Sustainability Project Support Officer

Job Title: Sustainability Project Support Officer

At the Social Mobility Foundation (SMF), we believe sustainability encompasses environmental, societal or economic issues. It is based on the principle of meeting the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. We are looking for dynamic and motivated person to join our team delivering our Sustainability offer across the SMF. This role would suit an individual with a background in Sustainable Development, ESG, Corporate Social Responsibility or Climate and Green Jobs, who can support our evolving sustainability programme at an exciting time for the SMF.

The Sustainability Project Support Officer will work alongside the Sustainability Lead to embed sustainability into our work at the SMF and help achieve our primary aim; to ensure our students and all young people from low-income backgrounds have access to sustainability roles and social impact careers. We’re seeking a strong communicator, with excellent attention to detail and planning skills. Our ideal candidate is an analytic thinker, who can draw conclusions from evidence bases and problem solve effectively. We are seeking someone who is passionate about sustainability and the work we do as an organisation, who shares our values and can play a key role in helping to embed a sustainability focus into our programme of opportunities for young people, our Social Mobility Employer Index and our advocacy and campaigning arm, the Department for Opportunities.

Comprehensive induction and training will be provided. The SMF is committed to providing development opportunities for its staff, and as a growing charity there are plenty of opportunities to take on new areas of responsibility. 

Place of work: Any SMF City (Birmingham, Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Newcastle). We are currently operating a hybrid of office and home working for staff across all cities.

Salary Band: £21,500-24,000 plus London weighting of £2,200 if applicable

Reporting to: Sustainability Lead

Contract and hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week). Fixed term contract until March 2024, with a possibility to become permanent, subject to funding.

Annual Leave and benefits: 25 days holiday per year pro rata, plus bank holidays. Flexible working. Employer and employee contribution to pension following successful probation period, in line with auto-enrolment pension requirements.

Start date: As soon as possible

Closing date: 9.00am, Friday 4th November 2022

Interviews: Interviews will be held W/C 14th November

About the Opportunity

The Sustainability Project Support Officer will work alongside the Sustainability Lead on our evolving sustainability offer across the SMF. This is an exciting time to join the sustainability team, as the programme enters its second year and becomes further embedded into all aspects of the SMF’s offer. The Sustainability Project Support Officer will work across all aspects of the organisation, including our Aspiring Professionals Programme, our advocacy and campaigning work and the Social Mobility Employer Index.

Person Specification

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; able to communicate across a range of audiences including young people, employer partners and colleagues.
• Excellent attention to detail; able to complete multiple detailed and complex tasks to a high standard and in a reasonable time.
• Strong demonstrable interest in sustainability and its intersection in professional careers and education; and understanding of the functions and challenges of the sector.
• An organised and proactive colleague, with strong planning skills and the ability to implement a plan and/or process.
• Analytical thinker; with the ability to process and draw conclusions from a variety of evidence bases.
• Self-starter with the ability to prioritise tasks and manage time effectively.
• A team player who thinks and works collaboratively, with the ability to work as part of a small team.
• A solutions-focused problem solver; with the ability to adapt to new situations that may arise, and problem solve effectively.
• Committed to the mission and values of the Social Mobility Foundation.

Desirable

• Knowledge of social mobility and the issues affecting young people in the UK.
• Experience of working in a sustainability role or company.
• Experience in project or programme delivery.

Key Responsibilities

1. Programme delivery

• Organising and supporting on virtual and in person sustainability events, including supporting on planning, including deciding themes and potential speakers for events, securing venues, producing webinars and video calls, collating responses, attendee lists and feedback/evaluation.
• Allocation of internships and liaison with students and employers in the sustainability sector, including selecting students for relevant internships and placements.
• Liaise with employers to support students in applications for internships and graduate jobs.
• Building relationships with employers to promote and gain support for sustainability activities across the SMF’s programmes.
• Embed sustainability into our materials for students and employer partners.

2. Research

• Supporting with student focus groups to understand how students engage with our sustainability work.
• Grow our understanding of barriers to roles in sustainability.
• Support with the evaluation of surveys and research and how these affect the long-term strategic aims of our sustainability work.
• Identifying and knowledge-gathering for the development of the sustainability programme- gathering knowledge on the sustainability sector, it’s key players and barriers our students may face entering the sector.
• Identify opportunities for young people to advocate their views on sustainability and use insights from research to inform our internal advocacy.
• Support our work with the Social Mobility Employer Index, which encourages sustainability employers to enter the Index.

3. Self-management

• Taking a problem-solving approach to the role, escalating issues as needed.
• Developing a strong understanding of the SMF’s work and social mobility across the UK.
• Developing a strong understanding of sustainability in the UK and how this relates to our work on the programme.
• Demonstrating SMF values in all work.
• Using initiative to ensure effective liaison between the SMF and its participants, the SMF’s external audience and employer partners

Application Process

Interested candidates should apply by sending the following information to [email removed - click apply for more details] by 9am on the 04/11/2022 specifying the role in the subject line of your email:

• A letter outlining your suitability for the post and why you are interested in the position.
• A short statement answering the question: What do you think are the main barriers for young people from low socioeconomic backgrounds in the sustainability sector? (500 words maximum).
• Your CV.

Please note that generic applications will not be considered. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Sarah Hill: [email removed - click apply for more details]

If a phone call would be preferred, please email to provide a contact number.