Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Director of Sustainability

🎯 Role Definition

The Director of Sustainability leads the development and execution of the organization's sustainability and ESG strategy, translating corporate purpose into measurable environmental and social outcomes. This role owns carbon accounting (Scopes 1–3), net-zero roadmaps, ESG reporting and disclosures, supplier engagement and risk reduction, sustainability governance, cross-functional program delivery, and external stakeholder relations (investors, NGOs, regulators). The Director acts as a strategic advisor to the C-suite and board, mobilizes multi-disciplinary teams, secures investment for low-carbon projects, and ensures the company meets or exceeds regulatory and voluntary reporting standards.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Sustainability Manager / Head of Sustainability
Environmental Compliance Manager / Environmental Program Manager
ESG Analyst / ESG Manager
Energy & Carbon Manager
Supply Chain Sustainability Lead

Advancement To:

Senior Director / VP, Sustainability
Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
Head of ESG or Head of Corporate Affairs
Chief Operating Officer (with sustainability remit)

Lateral Moves:

Head of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
Head of Sustainable Procurement / Sustainable Supply Chain
Director of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS)

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Lead development, refinement and execution of a multi-year corporate sustainability strategy aligned with business goals, investor expectations, net-zero commitments, and science-based targets; translate strategy into prioritized programs, budgets and measurable KPIs.
Own enterprise carbon accounting and greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory across Scopes 1, 2 and 3, ensuring methodological rigour (GHG Protocol), data quality, annual updates and integration with financial and operational systems.
Develop and implement the company’s net-zero roadmap, including short-, medium- and long-term targets; identify decarbonization levers, timelines, technology pathways, and emissions reduction vs. offsetting balance.
Lead external sustainability reporting and disclosure processes (GRI, SASB/IFRS S2, TCFD, CDP), manage assurance and audit engagements, and craft transparent narratives for investors, regulators and media.
Build and manage an accountable, cross-functional governance model for sustainability — establish executive steering committees, program owners, reporting cadences and escalation paths to the board and C-suite.
Direct supplier engagement and Scope 3 emission reduction programs: develop supplier data collection, risk segmentation, decarbonization programs, sustainable sourcing policies, and supplier training / audits.
Identify, develop and oversee implementation of energy and resource efficiency programs across operations and facilities (fuel switching, energy management systems, building retrofits, LED, HVAC optimization).
Lead renewable energy strategy and procurement including corporate Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), onsite generation, virtual PPAs, and renewable energy certificates (RECs) to optimize cost and emissions performance.
Oversee product sustainability and circular economy initiatives: material substitution, design for reuse/recycling, extended producer responsibility, and end-of-life recovery programs.
Drive lifecycle assessment (LCA) and product footprinting to quantify cradle-to-grave impacts and inform product innovation, marketing claims and regulatory compliance.
Manage sustainability-related capital and operating budgets, develop business cases and secure executive approval for low-carbon investments, and quantify ROI, IRR and payback for sustainability projects.
Serve as the senior point of contact for investor and ratings agency ESG inquiries, coordinate ESG due diligence for financing and M&A transactions, and respond to sustainability surveys (e.g., CDP, Sustainalytics, MSCI, EcoVadis).
Monitor global regulatory developments, standards and sector-specific policy (carbon pricing, extended producer responsibility, circular economy mandates), advise legal and compliance teams and update corporate policies accordingly.
Lead cross-functional change management programs to embed sustainability into product development, procurement, operations, marketing and finance; define incentives and performance measures.
Build, lead and develop a high-performing sustainability team: hire, mentor, set objectives, and measure impact while ensuring adequate internal capacity and external partner networks.
Develop and implement carbon removal, offsets and nature-based solutions strategy where appropriate, evaluate quality and permanence criteria and manage offset procurement and verification.
Lead stakeholder engagement and partnerships with NGOs, industry coalitions, standards bodies and local communities to advance sustainability priorities and amplify impact.
Establish and track a comprehensive set of sustainability KPIs and dashboards (emissions, water, waste, circularity, energy intensity, social metrics), enable analytics for decision-making and report progress publicly.
Oversee sustainability communications and employee engagement programs to increase awareness, drive behavior change, and align internal culture with sustainability objectives.
Integrate climate risk and resilience into enterprise risk management and business continuity planning, including physical climate risk assessments and adaptation measures.
Manage third-party consultants, technical experts and vendors for assurance, lifecycle assessments, verification and specialist program delivery; negotiate contracts and ensure deliverable quality.
Design and run pilot programs to test new low-carbon technologies, materials or business models and scale successful pilots across the organization.
Ensure compliance with environmental permits, sustainability-related regulatory obligations and voluntary commitments; coordinate with legal, EHS, and compliance teams on remediation and reporting.
Represent the company externally at conferences, in media interviews and in multi-stakeholder forums to position the organization as a sustainability leader and influence industry standards.

