3Keel
Head of Business Unit - Climate Nature & Resources
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Head of Business Unit - Climate Nature & Resources
Starting salary £80,000
Location Hybrid Oxford, Bristol, London, York
This is a permanent, full-time vacancy (though 80% part-time will be considered), that will close on 31 October 2026 23:59 BST.
The Vacancy
3Keel is seeking a Head of Business Unit to join our Senior Management Team, bringing strategic vision, commercial ambition, and inclusive people leadership to our Climate, Nature and Resources team.
As Head of Business Unit (HBU), you will lead the operational and strategic growth of a dedicated consulting team (business unit (BU)), shaping annual business plans, overseeing major client relationships, and driving sustainable commercial pipelines. You will balance core subject matter expertise with a commitment to team development, resourcing, and structural wellbeing.
Representing your BU on the Senior Management Team (SMT), you will collaborate closely with fellow HBUs and central functions to foster cross-unit cohesion, shared learning, and a supportive, high-performing culture.
About you…
The ideal candidate for this senior and highly visible role at 3Keel is an experienced, commercially minded leader with a proven track record of growing and managing successful teams. You will bring a strong grounding in corporate sustainability and ESG issues—particularly within UK and EU contexts—alongside experience delivering strategic advice to senior management and sustainability teams. While technical expertise in core Climate, Nature and Resources themes such as the GHG Protocol, SBTi, TCFD, nature, resilience, water, or digital development will help set you apart, we are eager to welcome collaborative leaders who bring diverse perspectives and a passion for driving positive environmental impact.
Climate Nature & Resources Business Unit (CNR BU)...
As one of three business units driving delivery and growth at 3Keel, the Climate, Nature and Resources (CNR) team catalyses the transition of the private sector toward resilient, sustainable business models. We deliver a wide range of engagements—from board-level strategies to technical research and analysis supporting ambitious climate, nature, and circular economy plans.
Core Services: Corporate sustainability strategy, metrics and risk, target-setting, transition plan support, technical research, capacity building, and programme management. Specialisms focus on climate change, nature, and circular economy, with growing interest in resilience, water, and digital development.
Sector Focus: Primarily retail, food service, manufacturing, consumer goods, packaging, and apparel—particularly land- and resource-dependent sectors like agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. CNR frequently collaborates across 3Keel to deliver high-impact programmes in commodity supply chains.
Wider Influence: Beyond private sector clients, CNR prioritizes work with influential NGOs, policymakers, and sector initiatives improving sustainability performance in the UK and globally. We maintain a strong track record of convening businesses at a sector level, including landmark initiatives like the UK retail sector climate action plan and research supporting the fashion industry transition to circular systems.
What you’ll be doing:
Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Business Planning & Delivery: Develop and execute annual business unit strategies, managing operational KPIs, budgets, and financial targets in partnership with Finance.
- Business unit performance: Oversee the successful delivery of the work within the BU, leveraging knowledge and experience to spot opportunities and driving innovation internally and with clients.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner with HR, Marketing, and Operations to support smooth project execution, resource allocation, and business planning across 3Keel.
- Governance & Standards: Ensure high standards of project governance, quality assurance, and risk management across all BU deliverables.
- Senior Management Team membership: Represent the BU at SMT and ensure collaboration, cross-pollination of ideas and practices, and cohesion with other BUs.
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People & Inclusive Team Development
- Team Leadership: Inspire, coach, and support your team, fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture where colleagues can develop and thrive.
- Line Management & Resourcing: Manage headcount planning, talent development, and succession planning to ensure sustainable workload management across the team.
- Impart subject matter expertise: you should possess deep expertise in one or more thematic areas of relevance for the BU, and actively disseminate this to others within the BU
Business Development & Client Relationships
- Pipeline Development: Drive commercial growth by identifying new market opportunities, securing incoming work, and expanding strategic client relationships
- Market Presence: Serve as a senior ambassador for 3Keel’s Climate, Nature, and Resources advisory work, contributing to thought leadership and industry engagement.
