Hybrid remote/In office

Our vision is to create a safe and sustainable world.

We are currently looking for an experienced Sustainability Principal Consultant to join our Environment and Planning team in Melbourne who will contribute to the ongoing development and growth of the business.

As a Principal Consultant, you will play a key leadership role in developing and delivering sustainability projects. You will leverage your expertise in sustainability strategy, environmental, social and governance frameworks, and sustainable business practices to help our clients achieve their sustainability goals.

This role requires strong business development skills, client acquisition and relationship management. You will identify new opportunities, build and maintain client relationships and work closely with internal teams to drive impactful solutions.

Key responsibilities 

• Work as part of a multidisciplinary team across a range of industries.
• Assist organisations manage and report on a broad range of sustainability and climate related risks and impacts, including decarbonisation, target setting and net-zero strategies.
• Assist clients to develop and implement sustainability strategies, develop targets, and implement plans to enhance sustainability value for a broad range of sustainability topics.
• Lead a portfolio of interesting projects and develop direct client relationships. 
• Develop meaningful and innovative ideas, solutions and strategies for our clients. 
• Support Ricardo’s project teams to deliver exceptional results across multiple sectors and industries. 
• Provide technical guidance, training, and mentoring to junior staff and share knowledge with the broader team. 
• Provide input into business development strategies and initiatives to further grow the business. 
• Develop and conduct presentations and proposals for prospective clients. 
• Complete and review reports for all stages of the project. 

Key competencies and experience 

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Sustainability, Environmental Science, Engineering, Business, or a related field.
• 5-10 years Sustainability, environmental or climate resilience experience, preferably in a previous consulting role.
• Proactive in the pursuit of business opportunities and delivery of technical excellence.
• Experience managing multiple projects with competing demands. 
• Demonstrated experience managing projects to completion, within budget and to a high standard.
• Proven track record of contributing high quality work. 
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, and ability to learn new systems and software quickly. 

Skills and behaviours 

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills; able to produce high quality reports as well as communicate confidently with a variety of clients and stakeholders. 
• Strong research and analytical skills. 
• Well-developed customer service capabilities with the ability to develop and nurture stakeholder relationships at all levels, both internally and externally. 
• Team player, able to provide support to the wider team on projects. 
• Growth mindset and willingness to learn and improve expertise. 
• Self-motivated with a desire to achieve high standards. 
• Excellent problem-solving capabilities. 
• Ability to strengthen client relationships and secure repeat work through business development activities. 
• Embrace Ricardo’s values of Create Together, Be Innovative, Aim High, and Be Mindful and aim to lead others towards high standards of performance and behaviour. 

Desirable

• Professional services/consulting experience.
• Knowledge of, and experience in decarbonisation approaches, net-zero, climate risk and climate strategy.
• Practical experience developing innovative and practical recommendations to manage climate risk and maximise opportunities in the low carbon economy.
• Practical experience with energy and emissions reporting schemes including National Greenhouse Emissions Reporting (NGER) scheme, the Safeguard Mechanism and the Emissions Reduction Fund (ERF).
• Climate risk assessment and disclosure experience, including knowledge of the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosure (TCFD) Framework.
• Knowledge of key assurance standards including General Audit and Assurance Procedures (GAAP), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and the associated Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards (ASRS).  

Working here 

Ricardo is an exciting and rewarding place to work and you have the opportunity to make a difference. You will work with teams of talented, dedicated, and supportive individuals. Alongside having a fantastic opportunity to develop your career with us through our broad range of projects, mentoring opportunities and a personalised approach to your learning and development. We are always keen to hear from people who have drive, ambition and a flair for innovative thinking. 

Wellbeing and work life balance 

Our People are important to us, and we take pride in our wellbeing programmes and policies that support individuals including flexible working, carers policy, mental health first aiders and readily available support through our extensive Employee Assistance programme. 

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion statement 

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in each person's potential, and we'll help you reach yours. We have an ambitious diversity, equality, and inclusion approach. We value diversity; recognising that a more diverse workforce creates a richer and more varied working environment. Diversity also drives innovation, by allowing us to offer our clients the best consultancy service that we can. As part of our commitment to engage positively and pro-actively with all our employees and ensure a culture of inclusivity, we are a recognised as a 'disability confident' employer. 

Once you have submitted your application a member of our Recruitment Team will be in touch. Please be aware that the timing can vary dependent on the volume of applications that we receive for each role and in some cases, we may start to review applications prior to the closing date.