Program Leader, Global Plastics Reduction & Circularity

TN United Kingdom; United Kingdom; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Program Leader for Global Plastics Reduction & Circularity. This pivotal role involves driving sustainability initiatives, leading strategic efforts in reducing plastic footprints, and fostering innovation across teams. You'll work closely with various departments to implement design principles that enhance circularity and meet business objectives. If you are passionate about making a meaningful impact in sustainability and thrive in a collaborative environment, this opportunity is perfect for you. Join a team dedicated to creating better care for a better world!

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

On-site fitness center

Occupational health nurse

Flexible savings accounts

Income protection insurance options

Qualifications

• 7+ years in circular economy strategies and waste management.
• Strong digital capabilities and understanding of sustainability regulations.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy for plastics reduction and circularity across brands.
• Collaborate with R&D and marketing to manage the plastics reduction roadmap.

Skills

Leadership

Change Management

Strategic Planning

Sustainability Regulations

Communication Skills

Data Management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science/Engineering

Advanced degree in Sustainable Business

Tools

Data Analytics Tools

Workflow Management Software

Job description

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Program Leader, Global Plastics Reduction & Circularity, flexible, united kingdom

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Client:

Kimberly-Clark

Location:

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

97ca17151da0

Job Views:

9

Posted:

26.04.2025

Expiry Date:

10.06.2025

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Job Description:

Description

You’re not the person who will settle for just any role. Neither are we. Because we’re out to create Better Care for a Better World, and that takes a certain kind of person and teams who care about making a difference. Here, you’ll bring your professional expertise, talent, and drive to building and managing our portfolio of iconic, ground-breaking brands. In this role, you’ll help us deliver better care for billions of people around the world. It starts with YOU.

Huggies. Kleenex. Cottonelle. Scott. Kotex. Poise. Depend. Kimberly-Clark Professional. You already know our legendary brands—and so does the rest of the world. In fact, millions of people use Kimberly-Clark products every day. We know these amazing Kimberly-Clark products wouldn’t exist without talented professionals, like you.

At Kimberly-Clark, you’ll be part of the best team committed to driving innovation, growth and impact. We’re founded on more than 150 years of market leadership, and we’re always looking for new and better ways to perform – so there’s your open door of opportunity. It’s all here for you at Kimberly-Clark.

Led by Purpose. Driven by You.

You perform at the highest level possible, and you appreciate a performance culture fueled by authentic caring. You want to be part of a company actively dedicated to sustainability, inclusion, wellbeing, and career development.

You love what you do, especially when the work you do makes a difference. At Kimberly-Clark, we’re constantly exploring new ideas on how, when, and where we can best achieve results. When you join our team, you’ll experience Flex That Works: flexible (hybrid) work arrangements that empower you to have purposeful time in the office and partner with your leader to make flexibility work for both you and the business.

Working within the Sustainability team, this role leads Kimberly-Clark’s (K-C) efforts to create Better Care for a Better World by advancing the company’s plastics reduction efforts, enabling business value creation through brand equity, growth, and product and value stream differentiation.

In addition to providing strategic leadership and developing performance standards, the role will provide technical leadership and expertise to integrate and activate “Design for Sustainability/Circularity” principles/processes into the company’s core business practices, including product and materials development, innovation and marketing.

The incumbent will actively partner with internal teams, including within Sustainability, Research & Engineering, Product Safety, Supply Chain Operations and Brand Marketing, and will collaborate externally to catalyze systems change and innovation, further circularity, and address stakeholder and customer/consumer expectations. This requires a healthy command of leadership, influence, change management and strategic planning skills. A bias for action and program management that delivers positive outcomes is a must.

ESSENTIAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Strategy Development/Deployment/Delivery – Advance the strategy, standards and activation plans for plastics reduction and circularity across K-C’s brands and product portfolio. Deliver target performance aligned to Business Segment and Enterprise objectives. Coordinate global deployment and sharing of leading practices for adoption.
• Solutions Orientation - Provide leadership and subject matter expertise in the identification and analysis of trends, technologies, business models, partnerships and market insights in order to develop plastics reduction and value stream circularity opportunities that create economic, social, environmental benefits. Coordinate with customers, suppliers, peers and other value chain partners to propose solutions, test through pilots/experiments; seek to scale based on learnings.
• Plastics Footprint Reduction Pipeline – Collaborate with R&D, Marketing and Business Segments to maintain and manage the plastics reduction roadmap and pipeline of initiatives required to deliver annual, 3-year and 2030 plastic footprint objectives.
• Circularity Metrics and Cross-Functional Alignment – Define relevant plastic reduction and circularity metrics and supporting data management/analytics platforms designed to drive action and focus, meet reporting requirements and to facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
• Marketing/Communications/Reporting - Work closely with category teams and ABUs to develop and validate key messages and commercial programming to drive customer/consumer engagement and competitive advantage. Support internal and external reporting obligations and ensure the highest fidelity in external marketing, communications and disclosures related to the program.
• Externally Facing Representative - Represent K-C on leading NGO, government or industry association advisory bodies that are shaping the transition to the Circularity and the single use plastics policy landscape. Foster relationships with external groups (governmental agencies, NGOs, industry groups, scientific organizations, collaboration platforms) in order to stay abreast of externalities impacting the business and to build strategic partnerships that enable the circularity and associated leading practices.
• Business Acumen - Work cross-functionally, across a matrixed environment, using leadership, influence, and business acumen to evaluate risks and opportunities and propose appropriate courses of action, adhering to high ethical standards in the creation and execution of plastics and climate footprint reduction initiatives. Collaborate with internal functions including Research and Engineering, Supply Chain, Marketing, Government Relations and Legal to align on strategic direction and business plans to deliver goals and create value for the business. Effectively manage multiple priorities, make decisions and drive solutions quickly and efficiently, working independently as well as within a variety of teams.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Global travel up to 30% of the work time. Travel may also include business travels via aircrafts and motor vehicles to various locations. Role can be based in or near any of K-C’s global locations.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in environmental science/engineering, sustainability or similar.
• 7+ years of experience in a circular economy area such as cradle-to-cradle strategies, waste management (reduction, recycling, reusing).
• 3+ years in product management and/or product design for environment/sustainability/circularity, ideally within CPG.
• Strong business acumen, influence, and change management expertise.
• Strong digital capabilities (e.g. data management, analytics, workflow management).
• Comprehensive understanding of sustainability regulations related to K-C’s product categories.
• Strong communication skills (oral and written) and cultural awareness, with an ability to work will colleagues at all levels of the organization and in a variety of countries and time zones.
• Ability to work in a cross-functional team environment with a focus on strategy deployment and performance management, knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a highly matrixed CPG environment.
• Advanced degree in sustainable business or equivalent

Here are just a few of the benefits you’d enjoy working in this role for Kimberly-Clark. For a complete overview, see .

Great support for good health with medical, dental, and vision coverage options with no waiting periods or pre-existing condition restrictions. Access to an on-site fitness center, occupational health nurse, and allowances for high-quality safety equipment.

Flexible Savings and spending accounts to maximize health care options and stretch dollars when caring for yourself or dependents.

Diverse income protection insurance options to protect yourself and your family in case of illness, injury, or other unexpected events.

To Be Considered
Click the Apply button and complete the online application process. A member of our recruiting team will review your application and follow up if you seem like a great fit for this role.