As an Arcadian, you already help us deliver world leading sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. You are part of our global business comprising 36,000 people, in over 70 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life.

Everyone has an important role to play. With the power of many curious minds, together we can continue to solve the world’s most complex challenges and deliver more impact together.

We are seeking a Program Director to lead the development and implementation of one of Global Sustainability’s six key programs. The ideal candidate will be responsible for setting a program vision, strategy, and implementation plan to support successful execution and delivery. Program details specific to this role are outlined in the next session, noting that programs may change or evolve as necessary to embed sustainability into our organization.

As part of a global team, you will be provided with a unique opportunity to access diverse perspectives, engage in cultural exchange fostering understanding and collaboration, hone essential skills including communication and adaptability, expand your professional network for future opportunities, and boost creativity through exposure to different viewpoints and experiences.

If you are a sustainability change-maker with proven experience in sustainability program management and a passion for driving projects to success, we encourage you to apply for the Program Director position with us.

Role description:

Mission Statement: Arcadis is strategically positioned to thrive as a global leader in sustainable solutions.

Vision: Create global industry, client, and project insights that position Arcadis ahead in a dynamic and evolving world.

Objective: To create cutting-edge sustainability insights that help Arcadis map our long-term vision, align with strategy, assist in client interactions, and drive technical progress in partnership with Global Business Areas (GBAs). These insights help Arcadis make well-informed business decisions within the Sustainable Project Choices - Pursuits Framework, enhancing market and branding positioning. This can be delivered through good planning and delivery of insightful and timely thought leadership (in coordination with other sustainability programs), through benefitting from strategic partnerships (like the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and others), and also through supporting the positioning of sustainability into market opportunities, working with key clients’ program, innovation and global solutions to add sustainability value to proposals. 

Reports to the Global Sustainability Director

Role accountabilities:

Develop and articulate the program vision, strategy, and objectives in alignment with the company's goals and the Global Sustainability team’s objectives.  Identify impact indicators and metrics and commit to targets. Deliver at minimum a quarterly report, reviewing indicators and proposing actions for improved results.  Create a detailed program plan including timelines, milestones, and resource allocation, that aligns with the overall Global Sustainability plan and tools, supporting the Global Sustainability PMO.  Provide technical leadership on program-related, sustainability subject-matter issues, including but not limited to Whole of Life Carbon, Nature & Biodiversity, Water Stewardship, Social Value, and Circularity. Balance theory of practice and industry leadership with commercial business priorities to leverage value. Collaborate and support in-business stakeholders to leverage commercial opportunities generated from the program.  Lead development of thought leadership materials (e.g., technical papers, white papers, blogs) Co-create strategy and messaging for sustainability event participation (e.g., COPs, NYCW) with Marketing and SMEs. Plan, align, and collaborate with stakeholders to meet program requirements and goals. Conduct stakeholder mapping, plan engagement and communication at each program development stage, discuss and report risks to implementation for actions, and proactively implement solutions.  Collaborate and support in-business stakeholders to leverage commercial opportunities generated from the program.  Monitor and track program progress, identify risks, and proactively implement solutions, supporting Global Sustainability PMO.  Proactively manage changes in project scope, schedule, and costs, reporting to the Global Sustainability PMO and other stakeholders.  Provide effective communication across all levels of the organization. Periodically, present the program to senior stakeholders (Executive Leadership Team – ELT, Supervisory Board – SB, GBA leadership/management teams, or others) and external stakeholders, representing Arcadis in conferences, for example.  Assign and align with a GBA champion for the program in each GBA and work in close collaboration to foster implementation through the business. Motivate, inspire, and help drive team results, reviewing performance and providing timely feedback to team members and counterparts.

Key Shared Accountabilities: 

Establish and maintain program structures and processes to facilitate smooth implementation in coordination with Global Sustainability PMO.  Collaborate with global (technical) discipline leads and regional counterparts as needed to achieve program objectives. Collaborate with other Global Sustainability program directors and team members to support Global Sustainability team objectives outside of the program you drive, which may include contributing to various training initiatives, sustainability ratings agency responses, and the annual integrated report, among other activities. Prepare regular reports and updates on program status for management and stakeholders, in coordination with the Global Sustainability PMO.  Support budget and forecast cycles, by planning initiatives and identifying and managing program costs, supporting the Global Sustainability PMO.

Main Working Contacts: 

Global Sustainability Directors and team Marketing and Communications Team Strategy Team  Key Clients Program and strategic Pursuits team External Partners (ex.: World Business Council for Sustainable Development, and others) GBAs’ Steering Committees

Qualifications & Experience:

Master’s or Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Project Management, or related scientific fields.  PhD qualification in subject matter within the broad sustainability field, and/or demonstrated applied industry research experience, is highly desirable. Minimum 10 years of experience as a sustainability practitioner and/or subject matter expert.  Recognized expert in a professional discipline, with well-established industry or internal networks.  Demonstrated experience: delivering sustainability services for major capital projects is advantageous. delivering major sustainability change initiatives in a large organization or projects. collaborating within industry advisory groups, boards, and/or communities of practice producing thought leadership materials (e.g., technical papers, white papers, blogs, etc.) Balancing theory of practice within a commercial business setting to leverage value Strong leadership and organizational skills.  Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.  Solid understanding of program management techniques and methods. Knowledge of relevant international standards, practices, and methodologies, including applicable tools. Experience managing business relationships at the executive level is desirable. Proficiency in project management software and tools.  Given the international scale and scope of the business, a certain level of flexibility in work hours is important. Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.

For this role, Arcadis values professional experience across the following priority areas: 

Leading transformation: Ability to bring people on a journey to the unknown, creating a sense of stability and security in uncertain times, avoiding change fatigue.  General Management: Leading a significant P&L and operations, developing strategy, and successfully driving accountability through KPIs and behavior.  People management: Creating high-performing teams, communicating vision and purpose, engaging others, and ensuring aligned objectives. Caring for employee wellbeing and recognizing and celebrating success.  Living our purpose: Mentoring and sponsoring people coming through the business and from outside. Proactively, supporting communities and social initiatives, and showing attention to the planet and sustainability.  Driving innovation: Involved in generating and driving innovation, engaging with clients on new business models and revenue streams, and working with alliances and ecosystems to deliver the best outcomes. 

Aligned to the Arcadis Leadership model we seek Arcadians with a strong fit to our leadership success profile, to build and drive our culture of inclusion, accountability, human-centricity, and sustainability. Successful Arcadians will possess strong learning agility, combined with a balanced mix of being curious, driving success and igniting passion. 

Continue your career journey as an Arcadian.

We can only achieve our goals when everyone is empowered to be their best. We believe everyone's contribution matters. It’s why we are pioneering a skills based approach, where you can harness your unique experience and expertise to carve your career path and maximize the impact we can make together.

You do meaningful work, and no matter where your next role in Arcadis takes you, you’ll be helping to deliver sustainable solutions for a more prosperous planet. Make your mark; on your career, your colleagues, your clients, your life and the world around you. 

Together, we can create a lasting legacy.

Our Commitment to Equality, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging

We want you to be able to bring your best self to work every day, which is why we take equality and inclusion seriously and hold ourselves to account for our actions. Our ambition is to be an employer of choice and provide a great place to work for all our people.