Sustainability Lead - Sydney

Bold ideas bring transformative solutions

Creating places that matter and communities that thrive

Our global Buildings and Places business line brings together a versatile and collaborative term of urban planning, building design and engineering professionals working to create liveable, sustainable, and equitable cities.

Our extensive expertise cover urbanism and planning, architecture, building and systems engineering, and cost, project, and construction management.  

Together with our clients, we are working to evolve and elevate the built environment across sectors including, social infrastructure, transit, technology and logistics, and commercial and corporate real estate, whilst focusing on solutions that promote long term health and wellbeing for all.

We’re one global team – 47,000 strong – driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world.

The Role

At AECOM, we're helping clients solve some of the most complex challenges facing cities and communities today – from decarbonising critical infrastructure and delivering climate-resilient assets to creating healthier, more connected environments that enhance the wellbeing of people and communities for generations to come.

With a strong pipeline of transformative projects across Sydney and the broader ANZ region, including our role in shaping the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games and supporting the sustainability ambitions of major clients such as Sydney Airport, we're looking for a Sustainability Leader to join our Buildings + Places team in Sydney.

This is an opportunity to drive meaningful environmental and social outcomes, helping shape some of Australia and New Zealand's most significant infrastructure, buildings and precinct developments across the aviation, healthcare, data centre, transport, education, sports and defence sectors.

How you'll make a difference:

• Lead sustainability outcomes on complex and high-profile projects, partnering with clients, designers and project teams to embed sustainability into decision-making from the earliest stages of project development through to delivery and operation.
• Coordinate sustainability across design disciplines, working closely with architects, engineers and specialist consultants to identify opportunities, manage sustainability requirements and deliver reporting and assessments.
• Undertake technical analysis and provide evidence-based advice to inform project strategies, optimise design outcomes and help clients achieve their sustainability objectives.
• Contribute to AECOM's sustainability thought leadership by identifying emerging trends, policy developments, innovative technologies and new approaches that create value for our clients.
• Build trusted client relationships, lead strategic pursuits and contribute to business growth by identifying opportunities and supporting work winning across AECOM's business lines and end markets.

We understand that the best candidates don't always tick every box. If you're excited about the role and can see yourself contributing to our ANZ team, we'd love to hear from you. We value diverse experiences and welcome applications from people who are passionate about creating a more sustainable and resilient future.

The qualities that help you thrive:

We're looking for someone who combines strong technical expertise with curiosity, creativity and a desire to make a meaningful impact through their work. Equally important is a collaborative mindset, strong leadership capabilities and a willingness to contribute to an inclusive, high-performing team culture. You will be comfortable building trusted client relationships, identifying opportunities and contributing to strategic pursuits and work winning that support the continued growth of our sustainability practice.

• 10+ years' experience delivering sustainability outcomes within consulting, engineering, government or construction organisations, on built environment and infrastructure projects.
• Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, building and planning codes, sustainability policies, standards and emerging industry trends.
• Experience applying sustainability frameworks such as Green Star, Infrastructure Sustainability, WELL, NABERS, Passivhaus, Living Building Challenge and/or LEED.
• Experience in delivery of decarbonisation strategies, whole-of-life carbon assessments, building performance modelling, and sustainability strategies and frameworks.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills, with experience working collaboratively across multi-disciplinary project teams.
• A proactive, innovative and solutions-focused mindset, with the ability to translate complex sustainability challenges into practical and achievable outcomes.
• Tertiary qualifications in Engineering, Sustainability, Architecture, Environmental Science, Climate Change or a related discipline.

Accreditation with Green Building Council Australia, IS Council, WELL or similar organisations will be highly regarded. Defence clearance eligibility is desirable.

Why you’ll love working with us:

• Flexible work arrangements, including alternative start/finish times, job-sharing and hybrid work options
• Purchase up to 6 weeks additional annual leave per year         
• Flex public holidays – swap Easter or other holidays for ones that suit you better
• Continuous learning and growth - lunch and learns, professional development courses, financial study assistance, 5 days paid study leave, global career opportunities

Ready to push the limits of what’s possible?

We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including those with disabilities, additional health or mental health needs, and/or neurodiverse conditions. If you require any adjustments during the hiring process, please let us know.

Applications are reviewed as they come in, and the role may close earlier than expected, so if this opportunity sounds like you, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

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At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

AECOM acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we, our clients and our communities live and work around Australia. We pay our respects to their cultures and to their Elders — past, present, and emerging. We are committed to connecting to Country in our work through meaningful engagement with First Nations peoples and businesses.  Find out more about our Australian Reconciliation Action Plan here: https://aecom.com/au/our-vision-for-reconciliation/.

About AECOM

AECOM is the world’s trusted infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. On projects spanning transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment, our public- and private-sector clients trust us to solve their most complex challenges. Our teams are driven by a common purpose to deliver a better world through our unrivaled technical and digital expertise, a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion, and a commitment to environmental, social and governance priorities. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm and its Professional Services business had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. See how we are delivering sustainable legacies for generations to come at aecom.com and @AECOM.

Freedom to Grow in a World of Opportunity 

You will have the flexibility you need to do your best work with hybrid work options. Whether you’re working from an AECOM office, remote location or at a client site, you will be working in a dynamic environment where your integrity, entrepreneurial spirit and pioneering mindset are championed.

You will help us foster a culture of equity, diversity and inclusion – a safe and respectful workplace, where we invite everyone to bring their whole selves to work using their unique talents, backgrounds and expertise to create transformational outcomes for our clients.

AECOM provides a wide array of compensation and benefits programs to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their families. We also provide a robust global well-being program. We’re the world’s trusted global infrastructure firm, and we’re in this together – your growth and success are ours too.

Join us, and you’ll get all the benefits of being a part of a global, publicly traded firm – access to industry-leading technology and thinking and transformational work with big impact and work flexibility. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person’s potential, and we’ll help you reach yours.