Director of Political and Industry Intelligence
The role
| Salary | Starting from £80,000 dependent on experience |
| Length of Contract | Full time, permanent |
| Hours of work | 37.5 hours per week |
| Location | Hybrid model with the expectation of at least 2 days per week in UKGBC London offices |
| Benefits | 28 days holidays plus Bank holidays 3 days closure between Christmas and New Year Enhanced Pension BUPA Cashback Scheme |
We are seeking an exceptional Director of Political and Industry Intelligence at this pivotal moment for our planet, people, and nature, to lead and strengthen our impact across political and industry-facing activity. This role will drive advocacy with national, devolved, and local government; while shaping industry programmes and projects – via insights from across industry, academia, and civil society – to deliver and disseminate world-class guidance for our members, partners, and wider stakeholder networks.
This is a position of significant influence and responsibility on the UKGBC Leadership Team, reporting directly to the Chief Executive. Delivering this broad and strategically important portfolio requires close collaboration across the organisation, as well as engagement with stakeholders across the political spectrum and the built environment business network to maximise impact.
The successful candidate will have extensive experience in political consultancy, public policy, or government affairs alongside strong expertise in property and construction and its influence within today’s political context.
A deep understanding of climate change mitigation and climate resilience and adaptation in the built environment is essential, as is a strong commitment to UKGBC’s wider mission and a personal drive to deliver meaningful change.
Key responsibilities
Policy & Political advocacy (c. 30%)
- Oversee and lead plans and activity to maximisethe impact of UKGBC’s influencing strategy with national government in context of wide range of key policy initiatives – carbon reductions in new and existing buildings, planning reform, Environment Billetc.
- Represent UKGBC at meetings with Senior Ministers, officials, local authority and devolved nation political representatives
- Play an active role in ensuring positive policy outcomes for built environment industry
- Work closely with the Head(s)of Policy &Places todeterminethe most effective and efficient ways to inform, influence and support across local and devolved government, given limited resources.
- Communicate effectively with targeted stakeholders to ensure full alignment between technical considerations emerging from Industry Transformation Programmes with any Policy positions and/or recommendations adopted by UKGBC with central,devolved and local governments
- Support the Chief Executive in the delivery of UKGBC’s international advocacy programme
- Work closely with the Membership and Marcomms team to ensure the deployment of expertise and content,and to maximise the impact and the value proposition for members, and the development and launch of new projects or membership initiatives
Programmatic oversight (c.30%)
- In consultation with our members, and with reference to wider industry initiatives, identify the tools, support and guidance that built environment businesses need to accelerate the transition to a regenerative built environment
- Scope, design and overseethedelivery of impactful programmes and projects that support industry transformation
- Provide Director level oversight of all industry-facing outputs, with priority on climate change mitigation and resilience and nature (whilst also keeping an overview across all other impact areas such as resource use, health & wellbeing, and socio-economic impacts),with ultimate accountability for day-to-day decisions, quality control and impact generation
- Lead on programme and project management processes and tools prioritising simplicity and efficiency, and ensuring these are fit for purpose in an agile and purpose-driven culture
- Work closely with the Learning and Leadership team to co-design and co-facilitate opportunities to bring members together across the whole value chain with a view to finding and creating solutions, and engaging in practical collaborative projects that move the mission forwards
- Work closely with the Membership and Marcomms team to ensure the deployment of expertise and content, and to maximise the impact and the value proposition for members, and the development and launch of new projects or membership initiatives
- Consistently measureand evaluate impactfuloutcomes fromindustryprogrammesunderway at any given time
Governance and operational management (c.10%)
- Play a key role in strategic development and implementation of short and long-term organisational and departmental objectives via horizon scanning, risk management, KPI tracking, impact evaluation, and day to day operational decision-making
- Preparefor, andparticipatein Board meetings and workshops, and develop authentic relationships with the UKGBC Trustees
- Work with the Leadership Team to facilitate cross-departmental collaboration, including on annual operation plans and resource allocation
Leadership and People Management (10%)
- Day to day team management, motivation and empowerment via (yet not exclusive to) resource allocation,regular 1-1s, performance and development conversations, wellbeing check ins, and professional coaching
- Team engagement with organisational and departmental vision,strategy and plans via departmental workshops and updates
- Prepare for,occasionally lead, and always participate in, UKGBC team meetings, socials,workshops and other events
- Build strong relationships across the whole UKGBC team; maximise integrated ways of working, act as a role model for our culture and values, and offer leadership,guidanceand support
- Team recruitmentincluding contract management for incoming secondments, consultants, and internships
- Lead and operate strategically whilst also being a hands-on team member by adopting a collaborative and problem-solving approach
Membership, Partnerships & Commercial accountability (c. 20%)
- Engage regularly with a large number of UKGBC members to ensure high levels of engagement, significant impact, and long-term retention
- Identify, target, and secure new members in close liaison with the membership team
- Conduct regular partner and competitor mapping exercises to identify strategic partnerships that would enhance UKGBC’s ability to achieve short and long-term goals, and play lead role in negotiating and managing such relationships where appropriate
- Build relationships with strategically important industry organisations and potential funding partners
- Represent UKGBC as a spokesperson at Political and Industry meetings, conferences and events to raise our profile as widely as possible and to promote our key messages to media and other political and/or industry outlets
- Review and refine the business model for both Policy and Programmatic work at UKGBC – overseeing the funding and resourcing of impact-led programme and project work to ensure that it remains self-sufficient and does not impinge on reserves
- Work closely with the Leadership Team,in particular the Directors group,to identify and secure fundraising and commercial partnership opportunities that will unlock programme and project funds
- Develop and monitor the departmental plans, budgets and resource schedules for all Policy and Industry Transformation Programmes, and provide accurate forecasts on a monthly basis
- Hold ultimate accountability for the financial and legal management of departmental plans and budgets
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