What we’re looking for:
Essential
- Experience of setting and delivering on strategy for a business unit, business function or large team
- Strong financial and commercial acumen, budget setting and management experience, with a track record in building detailed financial business cases either for internal use or on behalf of clients
- Exceptional people planning, management and leadership experience
- Deep knowledge of the consulting business model
- Strong knowledge of corporate sustainability / ESG issues - particularly in UK and EU contexts
- Experience of delivering strategic sustainability advice and engagement with sustainability agendas to senior management/board level teams at large businesses
- Proven ability to understand and interpret technical sustainability materials and datasets in order to effectively communicate insights to corporate audiences
Desirable
- Experience of cross-functional leadership
- Operational governance experience
- Experience of working in or with retail, food service, consumer goods, agri-food and/or apparel sectors
- Technical understanding and/or expertise in one or more areas relevant to the business unit: climate accounting and climate risk impact assessment, reporting & target-setting frameworks and standards, life cycle assessment (LCA), corporate nature frameworks and regulations, such as SBTN and TNFD, circular economy principles and approaches, water and broader resilience agendas.
- Experience developing and/or overseeing the creation of digital products and services, potentially incorporating the use of AI.
- Experience developing and/or interpreting mitigation strategies to address corporate environmental impacts - especially in value chains
Above all else, we are looking for a great new member for our team. We are aware that some individuals feel they can only apply for roles if they meet almost 100% of the criteria, where the threshold might feel lower to others, so if you are considering applying for the role, but you are doubting your suitability and don’t feel you tick absolutely all the boxes, we encourage you to please apply anyway.
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About 3Keel and Fera
3Keel is an evidence-led sustainability consultancy, tackling risks and building resilience across supply chains, food systems, and landscapes. We address key sustainability issues and focus on innovations and coalition-building to develop approaches that challenge the status quo. We work with many leading businesses, NGOs and in partnership with academia. 3Keel is recognised by the FT as one of the UK’s leading Managing Consultancies for Sustainability.
In April 2026, 3Keel began an exciting new chapter in the company’s 13-year development, joining Fera Science Ltd. as its advisory wing. 3Keel was acquired by Fera because the 3Keel directors saw the considerable opportunities to combine their proven advisory expertise with the science and unique technical abilities of Fera. 3Keel continues to operate as a distinct business unit within Fera, and as the two organisations collaborate more closely new joint services will be developed and launched.
This is a position in 3Keel, although there will be plenty of exposure to - and opportunities with - the wider Fera business.
What’s in it for you?
- Work with leading businesses, policy makers and decision makers to drive real change in commodity supply chains. 3Keel works with some of the most responsible businesses in the world and this is your opportunity to be in the room to help craft impactful strategies and oversee their implementation.
- Experience developing novel innovations and solutions to challenges that haven’t been solved in over thirty years of policies, certification initiatives, and initiatives to develop more responsible production systems.
- Be part of a world class team that is consistently praised by clients and our peers as being one of the top management consultancies working on sustainability.
- 25 days’ holiday (rising to 29) with the opportunity to buy & sell extra leave.
- Flexible working hours
- Training and development opportunities
- Company-matched pension, life assurance, a cycle2work scheme…and plenty more.
How to apply:
Please apply with a CV and covering letter (not more than one side) outlining what makes you a good fit for the role.
Application deadline: 31 October 2026
Data privacy
Please note that any personal data submitted to 3Keel Group Ltd as part of the job application process will be processed in accordance with the GDPR and related UK data protection legislation, for more information regarding our privacy statement please see here https://www.3keel.com/privacy-statement/
We’re an equal opportunity employer, which means we recruit and develop people based on their merit and passion. We’re committed to providing an inclusive, barrier-free recruitment process and working environment for everyone. If you need the job description or application form in an alternative format or if you’d like to discuss other changes or support you might need going forward, please email at people@3keel.com and we’ll get back to you.
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