Overview

As the UK’s leading independent media agency, not only are we passionate about creating impactful media strategies, we’re also dedicated to making a meaningful difference to society and the environment. Our purpose driven approach is rooted in our core values, and we are on an exciting journey, fostering a workforce which reflects the culturally rich society we live in, building upon our inclusive culture and towards a more sustainable future.

We are seeking a Sustainability & DEI Manager to lead our efforts in this area, which provides an incredible opportunity for someone who is not only passionate about strategic development of such initiatives, but is also keen to get hands-on with implementation of sustainability, with a focus on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) and social responsibility projects, with the support of our leadership team, HR and Communities (Employee Resource Groups). This newly created role requires an understanding of the key pillars which make up our ESG strategy, namely environmental, social (including Diversity, Equity & Inclusion), and economic.

Role Overview

As our Sustainability Manager, you’ll be at the forefront of integrating sustainable practices and DEI principles into every facet of our operations.

This role is not just about leading initiatives, but about inspiring and creating change, educating our team, and embedding these crucial values into our daily practices. You’ll have the autonomy to innovate and the support to implement meaningful strategies that not only enhance our workplace, but also our broader community and the work we do for our clients.

Key Responsibilities

Sustainability – Environmental, Social & Economic:

  • Working closely with our Sustainability partners, FuturePlus, to develop and execute a targeted Sustainability strategy, with a particular emphasis on reducing the environmental impact of our office operations, promoting sustainable media planning and buying practices across a broad spectrum of suppliers, contributing to the long-term viability of the business while considering the broader impact on the community and industry.
  • Review our existing practices and current progress to identify improvements and establish the right priorities for Medialab to then develop a roadmap that reflects these and implements the plan.
  • Measure and manage Medialab’s environmental footprint, including scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.
  • Identify areas that will make Medialab a more environmentally sustainable business that becomes part of our culture, both within our office environment, how we deal with clients and to monitor and be responsible down our supply chain.
  • Lead the integration of sustainability considerations into our media planning and buying processes, working collaboratively with suppliers to encourage and adopt eco-friendly practices.

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion:

  • Develop our DEI metrics & goals and deliver our comprehensive roadmap to achieve them, focusing on recruitment, retention and training & development, ensuring all processes, policies and practices throughout the employee lifecycle are equitable and inclusive, creating an environment where all employees feel valued and have equal opportunities to join and thrive.
  • Review, improve and implement best practice processes and initiatives that will enable us to achieve our DEI ambitions, ensuring these principles are reflective of our company values and embedded into our culture and ways of working.
  • Enhance our recruitment practices to attract a diverse pool of talent at all levels, working closely with our HR and departmental leaders to implement bias-reducing strategies and inclusive hiring practices.
  • Lead training and development programs on DEI best practices, that educate, empower and engage our team and their managers, fostering an environment where every employee can flourish and be their authentic self at work.
  • Overall ownership of planning and delivering our calendar of educational events surrounding key cultural moments, though our Together We Stand open forum, with the support of our Communities (ERGs) and wider team.
  • Develop and embed DEI within our media planning and buying practices, in collaboration with our Head of Planning and Client Leadership team, to ensure clients and teams are considering a broad demographic and further improving the effectiveness of campaigns.

Overall:

  • Measure, report, demonstrate impact and communicate the progress of our sustainability & DEI efforts regularly, leveraging data to inform decision-making, up to Board level.
  • Work with the HR and Marketing teams to a) internally, develop and share communications around events and activity, create resources, content and workshops demonstrating our leadership and commitment to key stakeholders and employees, and b) to communicate Medialab’s position externally to our client partners and the wider industry.
  • Engage with all levels of the organisation to embed sustainability and DEI into our day-to-day activities, ensuring these principles are at the heart of what we do.
  • Develop relationships with trade organisations, industry bodies and 3rd party specialists to support and inform our activity. Stay abreast of relevant legislation, industry trends and developments to ensure we remain proactive and compliant.
  • Facilitate and support the development of our Sustainability & DEI Communities, providing them with the resources and platform to thrive and contribute to Medialab’s inclusive and sustainable culture.

Ideal Candidate:

  • Solid experience in this area, demonstrating examples of implementation and management of similar projects in previous roles.
  • Demonstrated leadership in sustainability and DEI, with a track record of developing and implementing successful programs that encompass environmental, social, DEI, and economic aspects.
  • Preferably experience working within a marketing, media or tech industry setting, but not essential.
  • A good understanding of the principles and practices of sustainability, including expertise in environmental management, social equity, and economic viability.
  • Proven track record in implementing successful DEI initiatives, with a clear understanding of how to create a culture of equity and belonging.
  • Strategic thinker with analytical capabilities to turn insights into action.
  • Exceptional project management and leadership skills, with the ability to translate strategic vision into actionable plans and tangible outcomes.
  • Exceptional communication skills, with the ability to inspire, engage and collaborate effectively with a diverse range of senior stakeholders up to board level, internal teams, suppliers, and external stakeholders.

What to Expect From Us

Working at Medialab comes with lots of perks including all the usual things you would expect, such as a competitive salary package, pension, season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, weekly social events and big summer / end of year parties.

On top of that, we offer extra incentives which make life at Medialab even more rewarding:

  • 25 days holiday, (including office closure between Christmas and New Year)
  • Birthday day off
  • Mental Health Awareness Day off
  • Holiday buying scheme
  • Hybrid working between office and home.
  • Flexi-hours
  • Work abroad scheme.
  • Private Medical Insurance
  • Health Cash Plan
  • Life Assurance
  • Discounted Gym Membership
  • Retail discounts
  • Quarterly reviews to enhance career progression.
  • Continuous professional development and training – CPD Platinum accreditation by the IPA
  • Internal mentoring programme
  • Membership to Bloom and bespoke mentorship for female talent
  • A long weekend/week away at Medialab’s expense for long service
  • Charity volunteering days fully paid.
  • Free access to Health and Wellbeing Apps.
  • Free professional counselling. Access to Mental Health Allies (1 in 15 employees are trained in Mental Health First Aid).
  • Enhanced parental leave pay for new parents