Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Emissions Manager

🎯 Role Definition

As an Emissions Manager, you are the strategic cornerstone of our organization's environmental commitment. You will lead the charge in quantifying, managing, and reducing our carbon footprint and other air emissions across all operations. This highly visible role requires a blend of technical expertise in emissions accounting, deep knowledge of environmental regulations, and the strategic vision to develop and implement our corporate decarbonization roadmap. You will collaborate with senior leadership, operational teams, and external partners to embed sustainability into our business practices, ensuring we not only meet our compliance obligations but also lead the industry in our journey toward a net-zero future.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Environmental Engineer / Scientist
Sustainability Analyst or Specialist
Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Data Analyst (with a focus on energy or environment)

Advancement To:

Director of Sustainability / Head of Sustainability
Director of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance)
Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
Vice President of Environmental Affairs

Lateral Moves:

Energy Manager
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager
ESG Strategy Manager
Supply Chain Sustainability Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop, manage, and continuously improve the comprehensive corporate greenhouse gas (GHG) inventory, encompassing Scope 1, 2, and 3 emissions, in accordance with the GHG Protocol.
Lead the end-to-end process for mandatory and voluntary emissions reporting to regulatory bodies such as the EPA (GHG Reporting Program), state agencies, and international authorities.
Architect and execute the company's long-term decarbonization strategy, including setting science-based targets (SBTs) and defining clear pathways to achieve them.
Oversee the collection, validation, and analysis of complex datasets from diverse sources (e.g., utility bills, fuel consumption, operational metrics) to ensure accuracy and completeness of emissions calculations.
Serve as the internal subject matter expert on all matters related to air quality regulations, emissions standards, and evolving climate policies, providing guidance to leadership and operational teams.
Manage the configuration and ongoing use of carbon accounting software platforms (e.g., Persefoni, Watershed, Workiva) to streamline data management and reporting.
Lead engagement with third-party assurance providers to conduct verification and auditing of GHG data, ensuring the credibility and defensibility of public disclosures.
Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including Operations, Engineering, Finance, and Supply Chain, to identify and implement emissions reduction projects and initiatives.
Prepare and present compelling reports, dashboards, and presentations on emissions performance, reduction progress, and climate-related risks for senior management and the Board of Directors.
Manage the company's response to external sustainability and climate change disclosure frameworks, including CDP, TCFD, and investor ESG rating agencies.
Evaluate and model the emissions impact of new business activities, capital projects, and potential acquisitions to inform strategic decision-making.
Monitor, analyze, and benchmark the company's emissions performance against industry peers and best practices to identify areas for improvement and competitive advantage.
Develop and deliver training programs to build capacity and awareness around emissions management and climate strategy across the organization.
Engage with the supply chain to improve the accuracy of Scope 3 emissions data and collaborate with key suppliers on their own decarbonization efforts.
Analyze the financial implications of carbon pricing, emissions trading schemes, and other climate-related financial risks and opportunities.
Lead the technical evaluation and due diligence of renewable energy procurement options, such as Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) and Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).
Support the integration of climate considerations into enterprise risk management frameworks and business continuity planning.
Investigate and recommend innovative technologies and solutions for carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) and direct emissions abatement.
Represent the company in industry working groups, trade associations, and public forums related to climate change and environmental policy.
Manage the portfolio of carbon offsets, ensuring they meet high-quality standards and align with the company's overall climate strategy.
Conduct Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) for key products or services to understand their full environmental footprint and identify hotspots for reduction.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis to uncover new insights into energy and emissions patterns.
Contribute to the organization's broader ESG data strategy and roadmap, ensuring alignment between climate goals and other sustainability metrics.
Collaborate with business units and IT to translate complex data needs into clear engineering requirements for data pipelines and systems.
Participate in sprint planning, retrospectives, and other agile ceremonies within the sustainability and data teams.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

GHG Accounting: Expert-level knowledge of the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard, including Scope 1, 2, and market- and location-based methodologies, as well as Scope 3 categories.
Regulatory Expertise: Deep understanding of environmental regulations related to air emissions, particularly the U.S. EPA's Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program (40 CFR Part 98) and state-level equivalents (e.g., CARB).
Carbon Accounting Software: Proficiency with ESG and carbon management platforms such as Persefoni, Watershed, Workiva, Sphera, or similar enterprise-level tools.
Data Analysis & Modeling: Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel for data manipulation and modeling; experience with data visualization tools like Power BI or Tableau is highly desirable.
Climate Frameworks: Strong familiarity with key climate disclosure and target-setting frameworks, including the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), TCFD, and CDP.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA): Knowledge of LCA methodologies and standards (ISO 14040/14044) to evaluate the environmental impact of products and processes.

Soft Skills

Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop a long-term vision for decarbonization and translate it into actionable, phased initiatives that align with business objectives.
Project Management: Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, from data collection cycles to strategic implementation, on time and within budget.
Influence & Communication: Superior verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to distill complex technical information for non-technical audiences and influence stakeholders at all levels without direct authority.
Collaboration: A proven ability to work effectively across diverse functions, geographies, and cultures to build consensus and drive collective action toward shared goals.
Problem-Solving: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills to identify the root cause of data discrepancies, navigate regulatory ambiguity, and overcome barriers to emissions reduction.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's Degree

Preferred Education:

Master's Degree (M.S., M.Eng., or MBA with a sustainability focus)

Relevant Fields of Study:

Environmental Science or Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Sustainability Management
Data Science or a related quantitative field

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

5-10+ years of professional experience with a minimum of 5 years in a role directly focused on corporate GHG accounting, air quality compliance, or sustainability management.

Preferred:

Experience within a relevant industry sector (e.g., manufacturing, energy, technology, consumer goods).
Direct experience managing and submitting reports under the EPA's GHG Reporting Program.
Proven track record of developing or contributing significantly to a corporate decarbonization strategy.
Experience managing third-party verification and assurance processes for non-financial data.