Group Senior Sustainability Manager

Package Description

Purpose

We are looking for a Senior Sustainability Manager to join the small but impactful Sustainability Team at Selfridges Group. The Team serves an instrumental role in delivering against our goal to reinvent retail and create a sustainable future for our people and the planet. The Senior Sustainability Manager will support the ongoing delivery and refinement of the Selfridges Group sustainability strategy, driving forward the sustainability agenda across some of the world’s most loved department stores and within our sector more widely.

Company Context 

Selfridges Group is a family of four international department stores; Selfridges in the UK, Brown Thomas and Arnotts in Ireland, and de Bijenkorf in the Netherlands (we refer to them as our ‘banners’). Together, we exist to imagine and create a sustainable future for our people and our customers. We do this in a way that respects our world, builds trust, and values creativity and innovation in everything we do. These values guide us through all of our decisions. Selfridges Group is both global and local; that is our strength and the source of our success.

The Selfridges Group Central Team is made up of around 50 people whose purpose is to support the banners in strategy, thought leadership, cross-group project management, reporting and governance. Our culture is a dynamic and inclusive, and those with a pro-active mindset, strong communication skills and an international perspective will find Selfridges Group an exciting, challenging and fulfilling organisation to work in.

The Senior Sustainability Manager works directly for the Group Sustainability Director in a small but impactful team. Group Sustainability as a function is central to how the Group is run, working seamlessly with colleagues in Creative, Strategy, Finance, Legal and other teams, both at Selfridges Group and across the banners. 

We focus our efforts around the Five Imperatives:

• Climate: Respond to the climate crisis and becoming a net zero business
• Materials: Switch to environmentally low impact and responsible materials
• Livelihoods: Promote decent work and healthy livelihoods
• Workplace: Create a rewarding and inclusive workplace
• Circular: Mainstream new circular business models

Key Areas of Accountability

• Provide guidance and support to Selfridges Group banners on sustainability requirements and objectives as per the Group strategy
• Support Group sustainability reporting, both internal and external, including development of dashboards and performance monitoring, gathering and analysing data to provide meaningful insights  
• Support on strategic projects defined as areas for collaboration, including the delivery of Group tools and policies, and facilitating knowledge-sharing on specific material issues
• Work closely with cross-functional teams at Group and in brands to embed sustainability into ways of working
• Manage Group Sustainability budget and coordination of split costs against collaborative projects whilst acting as a central point of contact for external networks and trade organisations
• Manage Group Sustainability meetings, off-sites and conferences, drafting agendas and ensuring ownership of follow-up actions
• Manage Selfridges Group events that have a connection to sustainability

Key Skills & Experience

• A self-starter with a track record of demonstrating grit and curiosity
• Broad understanding of key sustainability areas, with a breadth of skill and interest
• Great at stakeholder management with the ability to inspire, influence and constructively challenge as appropriate
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills as part of a collaborative working style
• Analytical and insightful with the ability to distil complex information into concise and user-friendly advice or documents
• At least five years of professional experience in sustainability, ideally in or with exposure to the retail/fashion industry and with an international perspective

Selfridges