Overview

To lead, develop and deliver the ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) strategy Matalan. Responsible for the day to day cross functional co-ordination of the annual plan & reporting, ensuring the key stakeholders take accountability for their area. You will be responsible for driving the implementation of Matalan’s ESG strategy, checking that it meets the needs of the business, its suppliers and customers, resulting in the organisation being correctly positioned as a responsible and sustainable value retailer.

What You Do:

  • Work with key business owners (Trading, Facilities, Marketing, People & Retail) to set and review short and long-term ESG related goals and targets.
  • Develop appropriate processes internally to ensure the continuous monitoring and evaluation of business performance against the agreed measures of success.
  • Ensure ongoing tracking and prioritising of the ESG/ sustainability roadmap, enabling appropriate business response to emerging trends, relevant legislation and business risks and opportunities.
  • As our ESG expert you will coach and educate the business through your external networks and knowledge, ensuring your expertise is translated into a fit for purpose plan for Matalan and aligned to our overall business strategy.
  • Ensure you are the face of ESG to the business, owning and leading roadmap updates to the executive board twice a year, whilst also producing a monthly report for the board to keep them connected to progress.
  • To work alongside the ethical trading and compliance team to support our ethical policy standards are communicated both internally and externally.
  • Working across the business you will drive a cross functional forum who will create and own the business’s end to end ESG plan – short & longer term vision.
  • Develop a communication strategy, first internally and later on externally to engage colleagues and external stakeholders on Matalan’s approach, success & future commitments to ESG.
  • Work in partnership with Sourcing, Buying, Facilities & People to build a Marketing & PR Roadmap.
  • Feed into a Corporate ESG Hub – communicate our ethical, environmental, manufacturing and people policies, Charity commitments and sustainable credentials.
  • Constantly monitor the external landscape for new emerging ESG trends that maybe relevant and translate the external trends into Matalan.
  • Have productive and relevant relationships with external bodies, acting as our face of ESG externally e.g FTI, BRC.
  • Seek out, analyse and interpret data that will help to better understand Matalan’s current ESG position.
  • Own all ESG related data, ensuring appropriate reporting externally e.g NGO’s and media.
  • Working with internal stakeholders, identify external partnerships that will support Matalan’s ‘s ESG ambitions.

About You

Ideally you will:

  • Have several years relevant experience and a proven track record in implementing ESG/ sustainability programmes.
  • Be able to demonstrable experience in business and operational transformations.
  • Have in-depth knowledge of the regulatory landscape across the globe regarding ESG (including ethical & manufacturing, energy and carbon reduction).
  • Demonstrated agility and adaptability to work well within a fast-growing and evolving international discipline.
  • Have strong analytical skills to assess and interpret complex data.
  • Have the ability to lead, inspire and drive clarity of goals, vision & processes cross functionally.
  • Demonstrated a collaborative approach – with the ability to work well and get buy in from diverse stakeholders.
  • Have a flexible and agile approach to work both strategically and operationally to deliver.
  • Have experience of delivering an ESG programme – ideally within the Retail/Fashion industry.
  • Have excellent communication skills – the confidence to communicate up and down the organisation and with external stakeholders.

Benefits

In addition to competitive salaries, we also offer the below core benefits:

  • 20% staff discount, which increases with length of service
  • Thrive Recognition Scheme
  • Wellbeing support provided by the Retail Trust
  • Life Assurance
  • Retail Rewards platform offering discounts for other retailers
  • Pension Scheme
  • Access to a wide range of career development
  • Additional benefits may apply depending on your role and area of the business