Managing Consultant, Packaging and Product Sustainability

Environmental Resources Management (ERM); Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 92,000 - 113,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Parental leave

Medical insurance

Dental

Vision

401(k)

Disability insurance

Job summary

ERM seeks a Managing Consultant, Packaging and Product Sustainability in the United States to lead high‑impact client engagements within a growing Sustainable Products and Supply Chain team. The role blends technical packaging expertise with consulting leadership and commercial acumen to translate sustainability goals into practical strategies for packaging, materials, and circularity.

Proximity to an ERM office is preferred but not required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in packaging science, environmental science, sustainability, engineering, chemistry, materials science, biology, business, supply chain, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 4–6 years of relevant experience in sustainable packaging or related fields; consulting experience preferred.
• Experience leading complex projects with scope, schedule, budget, and client deliverables.

Responsibilities

• Lead medium to large, multidisciplinary projects in sustainable packaging, product sustainability, and circular economy.
• Translate sustainability commitments and regulatory requirements into actionable strategies.
• Advise on packaging optimization, recyclability, and environmental standards.
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, and client relationships to ensure commercial performance.

Skills

Client relationship management

Consulting leadership

Packaging sustainability

Regulatory interpretation

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Advanced degree or professional certification (preferred)

Job description

Turn sustainability ambition into practical packaging, product, and circularity solutions that create lasting business value. ERM is seeking a Managing Consultant, Packaging and Product Sustainability to join our growing Sustainable Products and Supply Chain team in the United States. Proximity to an ERM office is preferred but not required. In this high‑impact role, you will combine packaging and product sustainability expertise, consulting leadership, and commercial acumen to help leading organizations translate sustainability goals and evolving regulatory requirements into practical product, packaging, materials, compliance, and circularity strategies.

Why This Role Matters?

At ERM, sustainability is our business. As a global sustainability consultancy, we partner with organizations to solve complex sustainability challenges and unlock business value. As a Managing Consultant, you will have the opportunity to lead high‑impact client engagements, shape emerging service offerings, strengthen client relationships, and collaborate with specialists across industries and geographies. Your work will help clients connect packaging and product sustainability with compliance, innovation, cost, operations, supply‑chain resilience, brand, and business strategy.

What Your Impact Is:

• Deliver trusted, decision‑useful advice that connects packaging and product sustainability with compliance, innovation, operations, brand, supply chain, and business strategy.
• Own client outcomes and the quality and commercial performance of assigned projects.
• Develop trusted client relationships and convert emerging needs into well‑defined consulting opportunities.
• Balance hands‑on technical contribution with effective delegation, team leadership, project management, and client management.
• Develop fit‑for‑purpose strategies, assessments, roadmaps, management systems, and implementation tools.
• Facilitate effective discussions with technical specialists, operational teams, business leaders, and executives.
• Produce concise, decision‑useful deliverables for both technical and non‑technical audiences.

What You’ll Bring:

Required Bachelor’s degree in packaging science, environmental science, sustainability, engineering, chemistry, materials science, biology, business, supply chain, or a related discipline, or equivalent experience. Experience in consulting is a must have. 4–6 years of relevant experience in sustainable packaging, product sustainability, product stewardship, circular economy, life‑cycle assessment, recycling, environmental management, product or packaging development, manufacturing, supply chain, sustainability consulting, or a related field. We are open to consider more senior candidates too. Demonstrated success leading complex projects or significant workstreams, including scope, schedule, budget, team coordination, quality, and client deliverables. Working knowledge of packaging materials, systems, value chains, and relevant sustainability or regulatory considerations. Ability to interpret complex technical and regulatory information and convert it into practical, business‑focused recommendations. Strong client‑facing, relationship‑building, problem‑solving, facilitation, report‑writing, and presentation skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities independently and collaborate effectively with cross‑functional and geographically dispersed teams. Commitment to high‑quality delivery and experience coaching or mentoring colleagues. This position is not eligible for immigration sponsorship.

