Sustainable Development Programme Coordinator

Joining Arup

Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world.

Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world’s most prominent projects in the built and natural environment. Working in more than 140 countries, the firm’s designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants, and technical specialists work with our clients on innovative projects of the highest quality and impact. As a wholly independent organisation, we are owned in trust for the benefit of our employees and their dependants: with no shareholders or external investors we determine our own business priorities and direction.

About the Sustainable Development team

Arup’s Sustainable Development team leads the firm’s global approach to embedding sustainable outcomes into everything we do – from strategy and investment decisions to project delivery and reporting. Working at the centre of Arup’s transformation agenda, the team shapes policies, governance, and capability-building initiatives that support our commitment to creating positive social, environmental, and economic impact.

The Sustainable Development team collaborates closely with colleagues across Total Design, Business & Markets, the Strategy Office, and Performance & Operations. Together, we champion a coherent, ambitious approach to sustainable development that influences both internal operations and market‑facing activity.

The Opportunity

This global role supports the Global Sustainable Development Director and the Global Sustainable Development Programme/Fund Manager in delivering Arup’s Sustainable Development Strategic Plan. You will work across global investment processes, policy operationalisation, risk management, and reporting – providing essential coordination that helps drive organisational change.

The role offers significant exposure to Arup’s operating model, governance structures, and investment approach. Although internally focused, the work is closely tied to commercial outcomes and organisational impact.

You will collaborate with senior leaders to embed sustainable development into work winning, service development, project delivery, and reporting. As part of the team, you will contribute to shaping our evolving Total Design approach and supporting the delivery of our sustainable development global investment programmes. The postholder will be line managed by the Global Sustainable Development Programme/Fund Manager and will work closely with the Global Sustainable Development Director, alongside senior colleagues across Total Design, Business & Markets, the Strategy Office, and Performance & Operations.

Key responsibilities:

As a Sustainable Development Programme Coordinator at Arup, you will play a pivotal role supporting delivery of the Sustainable Development Strategic Plan. 

• Support management of the sustainable development transformation programme, working closely with key stakeholders to ensure effective planning, governance, delivery, and benefits realisation.
• Contribute to the development of business cases, programme plans, governance frameworks (e.g., RACI), initiative structures, and RAID logs.
• Help maintain internal documentation (SharePoint, SD Hub, Teams) and participate in internal meetings.
• Help prepare materials and reporting for Executive Board, Arup Group Limited Board, and other governance forums.
• Help track budgets, forecast spend, and monitor financial performance in collaboration with Finance.
• Collaborate with enabling functions (People, Finance, Digital, HSEQ) to embed change.
• Support management of the global sustainable development change programmes under Tranche 2 and 3 investments.
• Work closely with the Global Sustainable Development Director and the Global Sustainable Development Programme/Fund Manager as well as senior leaders across Total Design, Business & Markets, the Strategy Office, and Performance & Operations.

Is this role right for you?

• Must be willing to travel to London on a hybrid basis 2-3x per week.
• Undergraduate, further degree or experience equivalent to a degree, preferably in project or programme management and/or sustainable development.
• 3-5 years’ experience in project or programme management, PMO, or portfolio delivery roles.
• Strong skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• A collaborative and personable working style, with strong listening skills and a commitment to positive stakeholder engagement.
• A proactive approach, able to prioritise and manage multiple activities independently.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, including influencing and active listening.
• Comfortable working with dispersed global teams and across time zones.
• Strong organisational and problem‑solving skills, with a willingness to learn and take on new challenges.
• Familiarity with core Arup systems (e.g., Invest in Arup, CRM, AMS, IiA platform, Copilot).

What we offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Benefits that work for you:

• Professional Growth & Development: Benefit from continuous learning opportunities, training programmes and mentoring to improve your skills and develop your career, such as ‘Invest in Arup’, where employees can receive internal funding to develop innovative technologies and services, or ‘Arup University’, where we provide thousands of training courses to our employees. 
• Global Opportunities: Collaborate with colleagues worldwide and explore potential short-term or long-term assignments at other Arup offices and project locations.
• Financial Well-being & Ownership: Receive a competitive salary and benefits package and share in Arup's success through our global profit-sharing programme.

Different people, shared values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference. Discover more about life at Arup at www.arup.com/careers/your-life-at-arup.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact lia.wiltsher@arup.com to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

Our Application Process

To understand what to expect next, please visit https://www.arup.com/careers/recruitment-process/

Stay safe online – Arup will never ask for your bank details as part of our recruitment process. #LI-LW2

Recruitment Agencies - We have a Preferred Supplier List of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on the list.