departments/ teams to address dependencies</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>ii) Regulators (People) </strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Estimate headcount for Division requirements, including consideration of lean core staff while outsourcing possible functions and leveraging technology</li><li> Coordinate with HR and Office of the Department Head to identify human resource needs for the sustainability functions, migrating internally, or hiring externally</li><li> Update existing, and develop new, job descriptions for Division positions</li><li> Establish a high-functioning team to address key functions and build capacity for demonstrating readiness</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>iii) Operational assets and systems</strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Identify and procure/implement assets and systems required to execute on the Division functions and mandates (e.g., software tools, database and registries)</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>iv) Protocols and governance</strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Develop the governance and processes for the internal operating model of the Sustainability function, defining standard operating procedures</li><li> Support the development of processes for cross-department coordination</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>v) Stakeholder engagement and agreements</strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Identify areas where informal cooperation and/or formal agreements are needed to provide services in the interim period and identify segregation of duties for interim service delivery</li><li> Working with Office of the Head of Department, identify Base Economy entities and develop processes to communicate and liaise with key points of contact in the Base Economy for Division activities and actions</li><li> Working with Office of the Head of Department, plan for the transition from Base Economy roles to NEOM Authority</li><li> Develop/review and implement a transition plan to end-state for all sustainability functions</li><li> Ensure there is a phased transition plan for each Division function to reach the end-state model, using NEOM Vision principals: lean, efficient, and tech-enabled</li><li> Track and communicate progress</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>End-State Responsibilities</strong><p><br></p><strong>Sustainability Functions </strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Sustainability of the built environment</li><li> Sustainable supply chain and resources management</li><li> Sustainability reporting</li><li> Monitoring sustainability performance</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Division management </strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Oversee Division operations and their implementation</li><li> Develop and manage a highly efficient and professional team</li><li> Support the Head of Department in securing and managing financial resources and capital assets</li><li> Support the Head of Department in building and maintaining a high-performance culture of excellence, innovation and continuous improvement</li><li> Support the Director of Government, Policy and Strategy and Head of Department in maximizing the role of the Sustainability Committee</li><li> As required, directly manage employees and/or projects</li><li> Work closely with department leadership to deliver on the sustainability mandate</li><li> Provide technical input and guidance to project teams when needed</li><li> Provide leadership and direction to advance sustainability programs, practices, and performance</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Sustainability policy, standards and procedures </strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Lead the review and continual improvement of world-class regulatory framework that includes sustainability standards, policies and procedures</li><li> Assure effective and efficient sustainability assessment and permitting practices for developments and activities</li><li> Assure and expand sustainable supply chain policy and practices that support NEOM’s vision for sustainability, circularity and elimination of the concept of “waste”</li><li> As required, support the improvement of implementation of sustainability assessment, permitting and compliance with the Permitting and Compliance Division</li><li> Monitor external trends and developments, understand policy implications, and consider improvements</li><li> Drive innovation and market transformation</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Sustainability Code for the built environment (Planning &amp; Development) </strong><p><br></p><ul><li>Establish, review, and maintain sustainability standards, guidelines and other documentation necessary for the built environment, including planning (e.g., regional plan, master plans) and developments (e.g., buildings, infrastructures and public realm).</li><li>Establish, review, and maintain the criteria and certification of a registry of consultants to meet regulatory requirements</li><li>Drive the transition into sustainable development and alignment with the UN SDG</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Sustainable supply chain and resources management</strong><p><br></p>Establish, review, and improve regulatory instruments for sustainable supply chain including policies, standards, technical guidelines, procedures, and frameworks<p><br></p><ul><li> Establish, review, and improve regulatory instruments for resource and waste management including policies, standards, technical guidelines, procedures, and frameworks</li><li> Establish, review, and improve regulatory instruments for hazardous materials and waste management including policies, standards, technical guidelines, procedures, and frameworks</li><li> Establish, review, and improve criteria and certification of a registry of managed and/or banned materials and products to meet regulatory requirements</li><li> Establish, review, and improve criteria and certification of a registry of managed suppliers/ service providers/ contractors to meet regulatory requirements</li><li> Assure alignment of compliance activities across NEOM’s Environment Authority</li><li> Drive market transition through carefully designed strategy and implementation</li><li> Support the transformation of construction supply chain and construction and demolition waste markets</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Sustainability reporting </strong><p><br></p><ul><li> Develop, review, and improve sustainability reporting framework, standards, guidelines and procedures</li><li> Establish, review, and improve criteria for regulated entities requiring reporting on sustainability performance</li><li> Work with other divisions and departments to integrate sustainability reporting requirements (e.g., GHG Reporting)</li><li> Oversee the development, review, and improvement of necessary instruments to generate sustainability performance report for NEOM and reports feeding into KSA reporting (e.g., UN SDGs)</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Monitor, audit and improving sustainability performance</strong><p><br></p><ul><li>Oversee the integration of sustainability values, policies, and practices into NEOM’s strategic planning processes</li><li>Advise other divisions and departments on how to onboard sustainability policies and standards</li><li>Monitor and report of the sustainability performance at multiple scales and provide recommendations for improvements</li><li>Audit compliance assurance information of the Permitting and Compliance Division</li><li>In collaboration with the Knowledge Management Division, develop performance monitoring and reporting tools and systems</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Stakeholder engagement</strong><p><br></p><ul><li>Build partnerships with the Base Economy on matters of sustainability where needed</li><li>Represent NEOM in national and international engagements and conferences related to sustainability</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Knowledge, Skills And Experience</strong><p><br></p><strong>The Director, Sustainability</strong> should have a proven track record in developing and leading government departments, programs, and policies, with extensive public policy and technical networks in the fields of environment and/or sustainability. The candidate must have:<p><br></p><ul><li> Minimum of 12-16 years’ experience in environment, sustainability, or conservation fields</li><li> At least 5-10 years’ experience in a senior managerial position in the public sector or consultancy advising the public sector</li><li> Experience working on major- or, preferably, mega-projects</li><li> Generally knowledgeable of diverse economic industries and infrastructure systems, development resilience to climate change, circular economies, design for well-being, and sustainability, planning, and design processes at the urban and building scale</li><li> Demonstrated experience, knowledge, and leadership in sustainability and/or supply chain best practices</li><li> Experience in construction and operation of large-scale industry is desirable</li><li> Experience in sustainable supply chain and/or procurement – especially for large construction projects and operations is desirable</li><li> Excellent written and verbal communication skills</li><li> Demonstrated knowledge and credibility in the sector through board positions, speaking engagements, international/ national awards or published papers</li></ul><p><br></p><strong>Qualifications</strong><p><br></p>MBA or MSC in sustainable urban planning, architecture, engineering, policy, procurement management, supply chain management, with a passion for sustainability and market transformation<p><br></p><ul><li> Accreditation under internationally recognized sustainability rating systems (e.g., LEED, BREEAM, WELL)</li></ul>