This role leads the planning and day-to-day governance of corporate ESG operations across South Korea’s premier health and beauty retailer. You will manage the entire sustainability disclosure lifecycle, oversee environmental data collection across hundreds of stores, and execute concrete supply chain diligence programs.
Operating in a retail network with over 1,300 physical locations and thousands of cosmetic suppliers, this position is critical to driving resource circulation and sustainable packaging. Your work ensures compliance with evolving international reporting standards while mobilizing thousands of brand partners toward responsible sourcing and lower footprints.
This suits someone who blends seasoned corporate ESG reporting rigor with the cross-functional drive needed to transform retail supply chains.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The appointed professional will be responsible for shaping and executing the company-wide ESG strategy and roadmap. A major part of the day-to-day workload involves leading the preparation and publication of annual Impact Reports and coordinating group-level ESG disclosures aligned with global standards such as GRI and ISSB, alongside tracking shifting domestic and international ESG regulations.
Operationally, the position oversees the calculation and verification of greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and packaging lifecycles across retail networks and logistics. Furthermore, the specialist will design and implement supply chain ESG risk assessments, guide supplier development programs, establish ESG governance metrics, and lead internal campaigns to foster sustainability awareness among employees.
Key learning opportunities for this job
This role offers an exceptional vantage point to master large-scale retail sustainability within Asia's booming beauty sector. The candidate will gain hands-on expertise in navigating both Korean disclosure mandates and international frameworks like ISSB and CSRD, translating macro-level regulatory requirements into operational policies.
Additionally, working at CJ OLIVE YOUNG provides deep exposure to sustainable product circularity, eco-friendly packaging innovation, and complex Scope 3 supplier engagement across thousands of cosmetics brands. Candidates can also expect to sharpen their corporate governance and executive-level reporting competencies within a prominent conglomerate structure.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
The ideal candidate brings a bachelor's degree with at least 7 years of total professional experience, including a minimum of 3 years dedicated to corporate ESG planning or ESG consulting. Proven experience publishing corporate sustainability reports, running ESG data validation, and responding to global evaluation benchmarks is critical.
Strong technical familiarity with environmental data accounting, circular packaging initiatives, and supply chain due diligence is essential. Culturally, the candidate needs excellent executive presentation skills, resilience when driving long-term organizational transformation, and ideally, fluency in English business communication alongside Korean.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
To stand out, your application should highlight tangible outcomes rather than generic responsibilities. Detail specific sustainability reporting cycles (GRI/ISSB) you have managed from end to end, noting any improvements made to data collection rigor or report assurance.
Given the nature of the retail and beauty sectors, demonstrate your concrete exposure to packaging recycling initiatives, cosmetics supply chain audits, or Scope 3 carbon accounting. In interviews, emphasize your ability to engage diverse business units and suppliers persuasively, proving you have the diplomatic tenacity required in large corporate environments.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
The primary focus will be on circular economy and sustainable packaging, directly tackling the significant plastic and packaging footprint inherent in the cosmetics retail sector. This includes evaluating product lifecycles and identifying actionable resource-recovery projects across retail stores.
Other focal points include corporate decarbonization through rigorous GHG and waste accounting, elevating supply chain human rights and environmental compliance across SME suppliers, and formalizing strong ESG disclosures and governance to satisfy investor scrutiny and CJ Group expectations.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A prominent hurdle will be orchestrating data accuracy and engagement across an extensive, highly fragmented ecosystem of third-party cosmetics brands and suppliers who may have limited sustainability resources. Driving supply chain ESG compliance without disrupting merchant relationships requires significant tact.
Internally, aligning operational teams, from store operations to merchandising and logistics, with sustainability mandates represents an ongoing challenge. Navigating rapidly evolving international regulatory requirements while maintaining practical business agility will test the candidate's strategic prioritization.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A regular day could start with reviewing GHG and waste data inputs from regional store networks and distribution centers, verifying metrics for the upcoming corporate disclosure. Mid-morning might involve a coordination meeting with the merchandising team to evaluate supplier compliance checklists and plan sustainable packaging workshops for partner brands.
In the afternoon, the specialist might draft sections of the annual Impact Report or prepare an executive briefing deck outlining emerging regulatory risks. The day would likely conclude by collaborating with HR on internal ESG engagement campaigns or speaking with external auditors.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
As ESG integration becomes critical for CJ OLIVE YOUNG's global footprint, including its expansion into markets like the United States, this position provides high organizational visibility. Success in the role can pave the way toward senior ESG management or team leadership within the retailer.
Moreover, being part of the CJ Group opens avenues for horizontal movement into group-level corporate strategy, global sustainability coordination, or strategic sustainable sourcing roles across consumer-facing lifestyle business units.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
Internal stakeholders include executive leadership and the corporate board for governance reporting, as well as the merchandising, store operations, and logistics teams who execute operational changes on the ground. Frequent collaboration with CJ Group sustainability steering bodies is also expected.
Externally, the candidate will engage closely with hundreds of brand partners and cosmetics manufacturers regarding ESG assessments, alongside third-party auditors, ESG rating agencies, and regulatory authorities monitoring sustainability disclosures.
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