If the role of a Corporate Sustainability Manager/Director interests you, here’s an example of a job description taken from a job ad on MyCareersFuture:
Key Responsibilities
ESG Strategy Execution
- Provide sustainability expertise and guidance to support the implementation of the Group’s Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy
- Keep abreast of emerging ESG trends, regulations and best practices, and provide strategic recommendations to leadership
ESG Risk & Opportunity Assessment
- Identify and assess ESG-related risks and opportunities across the company and its business units
- Support the development of mitigation and adaptation plans to address identified ESG risks
- Conduct climate-related risk and opportunity assessments in line with Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations
- Evaluate biodiversity-related risks and incorporate nature-based considerations into sustainability planning
Policy and Governance
- Lead the development and periodic review of ESG-related policies, standards, and frameworks
- Ensure alignment with local regulatory requirements and international ESG standards, e.g. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD)
ESG Integration in Investment Processes
- Identify processes and decision-making tools to incorporate ESG considerations into investment evaluations
- Prepare business cases and feasibility studies for select ESG initiatives and investment proposals
Decarbonisation Planning and Carbon Management
- Lead carbon footprint assessments across Scopes 1, 2, and 3 (Greenhouse gas emissions from direct, indirect, and value chain sources)
- Develop and execute decarbonisation strategies aligned with national and international targets
- Monitor and report on emissions reduction progress and sustainability-linked KPIs
Data Management and Analytics
- Manage and oversee the collection, validation, and reporting of ESG data across the Group
- Lead the implementation and enhancement of a centralised ESG data management system
ESG Reporting and Disclosure
- Lead the publication of Group and REIT-level ESG/sustainability reports aligned to global standards
- Benchmark ESG performance against global and regional peers, and recommend improvements to maintain leadership positioning
- Coordinate with internal teams and external providers to ensure timely, accurate and assured reporting
- Manage Global Real Estate Sustainability Benchmark (GRESB) submissions and other ESG disclosures
External Assurance
- Lead third-party assurance processes to ensure the credibility and accuracy of ESG disclosures
- Coordinate audit and verification exercises related to sustainability data
Stakeholder Engagement
- Collaborate with senior management, business units, and support functions to embed ESG into operations
- Lead ESG awareness sessions, training, and advisory projects for internal teams and business units
- Represent the organisation in industry forums, regulatory consultations, and ESG-related engagements
- Engage with external stakeholders, including investors, regulators, industry bodies, and NGOs to promote sustainability practices
Capability Building
- Provide coaching and support to team members within Group Sustainability and across business units
- Spearhead employee engagement programmes and sustainability awareness initiatives
If you haven’t heard, “new collar jobs” are a new genre of roles requiring a combination of technical skills without the need for a specialised degree, and these have been gaining traction with employers.
Many of them are realising that formal education is not always the best indicator of capability. What matters to them is whether a candidate has the right skills and mindset to perform in a fast-evolving workplace.
Kris Tan, an associate partner with Page Executive, shares more about this genre of new collar roles in the sector, and useful tips for jobseekers and career switchers about it.
Why are Corporate Sustainability Managers/Directors considered “new collar”?
There was a notable surge in sustainability jobs 3-4 years ago due to a combination of factors including climate change, global commitment to the Paris Agreement, and companies expecting to meet ESG standards.
What has changed about it compared to previous iteration, or what has changed in the sector that has led to this role becoming prominent and needed?
In the earlier days, the focus was in building a sustainability strategy, getting the buy-in from stakeholders and educating internal employees on sustainability as this was a relatively new concept.
Firms that have only built a sustainability strategy recently would be primarily focusing on their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions.
Newly appointed Sustainability Managers/Heads/Directors would also be looking at ESG data management and analysis to ensure the accuracy and integrity of the data and in building/hiring team members.
Companies with more established sustainability teams will be looking into Scope 3 emissions and building more in-house capabilities to reduce the dependency on third-party consultants.
This means the job scope would be looking into regulatory reporting, being kept abreast of the changing global trends and regulations.
With a more established team, Corporate Sustainability Managers/Directors are also looking into setting meaningful key performance indicators to demonstrate the positive business impact that ESG has brought to the table.
What are the career and salary prospects of this role?
The starting salary for managerial levels is around $90-100k per annum and the benchmark for Directors/Head of Departments is around $180k-200k and above.
More and more firms are expecting their business partners and vendors to have a sustainability strategy in place as they would impact their Scope 3 emissions. We see this implemented/questioned in new tenders and has become an important criteria during vendor evaluations.
What are the skillsets required to take up this role?
Scope 1-3 emission experience; familiarity with reporting regulations and standards, such as GRESEB, ISSB etc.
For mid-career switchers, what is necessary to move from another industry or job into this role?
Employers are realistic and understand that sustainability is a relatively new job type, hence they are not expecting candidates to have 10 years of experience in this field.
That said, jobseekers who have undertaken relevant courses to learn more about sustainability, regulations and trends are viewed favourably during the interview stage, as this demonstrates their translated interest into action.
This article was done in collaboration with Michael Page.
