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Sustainability Specialist

UNIQLO Australia Added on Aug 31, 2026
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The Sustainability Specialist at UNIQLO Australia serves as the boots-on-the-ground lead for turning global ESG ambitions into local community impact. You will bridge the gap between high-level strategy and store-level execution, managing everything from clothing recycling programs to national non-profit partnerships. Beyond event coordination, you will handle critical local compliance and government reporting, ensuring the brand meets Australian regulatory standards while maintaining its annual sustainability budget.

This role is vital because it transforms LifeWear from a product philosophy into a tangible social contribution. By leading circularity initiatives like down recycling and fostering grassroots volunteer programs, you directly influence how Australian consumers and employees perceive the brand’s environmental commitment. It is a rare opportunity to manage the intersection of corporate reporting and authentic community engagement within a major global retailer.

This suits someone who is a proactive communicator and project manager with a deep understanding of the Australian regulatory landscape. If you thrive in fast-paced retail environments and enjoy balancing analytical reporting with hands-on event delivery, this position offers significant influence.

Job-FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The core mission involves translating global sustainability objectives into local Australian initiatives. You will be responsible for the full lifecycle of CSR events, including clothing and down recycling programs, community outreach, and volunteer activations. This includes managing the yearly sustainability budget and the activity calendar to ensure alignment with business needs. On the technical side, you will handle sustainability reporting and analytics for internal and external stakeholders. You will monitor local legislation to ensure compliance with Australian regulations, acting as a key advisor for the local leadership team. You also lead internal education to ensure store teams are well-versed in the brand's sustainability story.

Key learning opportunities for this job

You will gain deep expertise in the Australian regulatory environment, specifically regarding the Modern Slavery Act and APCO reporting. This provides a strong foundation for any professional looking to master compliance within a complex, multi-state retail operation. Furthermore, the role offers exposure to global corporate strategy. Working closely with the Tokyo headquarters allows you to learn how a multi-billion dollar retailer scales its environmental goals across diverse markets while maintaining local relevance and brand consistency.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate brings at least five years of experience in sustainability or community engagement, specifically within retail or FMCG sectors. You should have a proven track record of managing end-to-end events and budgets, showing both creative planning and disciplined execution. Technical knowledge of Australian sustainability frameworks like NGER or Seamless is highly valued. Because you will interact with both executives and store associates, your communication style must be adaptable, diplomatic, and persuasive. A self-starter mindset is essential for navigating this fast-paced environment autonomously.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, demonstrate your ability to balance analytical reporting with community-driven storytelling. Your application should highlight specific examples where you managed external partnerships or delivered successful recycling programs that engaged a large customer base. Research UNIQLO’s LifeWear concept and align your personal values with their philosophy of longevity and quality. Showing an understanding of how sustainability integrates into the product value chain, rather than just being an 'add-on' department, will demonstrate the strategic mindset they are looking for.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role focuses heavily on circularity and community impact. You will be the face of the clothing recycling and down recycling programs, which are central to UNIQLO's environmental strategy. These programs aim to reduce waste and extend the lifecycle of apparel. Additionally, there is a significant social component through non-profit partnerships and internal diversity initiatives. You will also support environmental operational goals, such as collaborating with the store development team on renewable energy procurement to meet group-wide carbon reduction targets.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the primary challenges is coordinating across 40+ stores nationwide. Ensuring consistent execution of sustainability initiatives in a busy retail environment requires persistence and excellent relationship-building with store managers who have competing priorities. Another challenge is staying ahead of rapidly evolving local legislation. The Australian regulatory landscape for ESG is tightening, and you will need to ensure the business remains compliant without slowing down commercial operations.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might begin with a global sync with Tokyo to discuss upcoming sustainable product launches, followed by a meeting with a local NFP partner to plan a community volunteer day. You might spend the afternoon analyzing recycling data for an upcoming government report. You will also spend time on internal advocacy, perhaps developing training materials for store staff or meeting with the visual merchandising team to ensure sustainability messaging is correctly displayed in-store. Occasional travel to different states for store activations adds variety to the routine.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

As a specialist within a massive global group like Fast Retailing, there is significant potential for upward mobility into senior management or regional leadership roles. The visibility of this role, reporting to the Marketing Director, provides a platform to influence national strategy. There are also unique opportunities for global exposure, including the potential to attend the Global Convention in Japan. This exposure to international best practices and top-tier leadership can accelerate a career into global sustainability management.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Internal stakeholders include the Marketing Director and Senior Marketing Manager, as well as the Finance, Legal, HR, and Store Operations teams. You will also be a primary contact for the Global Sustainability team in Japan. Externally, you will interact with non-profit organizations, government bodies for compliance reporting, and waste management partners for recycling programs. You also play a key role in engaging UNIQLO customers through in-store storytelling and digital communications.

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