Assistente de Sustentabilidade Júnior

As a Junior Sustainability Assistant at AAC Têxteis, your core mission is to support the company's sustainability data and compliance infrastructure. On a day-to-day basis, this means compiling environmental and social metrics, updating indicators, and responding to information requests, questionnaires, and assessments from customers and other stakeholders. You will also collect, validate, and organise supply-chain traceability documentation, keeping it current in digital platforms. Part of the role involves tracking supplier and subcontractor certifications, ensuring validities are monitored and renewals are not missed, and supporting product certification processes to meet requirements. You will follow up on pending requests, liaise with internal departments and external partners, and help prepare for audits and continuous improvement initiatives. Longer-term, you will contribute to the integrity of AAC's sustainability claims by ensuring that data and documentation are audit-ready. Your work supports the company's broader goals around circularity, responsible sourcing, and transparency. As you gain experience, you may take on more responsibility for specific certification schemes or projects, becoming a go-to person for traceability and compliance within the organisation.

You will develop hands-on expertise in sustainability certifications such as GOTS, GRS, SA8000, SMETA, and NP 4552, learning what each requires and how to maintain compliance. You'll also build strong data management skills, particularly in Excel, and become proficient with digital platforms used for supply-chain traceability and customer information requests. This role offers a deep dive into textile supply chains, from raw materials to finished garments, giving you a practical understanding of how sustainability is verified and communicated. Working closely with different departments and external partners, you'll sharpen your communication and project coordination abilities. You'll learn how to handle questionnaires and assessments from brands, which is a valuable skill in the ESG job market. Additionally, exposure to audits and continuous improvement processes will teach you how to identify gaps and implement corrective actions. AAC's partnership with an educational charity on environmental research could also provide learning opportunities around circular economy solutions and environmental impact reduction.

The ideal candidate likely holds a secondary or higher education qualification, preferably in sustainability, environment, management, administration, or a related field. You should be highly organised, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple deadlines. Strong Excel skills and the ability to quickly learn new software and digital platforms are essential. Good English is required for dealing with international customers and documentation. While not mandatory, experience or knowledge in sustainability certifications (GOTS, GRS, SA8000, SMETA, NP 4552) and the textile sector would set you apart. Soft skills matter too: you need to be proactive, autonomous, and comfortable communicating with a range of internal and external contacts. A genuine interest in sustainability and a willingness to learn the technical aspects of traceability and certification will help you succeed.

To stand out, tailor your application to show you understand the specific sustainability challenges in textiles. Highlight any coursework, projects, or work experience related to supply-chain traceability, certifications, or environmental data management. Mention concrete tools you've used, especially Excel and any digital platforms for data organisation. If you have exposure to certification schemes like GOTS or GRS, even theoretically, bring it up. In your cover letter, connect your motivation to AAC's mission of balancing fashion and sustainability. Show that you grasp the importance of accurate documentation in backing up sustainability claims. Demonstrate your attention to detail by ensuring your application is error-free and well-structured. If you have Portuguese language skills, note that it's a plus for internal communication, but since the role requires English, also emphasise your ability to work in English. Finally, prepare for interviews by researching AAC Têxteis' brands and their sustainability commitments, and be ready to discuss how you would handle a certification renewal process or a customer questionnaire.

This role will focus heavily on the 'S' and 'G' aspects of ESG: social compliance (SA8000, SMETA) and governance through documentation and traceability. Environmentally, you'll support the management of data related to recycled and organic materials (GOTS, GRS), helping to verify that AAC's supply chain meets these standards. You'll also contribute to circular economy efforts by maintaining traceability that supports designing out waste and pollution. Specifically, you'll likely work on customer-driven sustainability assessments, which often cover labour practices, chemical management, and environmental footprint. By keeping supplier certifications up to date, you enable AAC to assure brands that their products are made responsibly. Your role is foundational to AAC's public sustainability narrative, ensuring that claims are backed by solid evidence and that the company remains compliant with evolving regulations and brand requirements.

One challenge is managing a high volume of documentation and data requests from multiple customers and suppliers, each with different formats and deadlines. You'll need to stay organised and prioritise effectively. Another difficulty could be dealing with incomplete or late information from suppliers, which can delay certification renewals or customer responses. You may also face the complexity of sustainability standards themselves, each certification has its own criteria and audit processes, and keeping up with changes requires continuous learning. Additionally, as a junior, you might need to navigate internal processes and convince colleagues of the importance of timely data sharing. The textile industry's global supply chains can be opaque, so tracing materials back to their origins may sometimes be challenging. Balancing day-to-day tasks with longer-term projects and audits will require good time management and adaptability.

A typical day could start with checking emails and prioritising urgent requests from customers or internal teams. You might spend the morning updating sustainability indicators in Excel or entering data into a customer's digital platform. Later, you could review supplier certificates, note upcoming expirations, and send reminders to suppliers for updated documents. You might also join a brief team meeting to align on project progress or audit preparations. In the afternoon, you might process a new questionnaire from a brand, gathering information from various departments. This involves communicating with colleagues in sourcing, production, or quality to obtain accurate data. You could also follow up on pending requests, ensuring deadlines are met. Occasionally, you'll support an internal audit or help prepare documentation for an external assessment. The role is largely desk-based but interactive, with frequent coordination across the company.

Starting as a Junior Assistant, you can progress to a Sustainability Coordinator or Specialist role, taking on more responsibility for specific certifications or sustainability projects. With experience, you might lead traceability initiatives or manage relationships with certification bodies. AAC Têxteis is a growing company, so there may be opportunities to shape the sustainability function as it evolves. You'll also gain exposure to various ESG topics, which can open doors to roles in supply chain management, compliance, or corporate sustainability in other industries. The skills you develop (data management, certification expertise, stakeholder communication) are transferable and in high demand. If you demonstrate initiative, you could become involved in AAC's cluster-wide environmental research scheme, gaining visibility and contributing to innovative circular economy solutions.

You will interact regularly with internal teams such as sourcing, production, quality, and management. You'll support them by providing data and documentation, and you'll rely on them for information needed for customer requests or audits. Externally, you'll communicate with suppliers and subcontractors to obtain certificates and traceability data, following up on missing information. You'll also engage with customers' sustainability teams, responding to questionnaires and assessments through their digital platforms. Certification bodies and auditors may also be stakeholders, especially during audits or when clarifying requirements. Additionally, you might collaborate with the educational charity partner on sustainability research initiatives. Your ability to build good relationships and communicate clearly will be key to keeping information flowing smoothly.