Sustainability Lead

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fueled by great people whose expertise and creativity set the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the center of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries, we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

We are thrilled to announce a rare and exciting opportunity to join the Melrose PLC and GKN Aerospace team as a Sustainability Lead on a 6-9 month Fixed-Term Contract. This dynamic role offers a chance to make a real impact, shaping the future of sustainability for two globally renowned organizations.

If you’re passionate about driving sustainable practices, influencing cross-functional teams, and ensuring compliance with the latest ESG regulations, this is your chance to take the lead on transformative projects and contribute to industry-leading sustainability initiatives.

Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to advance your career and leave a lasting mark on our journey towards a greener future!

The Sustainability Lead will be responsible for driving the development, coordination, and delivery of sustainability and annual reports for Melrose PLC and GKN Aerospace. This role involves ensuring compliance with evolving ESG regulatory frameworks, including CSRD and TCFD, and managing external engagement with ESG rating agencies. Key to this position is the effective coordination of sustainability initiatives and tracking the progress of the Transition Plan across business lines, while fostering strong internal and external partnerships.

How You'll Contribute

Annual and Sustainability Report Development:

• Lead the strategic planning, preparation, and production of sustainability and annual reports.
• Ensure reports provide a transparent, accurate, and comprehensive account of sustainability performance, aligning with industry best practices.
• Collaborate with internal teams to integrate data and ensure consistency across reporting.
• Support senior management in communicating updates to the Board and executive team.

ESG Regulatory Compliance:

• Oversee the production of Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) reports.
• Ensure that climate risks and opportunities are incorporated into financial reporting in line with TCFD standards.
• Drive compliance with the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), embedding its requirements into the organization’s practices.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to ensure ESG compliance and continuous reporting improvements.

ESG Ratings Agencies Engagement:

• Maintain strong relationships with ESG ratings agencies (e.g., CDP, Sustainalytics, ISS ESG, MSCI).
• Coordinate the preparation of documents and responses for ESG assessments, ensuring alignment with key standards and frameworks.

Cross-Functional Engagement and Transition Plan Coordination:

• Collaborate with finance, operations, communications, and other key departments to integrate sustainability into broader business strategies.
• Facilitate workshops and meetings to gather input and drive sustainability initiatives.
• Oversee the delivery and progress tracking of the Transition Plan across business lines.

Other Responsibilities:

• Deliver ad hoc sustainability projects and provide strategic support to senior management as needed.
• Manage external consultants and service providers.
• Travel as necessary, with an expected commitment of 25% or less.

What You'll Bring

Essential:

• Proven expertise in sustainability reporting, compliance, and implementation.
• Experience with sustainability and financial disclosures within FTSE100 or FTSE250 organizations.
• Background in consulting or in-house sustainability roles, with preference for experience in manufacturing, heavy industry, or energy sectors.
• Strong understanding of ESG regulations (CSRD, TCFD, SASB, ISSB).
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
• Strong communication, analytical, and project management capabilities.
• Ability to independently manage multiple projects.

Desirable:

Advanced knowledge of sustainability reporting frameworks and international/regional standards (e.g., TCFD, EU Taxonomy, CSRD).

The successful candidate will bring an unwavering passion for sustainability, with a track record of seamlessly embedding it into core corporate strategies to deliver tangible, real-world results. As a master relationship-builder and influencer, you'll thrive in navigating diverse organizational structures and cultures, forging strong, lasting partnerships along the way. With a laser-sharp focus on detail, you possess a relentless work ethic, adaptability, and an insatiable drive to learn and grow in an ever-evolving field. An independent and proactive problem-solver, you’re always ahead of the curve, ready to tackle complex challenges with creativity and innovation. As an engaging communicator and collaborator, you excel at uniting cross-functional teams, driving collective success, and delivering results with clarity and purpose.

What We'll Offer

Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:

• Competitive salary dependent on experience.
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays pro-rata.
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment.

As well as a competitive package we’ll offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly! We’ll support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That’s the beauty of being part of a global business, once you’re on board you never know where your career journey may take you!

Why Join Us

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working
Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’ last year. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work. We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organization that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?