Chris Saunders

Background

About Chris Saunders

Starting in bid management at FHM/Keepmoat, I developed from a graduate - trying to understand simple requests in Selection Questionnaires - to having major involvement and/or leading on some of the organisation's most high-profile bids. From there, I took an opportunity to enhance my market development and client engagement skillsets working within the Strategic Accounts team - formed from the new ENGIE and Keepmoat amalgamation. I collaborated with various members of the national and global business unit, developing an integrated construction and sustainability offering for strategic partners. During 2019, I created a Strategic Account Workflow based upon an understanding of client needs, co-creating a regeneration-led offer, and subsequently developing and delivering construction and sustainability programmes. With the growing importance of sustainability activity for strategic clients, and the emergence of the PAS2030 and PAS2035 requirements around local authority retrofit funding schemes, I moved into an area of rapid growth for EQUANS (formerly ENGIE). I focused on sustainability business planning, market analysis/engagement, developing systems and processes to retain business compliance certifications, and managed a team of Compliance Officers and Sustainability Administrators. In my most recent UK role, I worked with clients to manage funding bids for major retrofit schemes. I identified opportunities for fuel poverty reduction and acted as a business representative within national retrofit forums/groups and frameworks. I developed commercial models in support of client investment decisions and enabled them to better plan budgets and governance processes. Whilst in contract, I assisted delivery teams in all things sustainability by reviewing, updating and supporting on a variety of matters. After 14 years with Equans, I recently emigrated to Canada and have taken up a sustainability focused Project Manager position with EllisDon in Edmonton. Additional career highlights- LEED Green Associate - Part of Equans first cohort of New Horizons training for future leaders - Equans UK Young Persons Network representative at the global YPN summit - A member of Equans UK Innovation Champion network - Bid management of specialist new product bids such as the Solar PV FIT and ECO - Regional Continuous Improvement lead focusing on the delivery of operational cost savings - Establishment of a retrofit employment and learning pathway for next generation sustainability professionals - Level 2 Retrofit Understanding qualified - CSCS card holder