ESG Project manager

ESG Project Manager

Are you on a mission to make sustainable impact by driving ESG projects? Do you want to drive positive environmental and social outcomes while maintaining strong governance practices? Are you strong in leading the way and collaborating with others to deliver results? Then this is the position for you!

Vanderlande has a strong ambition to become a truly sustainable company. Sustainability is anchored in all our departments and plays an increasing role in many of our daily business practices. The Global Sustainability Office (GSO) is the team accountable for the sustainability strategy & transformation in Vanderlande with the goal to embed sustainability in all our business units and daily practices. As an advisory team with deep expertise, we collaborate with many colleagues within the organization across the globe. After almost 3 years on the journey, we have reshaped our global sustainability strategy. Our strategy is centered around our material themes: zero carbon, circularity, improve well-being and good business. By setting clear targets in the short- and long-term, we are implementing portfolio management to closely monitor and steer the progress of our projects across the organization.

That is why we are looking for an ESG Project Manager to strengthen our team. In this role you will work closely with GSO and Business Unit leads, reporting into the Head of Corporate Sustainability.

What will you be doing?

You are pivotal in ensuring that Vanderlande operates responsibly and sustainably, which can enhance reputation, reduce risk and create long-term value for stakeholders. As an experienced ESG Project Manager, you lead and manage key ESG initiatives, ensuring that our operations align with our environmental, social, and governance goals. You act as a trusted advisor by applying your ESG knowledge while managing towards desired results by applying your managerial skills.

Your key responsibilities:

• Project Management
  • Preparation & setting Objectives: Develop ESG initiatives that align with the company’s goals and regulatory requirements. Establish clear, measurable objectives for environmental, social, and governance initiatives (e.g. business case, OKRs)
  • Planning and Execution: Define, monitor and manage the planning and project team. Responsible for completion and delivery on time and within budget.
• Performance Monitoring
  • Tracking Metrics: Monitor and report on key ESG performance indicators to assess the effectiveness of initiatives.
  • Data Analysis: Working closely with the ESG Analytics consultant, to analyze data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities for improvement.
• Compliance and Risk Management
  • Regulatory Compliance: assess, monitor & steer company compliance with all relevant ESG regulations and standards
  • Risk Assessment: Conduct risk assessments to identify potential ESG-related risks and develop mitigation strategies
• Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management
  • Change & Communication: Define the change plan as part of your projects & implement change strategies accordingly (within Vanderlande, we use Prosci ADKAR as a methodology). Communicate the company’s ESG efforts and achievements.
  • Collaboration: Work with sustainability community & project members as well as other stakeholders, such as Leadership Team, external partners, to realize ESG goals.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Staying Informed: Stay up to date with the latest ESG trends and best practices incl. regulatory changes to advise the organization & influence our strategy
  • Innovation: Propose and implement innovative solutions to enhance Vanderlande’s ESG performance

All ESG initiatives are steered via portfolio management. Projects as part of the portfolio are either managed by GSO members or other colleagues in our community, e.g. sustainability business unit leads. Projects are typically organized cross-functional involving various business units and/or stakeholders (e.g. external partners or other entities). In this role, you will be responsible for strategic project(s) in the portfolio e.g. CSRD compliance and climate change. We are well on our way towards CSRD compliancy, your role will focus on implementation.

What do we expect from you?

• Strong ESG knowledge, including understanding of ESG frameworks, standards, and reporting requirements (e.g., CSRD, ISSB, GRI). You have a Masters’ Degree and 5+ years' experience in sustainability
• Proven experience & excellent skills in managing ESG projects or sustainability initiatives (simultaneously).
• Managerial skills. A self-starter being pro-active, who feels confident in setting (new) direction, and is effective in leading project teams. Ability to work both independently and in/with a team.
• Strong change & communication skills. Effective in taking others along to achieving results and a clear communicator for various levels in the organization
• Problem solving & collaborator. Build mutual trust, respect and cooperation among all domains, business units and (management) levels, in an international setting.
• Pragmatism & resilience. Ability to drive and enjoy the, sometimes bumpy, road to success

Must have: Proven ESG expertise, project management skills, managerial (change and communication)

Good to have: Experience or certification in Prosci ADKAR, JIRA knowledge, consultancy background.

What we offer

In this challenging and responsible position, you will have the chance to make a significant contribution to industry-leading projects and be connected to our dedicated people and customers. We offer a position in an informal, international and professional working environment with a lot of scope for personal development. By joining our profitable and growing company you will be able to reach your goals and focus on your future.

This position offers a competitive salary range of Euro 6100-7300 gross per month (excluding 8% holiday allowance). Through exceeding performance expectations, you even have the possibility to grow outside this scale.

On top of your fixed salary you’ll receive the following secondary benefits:

• 40 vacation days (20 statutory days and a flexible budget worth 20 days).
• Flexible working hours.
• A hybrid workplace (40% working from home and 60% in the office).
• A Health & Wellbeing budget worth €300,- per calendar year.
• Commuting allowance, including full reimbursement of travel by public transport.
• Working from home allowance.
• Collective pension scheme and discount on additional health insurance.
• On-site company health centres with a gym, physiotherapists and occupational therapists.
• Vanderlande Academy and training facilities to boost your skills.
• A variety in Vanderlande Network communities and initiatives.
• And a great company restaurant and coffee bar with barista.

Diversity & Inclusion

Vanderlande is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Qualified applicants will be considered without regards to race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, or disability status.