Senior Global Sustainability Manager - Plastic

Manpower UK Ltd; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 74,000 - 88,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global recruitment agency is seeking an experienced Senior Global Sustainability Manager to lead strategies on flexible packaging transitions for a major FMCG client. Located in Blackfriars, this role involves stakeholder engagement and driving policy change around sustainability. Applicants should have strong knowledge of packaging sustainability and proven project management skills. This position offers a competitive salary and a mix of remote and onsite work.

Benefits

Discounted products

Free tea & coffee facilities

Onsite Deli and restaurant

Gym access (subscription required)

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of plastics and packaging sustainability issues.
• Ability to drive cross-functional action on flexible plastic challenges.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills for stakeholder engagement.
• Experience in managing projects within fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategy for Unilever’s flexible packaging transition.
• Engage with external partners for industry-wide improvements.
• Manage core stakeholders, ensuring trust and support.
• Lead engagement on the UN Plastics Treaty.

Skills

Knowledge of plastics and packaging sustainability

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Manpower are currently seeking an interim Senior Global Sustainability Manager - Plastic, to work with our global FMCG client Unilever, renowned for brands such as Dove, Sure, Persil, and Simple, to become an integral part of their fast-paced FMCG environment.

The position is based at Blackfriars on London's Victoria Embankment, just a short walk from Blackfriars tube. This is a full-time temporary role for 12 months, requiring 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday. Compensation for this role is competitive, paying up to £88,000 per annum, pro rata, depending upon experience.

The role currently offers a mix of remote and onsite working, subject to adjustment based on business requirements.

This role focuses on driving forward holistic action on our flexible packaging transition, creating a reuse and refill strategy and managing our stakeholder engagement.

The team is focused on:

• Setting and driving Unilever's plastics sustainability strategy.
• Ensuring good governance and performance management of Unilever's plastic goals.
• Reporting progress in our ARA and through key partners like Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the Consumer Goods Forum.
• Driving policy change to incentivise sustainable packaging.
• Shaping the industry to mobilise around our priorities and perspectives, such as EPR and packaging regulations, flexibles and reuse/refill.
• Protecting Unilever's licence to operate through stakeholder engagement and proactive issues management, ensuring our voice is trusted and respected.

The team strives for high performance, being always focused on delivering results on strategic priorities and seek a team culture is collaborative, fun and energising, empowering all team members to take responsibility for their priorities.

Key Responsibilities

Support Unilever's flexible packaging transition by creating a coherent strategy - beyond packaging innovation. This includes industry convergence behind Unilever's strategy, risk mitigation (deforestation, water), IP sharing to unlock innovation, policy development and external disclosure to build trust.

Alongside R&D, develop and lead Unilever's strategy to innovate away from plastic sachets, engaging with external partners and peers to drive industry convergence behind Unilever's strategy, as well as supporting Business Groups and functions to implement strategy.

Develop Unilever's strategy on reuse and refill business models ensuring Unilever is competitively positioned for this future transition within the packaging sector. Create a clear framework for 'what works where' to guide the business, based on insights from Unilever's previous pilots, marketing, current multi-brand/retailer city-wide projects.

Develop a clear strategy and programme to manage our teams core stakeholders, ensuring they are respect and trust Unilever, and support our priorities.

Lead Unilever's engagement in the UN Plastics Treaty. Review and refresh our approach to reflect Unilever's focus on the short term and the geopolitical context.

Monitor Unilever's waste picker strategy and partnerships, ensuring the continued engagement of the Corporate Centre Livelihoods team and representing Unilever on the Fair Circularity Initiative Steering Group.

Manage and develop the Global Sustainability - Assistant Manager to support the delivery of the team's objectives.

Key Requirements

Strong knowledge of, interest in, and understanding of plastics and packaging, and packaging sustainability issues.

A strategic and holistic thinker that can drive coherent x-functional action on one of Unilever's biggest challenges - flexible plastic - to support and accelerate deployment of innovations.

Good understanding of commercial drivers and ability to engage and influence commercial discussions.

Passion, confidence and initiative. A self-starter who can work independently and part of cross-functional teams in a matrix organisation.

Exceptional stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with experience convening a wide range of internal and external stakeholders to drive action towards collective objectives.

Exceptional project management stills and writing skills.

Proven ability to build relationships and influence senior stakeholders critical. Calm under pressure, especially when juggling multiple deliverables.

Experience of operating in, and managing team members within, a fast-paced work environment.

Additional Information

Blackfriars working environment

• Iconic location on the Victoria embankment, modern working environment
• Short walk from Blackfriars station
• Staff shop discounted products
• Free tea & coffee facilities
• Onsite Deli and a restaurant open for breakfast and lunch
• Gym is available for use subscription required