Sustainability & Climate Data Lead

Mars (External); Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 108,000 - 149,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars seeks a Sustainability & Climate Data Lead in Chicago, IL, to drive data governance and measurement across GHG accounting and climate reporting. This role partners with value chains and external consultants to deliver auditable data supporting Mars’ Net Zero ambitions.

The ideal candidate will bring deep quantitative skills, stakeholder management, and proficiency in Excel/PowerPoint to enable clear, actionable insights for senior leadership and cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science/Technical, Data Science, Sustainable Management, Supply Chain, Business or related field.
• MBA/Graduate degree is a plus.
• 5+ years of professional sustainability experience as a technical expert, including data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Act as SME on technical climate accounting requirements (GHG removals, MRV, allocations, mass-balance vs traceability, verification).
• Provide GHG guidance and manage development of supplier-specific impact factors; coordinate with sourcing on data collection and integration into reporting.
• Engage external consultants for farm tool methodology and LCA reviews and ensure integration of primary data into reporting.
• Manage end-to-end application, validation and quality assurance of GHG impact factors for annual reporting and material mapping for audit readiness.
• Identify, monitor and mitigate delivery risks; design recovery plans to meet deadlines.
• Collaborate with internal and external experts to track evolving climate accounting standards.
• Guide R&D on new ingredients and formulations to support climate-smart innovation.
• Champion standardization of methodologies across segments and support Healthy Planet operating model.

Skills

GHG accounting

MRV systems

Data analysis

LCA reviews

Supplier data

Excel

PowerPoint

Project management

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA

Tools

GMH?

Job description

Job Description:

Sustainability & Climate Data Lead opportunity!

Make an impact with Mars! The world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. At Mars, our Sustainable in a Generation (SIG) Plan is our roadmap to creating a healthy planet where people and pets can thrive. With key commitments like achieving Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions across our entire value chain by 2050, our sustainability strategies and roadmap implementation must be backed by sound data and analytics that strengthen business decision making and ensure delivery of results.

Are you a purpose-driven professional who is passionate about sustainability data and metrics? The Sustainability & Climate Data Lead role is instrumental in helping Mars achieve its sustainability priorities and strategic goals! This individual contributor is a strategic enabler who will collaborate with value chain and third-party partners to build and govern our impact factor pipeline, empower cross-functional teams to pioneer lower-footprint product innovations, and rapidly build Mars Snacking’s climate analytics capabilities.

This is a full-time position based in Chicago, IL with a hybrid work schedule. This role requires a unique blend of deep technical sustainability expertise, advanced quantitative analysis, and strong project governance skills necessary to turn rigorous data into resilient business action.

What will be your key responsibilities?

• Act as a critical subject matter expert (SME) on highly technical climate accounting requirements, including areas like GHG removals, farm project MRV (monitoring, reporting and validation), co-product allocation, mass-balance versus traceability approaches, and verification protocols.
• Provide GHG technical guidance expertise and project management for the development of supplier-specific GHG impact factors; engage with sourcing teams on data collection from suppliers, analyze data with impact factor consultants, and integrate outputs into Mars’ GHG reporting processes.
• Engage with external consultants to conduct farm tool methodology and life cycle assessment (LCA) reviews, ensuring the credible and auditable integration of primary supply data into Mars’ GHG reporting.
• Manage the end-to-end application, validation and quality assurance of GHG impact factors for annual reporting, including mapping of new raw materials and ingredients to ensure a complete and audit-ready database.
• Proactively identify, monitor, and mitigate delivery risks across the impact factor pipeline; serve as the lead troubleshooter when projects veer off-schedule, designing and executing recovery plans to get critical data streams back on track without compromising reporting deadlines.
• Work closely with internal and external industry experts to track, interpret, and maintain an advanced understanding of rapidly evolving global climate accounting standards and practices.
• Provide guidance to Research & Development teams to evaluate new ingredients and formulation changes, supporting climate-smart innovation and product design decisions.
• Champion Mars Snacking’s priorities on evolving technical accounting needs while collaborating across segments to align and standardize methodologies; serve as an enabler of the broader Healthy Planet operating model.

What are we looking for?

• Bachelors' degree in Science/Technical, Data Science, Sustainable Management, Supply Chain, Business, or related field is required; MBA/Graduate-level degree a plus.
• 5 or more years of professional experience in Sustainability as a technical expert, including significant experience in generating, tracking and analyzing robust quantitative data.
• Deep expertise with GHG measurement and accounting working with MRV systems across relevant metrics (e.g. carbon, soil health, water, biodiversity, etc.)and knowledge of standards like the GHG Protocol.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritize and handle multiple issues, manage scope, and mitigate risks.
• Quantitative reasoning skills, including the ability to work with numbers and to summarize data into graphical or tabular forms.
• Exceptional written, verbal and presentation skills; proven ability to translate highly technical information into compelling narratives and drive fact-based decision making.
• Ability to collaborate across multiple functions and effectively manage both internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong proficiency with Excel and PowerPoint, comfort using digital systems for data management, and experience using advanced-level spreadsheet analytics for developing effective presentations are required.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose-driven company, where we are striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits.Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 108,160.00 - USD 148,720.00