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Plastics & Packaging

at WBCSD
Published 9 January 2020
Location Geneva, Switzerland
Category Permanent  
Job Type Manager  

Description

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) is a global, CEO-led organization of over 200 leading businesses working together to accelerate the transition to a sustainable world. We help make our member companies more successful and sustainable by focusing on the maximum positive impact for shareholders, the environment and societies.

Our member companies come from all business sectors and all major economies, representing combined revenues of more than USD $8.5 trillion and 19 million employees. Our global network of almost 70 national business councils gives our members unparalleled reach across the globe. WBCSD is uniquely positioned to work with member companies along and across value chains to deliver impactful business solutions to the most challenging sustainability issues.

Together, we are the leading voice of business for sustainability: with a vision of a world where more than nine billion people are all living well and within the boundaries of our planet, by 2050.

Job Overview

Packaging materials, especially Plastics, provide health, safety, sustainability and convenience benefits, helping to improve living standards, hygiene and nutrition around the world. But as the consumer class has grown in countries around the world, so too has packaging and the reliance on plastics. This has highlighted the shortcomings of today’s linear economy, resulting in mismanaged plastic (and other) waste in the environment. Overcoming this challenge calls for strong leadership and sustained action from the value chain. It will require massive investment in solutions to prevent plastic from leaking into the environment.

In April 2019 WBCSD created a Plastics & Packaging team to support the Alliance to End Plastic Waste https://endplasticwaste.org/ which was launched in 2019 with the support of WBCSD as a founding strategic partner. This not-for-profit organization made up of 40+ global companies is committed to invest $1.5bn over the next 5 years working to make the dream of a world without plastic waste a reality.

In addition to the work for the Alliance the Plastic & Packaging team is seeking to employ a Manager responsible for overseeing the development and workplan delivery for solutions to accelerate business actions to create an effective circular economy for plastic packaging. Specific project areas to include business actions to achieve 100% recyclable packaging, the development of working “circular economies” for recyclate and to re-establish trust among consumers of companies’ actions and encourage their participation.

Responsibilities and duties

  • Manage the scoping, development and implementation of two work streams looking at design for circularity and the viability of alternative innovative materials.
  • Ensure high member engagement through regular communication with working group members via email, phone, webinar and workshops.
  • Organize and chair webinars and workshops with the working groups as necessary. Coordinate with working group as necessary to prepare agendas, slides, etc.
  • Conduct research, analysis and engage stakeholders as needed to collect the insights and information needed to make deep dives compelling and tangible
  • Liaise with WBCSD Circular Economy team, internal communications, secondments, advisory group members and other organizations to ensure effective delivery and communication of the projects
  • Contribute to events planning and delivery for both WBCSD and partner events. Represent WBCSD in plastic packaging events, often requiring a speaking role.

Qualifications

  • Education: Master’s university degree level education in a relevant technical subject (for example Packaging or Material Science, Engineering or Product Design). MBA or Masters a plus.
  • Minimum 8 years’ experience, of which at least 5 in or advising in Packaging, preferably in the FMCG sector.
  • Deep knowledge of sustainable packaging solutions and well-versed, passionate and confident about the circular economy
  • Experience of working successfully alongside cross functional expertise, such as New Product Development, Marketing, Supply Chain and Finance.
  • Strong project management experience with success demonstrated when managing both internal and external stakeholders.
  • Evidence of successfully engaging with different stakeholders and creating shared vision across groups. Ability to find and make relevant new contacts. Evidence of high emotional intelligence across cultures.
  • Capacity to work independently, proactively address problems and meet deadlines.
  • Engaging communicator across cultures both in person and in writing, ability to adjust style of communication to suit audience (e.g. present technical topics to a non-technical audience). Comfortable speaking to large audiences and running workshops with diverse stakeholders.
  • Ability to manage multiple project tasks and ad hoc demands simultaneously. Thrives when working in a collaborative environment and understands that the ebb and flow of team priorities may require “all hands on-deck” at times.
  • Excellent verbal and written communications skills in English are critical, fluency in additional languages is an advantage.The position is full-time and based in Geneva, Switzerland, but will also require international travel.

The position is full-time and based in Geneva, but will also require international travel (estimated at 10%).

WBCSD is a purpose driven, forward-thinking and action-oriented organization, characterised by diversity of gender, nationalities and work experiences.

The Work Environment:

WBCSD offers a competitive, modern, and flexible working arrangement:

  • Geneva-based organization with offices in London, New Delhi, Singapore and New York City
  • Competitive compensation and benefits
  • State-of-the-art facilities and ICT-enabled working tools
  • Flex-time and part-time possibilities
  • Dynamic working atmosphere
  • Open culture encouraging interaction and sharing of ideas and opinions
  • International relocation support
  • Sustainable commuting incentives

Please also note that WBCSD will only respond to candidates selected for the interview process.