Sustainability Manager

BISSELL Homecare is seeking a Sustainability Manager in Grand Rapids, MI, responsible for ensuring compliance with global sustainability standards. The role involves developing corporate sustainability strategies, assessing reporting requirements, and leading a team of engineers and analysts. Key responsibilities include implementing sustainable practices, coordinating compliance across regions, and integrating sustainability into product development. The position requires a Bachelor's degree in Engineering and 7 years of relevant experience.
Overview

As a member of the Product Approval & Test team with global responsibilities, the Sustainability Manager will be responsible for business compliance to global sustainability standards and practices. Reporting to the Associate Director of Product Safety, Regulatory, Compliance, and Sustainability, this role will work globally to ensure reporting standards and sustainability business projects are tracked and met on an annual basis. This individual will be responsible driving sustainability capability and knowledge growth for a team of direct reports, including engineers, analysts, and indirectly with cross functional stakeholders.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of this role include, but are not limited to:
• Drive the development of corporate sustainability strategy and ensure it aligns with overall business objectives, as well as relevant regulatory requirements. Activities may include:
• Assessing relevant reporting requirements
• Developing internal skills for product life cycle analysis
• Implementation of sustainable practices within key functions of the overall business
• Achievement of sustainability goals as outlined in the overall business strategy
• Coordination of global regions to ensure compliance with local requirements
• Integrate sustainable innovation into new product development
• Lead the development of new sustainability procedures that have corporate, global, or regional scope based on any new global regulations or product guidance.
• Support annual maintenance of the product sustainability policies, procedures and forms to ensure corporate compliance to the latest standards.
• Maintain working knowledge of current standards, regulations, or legislation that may impact both product and business level sustainability requirements, including but not limited to Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), Green House Gas Protocol.
• Lead a team of sustainability engineers, analysts, and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure standards are met by timelines imposed by regulatory bodies.
• Drive inclusion of sustainability practices and frameworks within the Global Product Development (GPD) and Innovation process.
• Lead the ForEverGreen Team within BISSELL, ensuring that associates are engaged with sustainable practices within BISSELL, supporting overall ESG goals.
• Generate reporting capabilities for executive management on sustainability performance and tracking to goals
• Provides strong leadership for direct reports with capacity to mentor and coach, maintaining a high level of job satisfaction among associates.
• Manage on-going resource planning based on business needs and category growth, including some budget responsibilities.
• Performs other duties at the request of leadership

Qualifications

Required Core Competencies:
• Functional/Technical Expertise
• Global Business Acumen
• Self-Management
• Learning Versatility
• Delivers Results
• Judgment and Decision Making
• Managerial Courage
• Continuous Improvement

Required Experience / Education:
• Degree minimum: Bachelor’s degree
• Specific concentration: Engineering
• Experience level:
• Experience 7 years in engineering, with increasing responsibilities
• Experience in the Consumer Products Industry

Specialized Training / Education Preferred:
• Working knowledge of global sustainability frameworks (CSRD, GHG Protocol, etc)
• Expertise in relevant sustainability topics (life cycle analysis, circularity, legislative activities, etc)
• Experience working with global team across time zones and varying regulatory requirements
• Experience with leading large time-sensitive projects with multiple cross functional stakeholders
• Good, self-motivated project management and time management skills

Skills Required:
• Diverse knowledge of design and manufacturing processes (i.e.: plastic molding, metal stampings, assembly, etc.)
• Good verbal and written communications skills
• Good computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint or equivalent)
• Proactive problem solving skills
• Demonstrated team-building skills and leadership
• Track record of continuous improvement initiatives
• Willing and able to travel to domestic and international locations