Preferred Advanced degree or relevant professional certification in packaging, sustainability, environmental management, engineering, science, business, life‑cycle assessment, or project management. Experience leading external consulting engagements and multidisciplinary project teams. Experience in one or more of the following:

• packaging strategy and optimization
• reusable packaging and reuse systems
• packaging design, testing, or qualification
• EPR and packaging regulations
• materials sustainability
• recyclability and recycling systems
• life‑cycle assessment or product carbon footprints
• product environmental standards, certifications, or ecolabels
• product stewardship
• sustainability data and claims
• supply‑chain sustainability

• Experience integrating environmental and regulatory requirements into packaging or product‑development processes, management systems, or operating models.
• Experience working with packaging manufacturers, suppliers, recyclers, consumer brands, retailers, technology companies, or other participants in product and packaging value chains.
• Experience supporting business development, proposal preparation, client presentations, account growth, or new service development.
• Experience working with multinational organizations and senior cross‑functional stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead medium to large, complex, and multidisciplinary projects across sustainable packaging, product sustainability, circular economy, and product stewardship.
• Help clients translate sustainability commitments and regulatory requirements into actionable packaging, product, materials, compliance, and implementation strategies.
• Advise on packaging optimization, reusable packaging systems, sustainable product design, material selection, recyclability, recycling systems, life‑cycle assessment and carbon‑footprint approaches, circularity, extended producer responsibility, environmental certifications, and emerging packaging and product regulations.
• Evaluate technical, environmental, operational, and regulatory tradeoffs and convert findings into clear, business‑focused recommendations.
• Manage project scope, budgets, schedules, teams, deliverables, and quality while maintaining strong client relationships and commercial performance.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across sustainability, packaging, product development, engineering, supply chain, procurement, operations, regulatory, legal, and corporate affairs.
• As a senior seller/doer, identify opportunities, develop proposals, support client presentations, expand existing accounts, and help grow ERM’s Packaging and Product Sustainability services.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and collaborate across ERM’s technical communities, industry sectors, and regions to deliver integrated solutions.
• Mentor junior and mid‑level consultants and contribute to an inclusive, collaborative, and high‑performing team.
• Advance ERM methodologies, intellectual capital, and market offerings related to packaging and product sustainability.

This is a hybrid position. The role involves collaboration across locations and time zones, with occasional domestic and international travel based on client and project needs.

Salary and Pay:

For the Managing Consultant, Packaging and Product Sustainability position, the anticipated annual base pay is $102,700–$129,600 (USD). Actual pay will depend on factors such as education, experience, skills, location, performance, and business needs. In some cases, pay may fall outside this range. This role may be eligible for bonus pay subject to the sole discretion of ERM and its policies and procedures (casual and fixed term/flex force employees are not bonus eligible).

Benefits:

• paid time off (vacation, sick, and floating holidays)
• parental leave
• medical
• dental
• vision
• life
• disability
• AD&D insurance
• 401(k)
• other applicable benefits to eligible employees

Who We Are:

As the largest global pure play sustainability consultancy, we partner with the world’s leading organizations, creating innovative solutions to sustainability challenges and unlocking commercial opportunities that meet the needs of today while preserving opportunity for future generations. At ERM we know that creating a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment is an essential part of making our company a great place to build a career. We also see our diversity as a strength that helps us create better solutions for our clients. Our diverse team of world‑class experts supports clients across the breadth of their organizations to operationalize sustainability, underpinned by our deep technical expertise in addressing their environmental, health, safety, risk and social issues. We call this capability our “boots to boardroom” approach for its comprehensive service model that allows ERM to develop strategic and technical solutions that advance objectives on the ground or at the executive level.

ERM is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

At ERM, sustainability is our business. We are the world’s largest advisory firm focused solely on sustainability, offering unparalleled expertise across business and finance. ERM partners with clients to operationalize sustainability at pace and scale, through our unique combination of strategic transformation and technical delivery capabilities. Our diverse global team of experts works with the world’s leading organizations to help them set clear sustainability targets, measure progress and operationalize strategy through deep implementation and business transformation. With more than 50 years of experience, our ability to integrate sustainability solutions and our depth and breadth of technical knowledge are why organizations choose to partner with us as their trusted advisor. Every one of us firmly believes in the potential to create value for our clients through an integrated approach to sustainability (because we have personally seen it and professionally achieved it). Our team members are passionate about client service. We work closely with our clients to help them operationalize their sustainability goals and meet their environmental, health and safety objectives while advancing ERM’s purpose through delivering tangible progress in what the United Nations coined The Decade of Action. Organizing our people across globally integrated communities of technical and strategic talent positions ERM to be a “boots to boardroom” leader in bringing that value creation to our clients, partners, and the world. We recruit exceptional professionals with a personal and professional passion for sustainability and nurture them to even greater success as specialists. We prepare our consultants to bring integrated, innovative and sustainable solutions to our clients and provide opportunities for ongoing development across a variety of subject areas related to technical, business, and personal growth. At ERM, effort pays off and becomes career defining work that leaves a positive imprint on our planet.