Sustainability lead: model job description

Recruiting for this DfE-mandated role? Download our model role description and person specification to help you set out the duties and responsibilities of a sustainability lead.

Last reviewed on 9 July 2024See updates

School types: All•School phases: All•Ref: 45912

Contents

Download and adapt our model job description

9 July 2024: some of the dates in the DfE's sustainability and climate change strategy have now passed. The DfE has not updated its strategy to reflect this, and many of the aims and initiatives outlined in the strategy have not yet been reached.

In December 2023, the DfE published a progress report on what had been achieved so far. It's not clear from this document if some of the original aims are still in progress.

We'll update this article when more information becomes available. Select 'save for later' at the top of the article to be notified when this happens.

Download and adapt our model job description

Use this model job description and person specification as a template when you recruit a sustainability lead.

Model job description - sustainability lead DOCX, 109.5 KB

This is a new role that was created as part of the DfE's sustainability and climate change strategy. All schools are expected to have a sustainability lead in place by 2025.

Adapt the responsibilities listed in the template to suit your school or trust's context. Because there are few set requirements for this role so far, use this model as an example, rather than a rule of what to include.

Make sure your job advert complies with safeguarding guidance and equality law

You're not required to advertise this position internally or externally, but it's good practice to do so.

Find out what you need to include in your job advert for maintained schools and academies to help you recruit safely and fairly.

KeyGPT can help

Use KeyGPT, our AI-powered assistant, to help you fill out some sections of our model job description and write your advert – just adapt the prompts in our interview wizard to see your personalised result.

Sources

The DfE's sustainability and climate change strategy and its guidance on sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education.

Ed Brewster is an experienced educator with a background in carbon management and training. He now runs Climate Connection, a company that supports organisations to understand the impact of the climate crisis and how they can prepare for change.

Jenn Plews and Lizzie Oliver are CEO and director of governance at Northern Star Academies Trust, a 9-school trust, with academies in North Yorkshire and Bradford.

Jenn is a national leader of education and has taught and led across 5 local authorities
Lizzie has over 15 years of experience in qualitative research and analysis across the education and training sector. She has supported headteachers and governors in a wide range of communities and contexts

Article updates

9 June 2023

We updated our model job description to reflect the DfE's updated sustainability leadership and climate action plans in education.

We have:

Added that the sustainability lead will be expected to share effective practice with other education settings and develop a peer-to-peer learning network
Made it clearer that the sustainability lead will only need to undertake carbon literacy training if relevant to their setting – the DfE has clarified that not all settings will need this training, but the DfE will make it available as part of its digital hub

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