Secondary Functions

Provide ad-hoc executive briefings, board reports and investor Q&A materials on emerging sustainability risks and opportunities.
Support integration of sustainability into corporate budgeting, forecasting and financial planning cycles with the CFO and finance team.
Facilitate internal sustainability training programs for business leaders and operational teams to build capability and accountability.
Contribute to marketing and product teams on sustainability claims, greenwashing risk mitigation and substantiation of environmental claims.
Coordinate internal cross-functional workshops to prioritize emissions reduction projects and align timelines with business objectives.
Lead grant applications, government incentive capture, and funding strategy for energy efficiency and decarbonization projects.
Support M&A and commercial diligence by assessing target company ESG performance, liabilities and integration risk.
Advise on compensation and incentive design that incorporates sustainability metrics into executive and employee performance plans.
Maintain and improve sustainability data systems, ERP integrations and reporting toolchain to automate data collection and strengthen auditability.
Champion continuous improvement by conducting post-implementation reviews, lessons-learned sessions and updating best-practice playbooks.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Expert knowledge of GHG accounting (Scopes 1, 2, 3) and experience applying the GHG Protocol and science-based target methodologies.
Proven experience with sustainability reporting frameworks and disclosures: GRI, SASB / IFRS S2, TCFD, CDP — including disclosure preparation and third-party assurance.
Deep understanding of renewable energy procurement strategies (PPAs, RECs) and energy market fundamentals.
Competence in lifecycle assessment (LCA), product footprinting and environmental impact assessment tools.
Experience with sustainability/ESG data platforms and tools (e.g., Enablon, Salesforce Sustainability Cloud, EcoVadis, Sphera, CDP portal) and advanced Excel / BI tools (Power BI, Tableau).
Strong financial acumen: developing CAPEX/OPEX business cases, calculating ROI/NPV for decarbonization investments and linking sustainability to financial performance.
Familiarity with carbon markets, offsets, nature-based solutions and offset verification standards (VCS, Gold Standard).
Knowledge of supply chain sustainability practices: supplier engagement, responsible sourcing, audits and Scope 3 data collection methodologies.
Ability to perform climate risk analysis and integrate physical and transition risk into enterprise risk management.
Project and program management expertise for multi-site, cross-functional initiatives (PMP or equivalent beneficial).

Soft Skills

Senior stakeholder management and executive influence; ability to advise C-suite and board level and secure sponsorship.
Strategic thinker with hands-on execution skills; balances long-term strategy with delivery of near-term wins.
Strong communication and storytelling skills for internal audiences, investors and external stakeholders.
Collaborative, cross-functional leadership and team-building capabilities.
Change management and cultural transformation experience to embed sustainability across organizations.
Results-oriented with strong prioritization and decision-making skills under ambiguity.
Negotiation skills for vendor, supplier and partner agreements.
High integrity and credibility on sustainability issues, with attention to transparency and ethical considerations.
Comfortable working across multi-national, matrixed organizations and navigating cultural differences.
Continuous learning mindset and ability to synthesize complex technical information for non-technical audiences.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Sustainability, Engineering, Business, Economics or related field.

Preferred Education:

Master’s degree (MSc, MEng) in Sustainability, Environmental Management, Climate Science, or an MBA with sustainability focus; or equivalent professional certifications (e.g., LEED AP, CDP practitioner, GHG Inventories training).

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science / Sustainability / Climate Science
Mechanical, Environmental or Chemical Engineering
Business Administration / MBA with sustainability focus
Public Policy / Environmental Law

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

8–15+ years of progressive sustainability experience with at least 5 years in a leadership role, ideally in a complex, multi-site or multinational organization.

Preferred:

10+ years of experience leading corporate sustainability and ESG programs, demonstrable track record of delivering Scope 1–3 emissions reductions, managing sustainability reporting and securing board-level buy-in. Experience in manufacturing, retail, consumer goods, technology, energy or logistics sectors is highly valued.