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Salary: £70,094 up to £90,000 depending on experience
Contract Type: Permanent, Full‑time
Security Level: BPSS
Location: London – Canary Wharf (minimum 2 days in office per week)
Visa Restrictions: This position does not offer visa sponsorship
We are the UK's aviation and aerospace regulator and recognised as a world leader in its field. Our activities are diverse, enabling the aviation industry to meet the highest safety standards, and we pride ourselves on our ability to adapt to the constantly evolving aviation environment.
The Role
As aviation faces increasing scrutiny over its environmental impacts, the CAA must ground its regulatory and policy advice in robust, forward‑looking evidence. The Head of Sustainability Research will develop and deliver a cross‑CAA environmental research strategy covering key areas including emissions, air quality, noise and adaptation. You will lead a team of technical and policy experts, ensuring research programmes support the CAA's wider sustainability objectives and inform meaningful regulatory and policy outcomes.
This role leads the CAA's future‑facing environmental research capability, requiring an experienced leader with a strong research background and a deep understanding of environmental research, policy development, and public sector engagement. You will be responsible for helping build the evidence base that will shape aviation environmental policy and the CAA's work over the next decade.
Core Accountabilities
* Strategic Research Leadership: Working with relevant SMEs, set the long‑term strategic vision for the CAA's sustainability research agenda, ensuring alignment with the CAA's Sustainability Strategy, and UK Government policy. Identify gaps in the UK's aviation environmental knowledge base and apply or develop interdisciplinary research programmes to fill them. Ensure the CAA remains at the forefront of emerging research, data, and policy developments in aviation sustainability.
* Research Quality and Delivery: Drive the use of innovative approaches and ensure high‑quality research design and analysis that support policy and regulatory decision‑making.
* Evidence Translation and Policy Impact: Translate high‑quality research findings into clear, actionable, evidence‑based policy proposals, working across CAA teams to inform regulatory practice and strategic positioning.
* Forge and maintain partnerships: across the wider research ecosystem, including academic institutions, research councils, and government departments. Proactively identify, shape and secure external funding opportunities to support CAA's sustainability strategy.
* Thought Leadership and Impact: Promote the CAA's role as a leader in high‑quality, evidence‑based environmental aviation policy and regulatory science.
* Team and Programme Management: Build and lead a high‑performing, multidisciplinary team of subject matter experts and policy advisors. Embed a culture of collaboration, creativity, transparency, and policy‑readiness within the team's outputs working alongside the rest of the sustainability team.
About You
Essential
* Proven direct experience developing and delivering complex research programmes and strategies in an environmental or aviation‑related field, ideally within an academic or comparable research‑focused setting. Strong understanding of a wide range of research methodologies, including both quantitative and qualitative approaches.
* Expertise in environmental impact areas relevant to aviation, such as noise, local air quality, greenhouse gas emissions or climate policy.
* Demonstrable leadership of multidisciplinary teams, with experience building new capabilities or functions.
* Excellent communication and influencing skills – capable of engaging both technical and non‑technical stakeholders at senior levels.
* Strong understanding of how research informs regulation and public policy – and the ability to bridge technical analysis with policy application.
Desirable
* Experience in using evidence to develop policy.
* Track record of working with government departments and agencies, including successful funding proposals and strategic alignment.
* Experience of managing large‑scale, complex research programmes from inception through delivery and impact assessment.
The post‑holder will embody the CAA's core values of Do the Right Thing; Never Stop Learning; Build Collaborate Relationships; and Respect Everyone. They will also be committed to delivering the CAA strategy and our team goals.
Additional Information
For many appointments within the CAA, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or nationally protected information. The post holder must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance. To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken. If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.
Relocation & Property
The CAA will be relocating from Aviation House (our Gatwick Office) to new premises in a few years’ time. Our move is driven by strategic, operational and environmental considerations. We will be moving to a new local home, up to a 15‑mile radius of Aviation House, to minimise disruption for our valued colleagues and customers. We are now working with colleagues and visitors to understand what we need in our new office, before we start our property search. We will sell Aviation House and land, vacate the site and move to new premises, but we do not expect to move before 2028.
Inclusive Recruitment
We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal‑opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. As a member of the Disability Confident scheme, applicants who meet the minimum criteria for a role with us will be guaranteed an interview. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone. If you require an adjustment for any reason, please let us know.
Benefits
We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, discounted gym membership for London, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more!
Our Values
Do the Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone.
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