Head of Programme - Diversity & FIR

We are seeking an experienced leader to help us drive change in the construction and engineering industry, to raise awareness of the benefits of creating a fairer more inclusive workplace that is better for all. If you have experience of delivering equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives, the ability to engage at a senior level and demonstrable experience of driving change we would like to hear from you.

Background to the FIR programme:

The Fairness, Inclusion & Respect (FIR) programme’s key objective is to understand the challenges and barriers within the industry and to raise awareness with the objective of supporting a more attractive, diverse and welcoming place to work for all.

The FIR Programme is an industry wide change programme endorsed by the Construction Leadership Council and is led by our Employer Leadership Group including BAM Construct UK, Balfour Beatty, CECA, GRAHAM Construction, Osborne, Skanska, WJ Group, McLoughlin and VINCI working together with major infrastructure clients such as HS2, National Highways, Transport for London and Network Rail. Together we have developed a Toolkit of support, delivered workshops and events, created a range of online tools and developed and supported a network of over 600 FIR Ambassadors. This all aims to encourage a culture of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) across the construction and engineering sector.

The programme is co-funded by CITB, our four infrastructure clients and the partners of the Supply Chain Sustainability School.

Background to Action Sustainability:

Action Sustainability is a leading consultancy, founded in 2006, with the aim of leading and inspiring sustainable business. We deliver the FIR Programme on behalf of our Partners.

We have a team of 40 full and part time employees and associates, working remotely across the UK with a central office in London. We are proud of our successes, which include:

+ Winners of the Queens Award for Sustainable Development 2022
+ The development and launch in 2012 of the multi-award-winning Supply Chain Sustainability School (www.supplychainschool.co.uk), including the industry-leading Fairness, Inclusion & Respect (FIR) programme
+ Training over 16,000 people form 6,000 companies annually. 47% of delegates said we had helped them to reduce their carbon emissions and 67% of those we reach with our FIR programme say we have helped them develop a more diverse team.
+ The launch in 2014 of the UK’s first cloud-based sustainability performance reporting tool for the construction and built environment sectors, (www.sustainabilitytool.co.uk).
+ Authoring the ISO 20400 in sustainable procurement and are now leading global adoption through our social enterprise arm, Action Sustainability CIC (www.iso20400.org) and our commercial consultancy services
+ Providing bespoke, specialist business advice, training, and practical tools to leading organisations such as Land Securities, Serco, Siemens, the Houses of Parliament and the NHS.
Many of our clients are leaders in their sectors on sustainability and supply chain issues and we are proud of our reputation for leading the thinking in this area.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

The key responsibilities for the role are: to lead the FIR team to deliver the Fairness, Inclusion & Respect (FIR) Programme; to work with the Leadership Group to agree objectives and strategy; and to represent the programmes across industry.

The main duties with be to successfully lead the delivery of the FIR Programme through:

1. Bring EDI knowledge and experience to set the strategy for growth and delivery of the FIR Programme, building relationships with trade associations and federations, leading clients and contractors and other industry stakeholders
2. Lead the delivery team
3. Represent the FIR Programme at industry groups and forums, including Construction Leadership Council, and other relevant groups
4. Be a proactive, vocal advocate for a fairer, more inclusive and more respectful industry at conferences and trade events
5. Establishing and implementing a process for expanding and supporting the FIR Programme.
6. Writing and reviewing industry reports and new learning materials
7. Work with the School Director and Leadership Group to identify and secure future project income.

Key attributes:

You will have a proven track record of successfully leading EDI initiatives, learning and development and understand cultural change and improvement. You will be able to demonstrate a passion for addressing and challenging equality and diversity issues and a good understanding of the dynamics of the construction sector.

You will have experience identifying and engaging with different stakeholders and stakeholder groups and assessing and addressing their views. You will be comfortable dealing with challenge and experienced in basing responses to challenge on facts rather than personal values.
Understanding the benefits that increased diversity bring to a business; why a culture of fairness, inclusion and respect is good for business to articulate the business case at Director level in businesses large and small.

Applicants will be able to:

+ Approach the role with a ‘can-do’ attitude, taking ownership and responding to change with a willingness to get things done.
+ Work collaboratively across teams with the ability to influence others.
+ Apply a systematic approach to co-ordinate a project from start to finish overseeing finances and team members as it progresses.
+ Think about a task/problem in a new or different way.
+ Manage and influence multiple stakeholders.
+ Guide the team to develop and deliver high quality EDI training and advice.

Reporting to: Supply Chain School Director and FIR Programme Leadership Group.

Terms and Conditions:

+ Salary: £60,000 - £70,000
+ Holidays: 25 days plus 8 statutory holidays plus 1 day for your birthday.
+ Other benefits: 8% contribution to pension, fitness allowance, company bonus scheme
+ Development: We offer the opportunity to grow in this award-winning consultancy with the support of leading experts and innovative new practices.
+ Location: The role will be based remotely but will require some travel to our London office, stakeholder meetings and conferences
+ Flexible working; We encourage flexible and hybrid working and as such this role can be applied for as either a full-time role or part time (job share) role.

Application notice... We take your privacy seriously. When you apply, we shall process your details and pass your application to our client for review for this vacancy only. As you might expect you maybe contacted by email, text or telephone. Your data is processed on the basis of our legitimate interests in fulfilling the recruitment process. Please refer to our Data Privacy Policy & Notice on our website for further details.

If you have any pre-application questions please contact us first quoting the job title & ref. Good luck, Team RR.