Net-zero Planning and Policy Consultant

We’re looking for a skilled Sustainability Consultant to help deliver planning and policy work in our Sustainable Places team.

About the role

• Salary: £37,000 to £55,000 per annum, depending on experience
• Duration: Permanent, full time
• Location: Hybrid working. Offices in Sustainable Ventures, Waterloo, Central London
• Experience: 3 or more years of relevant experience

We’re looking for a Consultant to join our Sustainable Places team – a group of passionate, mission-driven professionals working with local authorities, developers and communities to shape places that are fit for the future.

Your primary focus will be on net-zero local planning, helping to ensure that local plans and new developments genuinely deliver on the climate emergency. This means working on everything from carbon impacts and evidence-based development to policy drafting, plan examinations and implementation support.

As part of a small and collaborative team, this role offers real variety, as well as the opportunity to help shape the places in which people live, work and thrive. This role requires flexibility to support a variety of work requirements, and you will bring skills and knowledge that help improve and expand the services that we offer.

Your skills and experience

Ideally, you will:

• have knowledge of the UK planning system
• have a strong interest and knowledge of sustainability, from an environmental and/or social perspective, based on personal conviction as well as academic and/or practical experience
• good competencies in numeracy and research to create an evidence base
• excel at presentation, persuasion and reassurance to win hearts and minds in the process, as well as good leadership and collaboration skills

Educated to degree level (preferably in a related discipline such as environmental science, geography, engineering or an equivalent) or have relevant work experience.

About Bioregional

Bioregional is one of the UK’s original sustainability consultancies. Founded in 1994, we have been winning awards and working with partners to create cutting-edge solutions to sustainability for almost 30 years.

As a purpose-led organisation, our mission is to help businesses and communities respond to the climate and ecological emergency, and create a world in which we can live happy and healthy lives within the limits of our planet’s resources.

We created the One Planet Living framework and have over 30 years’ experience of influencing sustainable places, homes and communities in the UK and around the world.

With relevance to this role, Bioregional is at the forefront of best practice in developing local plan policies on net-zero carbon. We advance this work not just through our direct appointments to support local planning authorities, but also via collaboration with our network of relevant influential industry expert bodies on this topic.

Your new team

At Bioregional, you will join sustainability experts who are dedicated to creating real impact that helps create a more sustainable world. We are entrepreneurial and professional, always delivering the highest standards of work and giving colleagues the freedom to innovate.

Our head office is based at Sustainable Ventures, Waterloo.

What’s in it for you?

1. Work-life balance
Work is only one part of your life and making time for other things is important – be that your families, friends, or yourself. We are committed to giving you the flexibility to work at different locations and times.

2. A commitment to diversity and inclusion
We foster a supportive, inclusive workplace where people can be themselves and achieve great things. We expressly welcome applications from those with a disability and people of a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background.

3. Health and wellbeing
Health and wellbeing are fundamental to our ethos and our vision of a better world. We make sure we’re a great place to work through regular feedback with colleagues and run regular social activities.

4. Professional development
We have a learning culture and help our people to enjoy rewarding careers where they will grow and develop their skills.

5. An ethical employer
We live our values in everything we do. Your benefits include a 6% employer’s ethical pension contribution and 25 days of annual leave, rising by one day for each year you work with us, for up to five years.

We positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity/gender expression, religion/belief, marital status, pregnancy stage, maternity/paternity status, or any other equality characteristic.

Interviews will take place 13-15 May 2025 at our offices at Sustainable Ventures, County Hall, central London. Please let us know in your application if you will not be available during this week.