Job description

King s Climate & Sustainability (KCS) is a new university-wide initiative to step up our response to the challenge of climate emergency and global sustainability, and to accelerate and connect research, education and action across King s. With an ambition to become a net zero institution, King s has already made progress to embed sustainability into our operations. We are now uniquely positioned to amplify, connect and scale impactful research, education and action, build new connections between fields of study including technological, socio-economic, legal, geopolitical and create meaningful external partnerships to deliver strong, distinctive and visible contributions to the challenge of achieving just and fair transitions to sustainability.

The education workstream is an important aspect of this initiative. King s has set an objective to embed climate and sustainability into every undergraduate curriculum by 2026/7. Embedding sustainability into education will need sustained and comprehensive support, including development of both existing and wholly new modules and programmes, and an enhancement of co-curricular educational activities.

The Project Officer (Education) will play a key role in supporting and managing the work associated with the education workstream. This includes supporting the new KCS Education Working Group, working collaboratively with faculties, institutes, the Students & Education Directorate and Marketing to develop new programmes and modules, and working with students and colleagues across the King s Climate Action and Sustainability Champions networks. The role holder will ensure that activities associated with the education workstream are developed, planned, organised and delivered successfully.

We are looking for someone with experience of working on projects and/or supporting undergraduate or postgraduate education programmes, with strong verbal and written communication skills. The successful candidate will have excellent organisational skills and the ability to build positive relationships with colleagues and students.

This is a full time post.

This post will be offered on a fixed-term contract until 31 August 2026.

Key responsibilities

• Provide proactive and timely project support to all aspects of the King s Climate & Sustainability (KCS) education workstream, ensuring that activities are developed, planned, organised and delivered successfully against key milestones


• Work with the KCS Project Manager to develop project and delivery plans, reports and tracking tools, ensuring the wider KCS Delivery Team are kept updated and informed, and progress is monitored


• Provide secretariat support to the Education Working Group: working closely with the Chair to prepare papers, booking rooms, inviting speakers, taking minutes/notes, and following up the completion of actions


• Work collaboratively with students and staff in faculties, institutes and the Students & Education Directorate (SED) to ensure our KCS goals are embedded into plans


• Work with the KCS Delivery Team and other key stakeholders to undertake curriculum audits/mapping (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals) and develop an action plan based on the findings


• Support the development of both existing and new modules and programmes in the area of climate and sustainability, including online and in-person, Undergraduate and Postgraduate, specialist Executive Education, CPD and more


• Support the integration of sustainability employment opportunities and ethical principles/values into King s careers and employability support


• Work with the KCS Delivery Team and other colleagues across the university to ensure relevant data is recorded and analysed for internal and external reporting purposes


• Lead and/or contribute to the planning of events and engagement activities related to the education workstream in collaboration with the wider KCS Delivery Team


• Develop and maintain excellent relationships to represent the KCS Delivery Team effectively and credibly in person, on the telephone and in correspondence with senior influential stakeholders within and beyond King s


• Have awareness of the implications of the Freedom of Information Act and the Data Protection Act on the management and retention of data, and to act accordingly in line with both statutory regulations and King s procedures


• Maintain professional knowledge by attending training, establishing personal networks and participating in professional development activities


• Act as an evacuation marshal

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge and experience

Essential criteria

1. Relevant work experience and/or education. A wide range of different work and educational experiences could support you in this role, such as programme administration, curriculum development or project management. Relevant educational experiences might include an undergraduate degree, professional qualifications (e.g. project management) or other training


2. Knowledge of project management methods, techniques and tools for the effective delivery of projects


3. Demonstrated experience in organisation and planning, to manage tasks effectively and complete activities to agreed deadlines


4. Demonstrated experience in building high-quality internal relationships with teams and key stakeholders, including at a senior level


5. Experience of collaborative team-working to deliver successful outcomes


6. Adaptability and flexibility to work across multiple areas in a complex and fast-paced environment, comfortable with ambiguity and complexity


7. IT literate, including the ability to use all Microsoft packages and an aptitude and desire to learn to use new tools


8. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to produce clear and concise written materials


9. Experience of servicing committees


10. Ability to be a self-starter and the motivation to see things through to completion, with the ability to work without close supervision

Desirable criteria

1. Interest in sustainability issues and familiarity with climate and sustainability research


2. A recognised qualification in programme or project management


3. Knowledge and understanding of the UK Higher Education sector