Advisor, ESG

The Advisor, ESG owns the day-to-day execution of Dollarama's sustainability roadmap. That means managing ESG initiatives from assessment through deployment, coordinating internal and external stakeholders, and monitoring progress, budgets and timelines. A large share of the work is building business cases for new opportunities, gathering data on technical feasibility, sustainability impact, financial performance and cost, then recommending how to deploy. A second mission is reporting. Together with the ESG Analyst, this person coordinates the annual assurance on Scope 1-2 GHG and gender diversity, prepares documentation and backups, updates Excel models, and contributes insights to quarterly and annual ESG reporting. The KPI tracking mechanisms for new initiatives also fall partly here. Beyond the routine, the role feeds practical insights from implementation back into the roadmap, benchmarks peers' disclosure and strategy, and supports integrating international business segments into both the ESG strategy and reporting. While the current focus is environmental, energy efficiency and renewable energy among them, the scope is expected to shift as the strategy evolves.

The clearest learning curve is in GHG carbon accounting and the GHG Protocol, since the role carries responsibility for Scope 1-2 assurance data and for measuring how initiatives contribute to climate goals. Working alongside the ESG Analyst, the Advisor is likely to deepen practical skills in emissions modelling and KPI design. The exposure to ESG frameworks is another strong point. The posting names ISSB, SASB, TCFD and rating agencies such as MSCI and Sustainalytics, so a candidate can expect to build working familiarity with disclosure standards and how ratings agencies read a retailer's data. Presenting to senior leadership and preparing recommendations for deployment should sharpen both business-case writing and executive communication in a publicly traded context. On the environmental side, energy management, renewable energy, waste and packaging could all come into play, giving a generalist ESG profile a more technical edge. Finally, coordinating assurance processes is a skill that transfers well to any listed company.

The posting sets a floor of three years in an operational role with project management and data analysis duties, with one or two years of ESG experience preferred. Strong Excel is not optional here, since the role and the Analyst both rely on models for GHG, gender diversity and KPI tracking. Demonstrated ability to pull insights from data and turn them into recommendations sits at the centre of the profile. On the technical side, GHG carbon accounting and the GHG Protocol are named as preferred, along with exposure to energy management, renewable energy, waste and packaging. Familiarity with ISSB, SASB, TCFD and rating agencies would help a candidate move faster. Project management in multi-stakeholder settings is explicitly required, which suggests someone used to aligning teams that do not report to them. Soft skills matter too: the posting asks for a goal-driven, autonomous, rigorous and curious person who is willing to learn in a fast-paced environment. Exceptional written and verbal communication in both French and English is a hard requirement, given the Quebec base and the international reporting scope.

Because Dollarama is a listed retailer with a lean ESG team, the strongest applications will show direct experience with the mechanics the Advisor handles: coordinating assurance on GHG data, maintaining or auditing Excel models, and building business cases that survived a financial review. When describing past projects, quantify the outcome, whether that is a cost saving, an emissions reduction or a reporting deadline met. Specifics beat generalities here. Given the French and English requirement, a bilingual cover letter, or a clearly bilingual CV, signals readiness for a Mont-Royal office with international coordination. Referencing the named frameworks (GHG Protocol, ISSB, SASB, TCFD) in the context of retail disclosure would demonstrate that the candidate understands the environment, not just the vocabulary. In interviews, expect questions about managing initiatives where you depend on stakeholders outside your team, and about how you would prioritize an opportunity that looks good environmentally but weak financially. Being ready to discuss trade-offs between sustainability impact, cost and operational feasibility will map directly onto how this role actually operates.

The role's stated focus is environmental: energy efficiency, renewable energy, and the stakeholder engagement that supports Dollarama's climate goals. The assurance work on Scope 1-2 GHG puts emissions accounting at the centre of the current scope, with the aim of keeping data audit-ready for a public company. Reporting is the second pillar. Quarterly ESG reporting, the annual ESG report, the annual Gender Diversity and Scope 1-2 GHG assurance, and contributions to KPI validation all fall within this position's orbit. This means the Advisor touches governance topics such as board-level disclosure and diversity, alongside the environmental ones. A less visible but important thread is the international expansion. The posting asks the Advisor to support integrating international business segments into both the ESG strategy and reporting, mapping opportunities for alignment. For a retailer operating across three continents, that alignment work is likely to shape how the company's sustainability claims hold up globally.

The most obvious tension is between sustainability ambition and retail economics. Dollarama's model is built on low fixed prices, so initiatives that raise cost without clear operational benefit will be scrutinized. The Advisor must build business cases that satisfy both the sustainability mandate and financial performance criteria, which is a demanding dual test. A second challenge is dependency. The role manages initiatives but relies on stakeholders across business functions and on the ESG Analyst for measurement. Progress depends on data and cooperation from teams that have their own priorities. Coordinating assurance on Scope 1-2 GHG and gender diversity adds deadline pressure, since errors or gaps in the data have direct reporting consequences. Finally, the scope is expected to shift. The posting notes that initiatives will evolve with the ESG strategy, so someone who needs a stable, fixed remit could find the role uncomfortable. Comfort with ambiguity and a willingness to learn new topics are probably part of the day-to-day reality.

A typical day is likely to mix analysis, coordination and communication. Mornings might involve updating or reviewing Excel models with the ESG Analyst, checking data for the Scope 1-2 GHG or KPI tracking, and preparing documentation for assurance or reporting. There could be a working session with an internal function, such as operations or procurement, to advance a specific initiative and confirm timelines and budgets. Meetings with external stakeholders, whether consultants, assurance providers or partners, are also part of the rhythm, alongside the peer benchmarking work that informs the roadmap. When an initiative needs a decision, the Advisor may prepare a concise recommendation or a presentation for senior leadership, so writing and synthesis show up regularly. The mix will vary through the year. Reporting deadlines will concentrate effort around quarterly reporting and the annual ESG report, while other periods are more project-focused, assessing new opportunities and mapping international alignment. The role is unlikely to have two identical weeks.

The role sits in a small ESG function reporting to the Manager, ESG, with a clear path toward that manager level as the program grows. Since the Advisor works with senior leadership and contributes to disclosure for a publicly traded company, visibility is high relative to the team's size, which tends to accelerate advancement for someone who performs. The exposure to assurance, GHG accounting, rating agencies and international integration builds a profile that is portable across sectors. Someone who masters the reporting cycle and business-case process here could move into a broader ESG manager role, or pivot toward climate or disclosure-focused positions elsewhere. Additionally, the posting notes the strategy will evolve, and supporting its evolution and the integration of international segments are the kind of high-visibility projects that can widen a person's remit over time, both in scope and in responsibility.

Internally, the closest relationship is with the Manager, ESG, who sets direction, and with the Analyst, ESG, who partners closely on measurement, modelling and KPI validation. The Advisor also works with business functions across the company to integrate initiatives, which could include operations, finance, HR and procurement depending on the topic. Presenting updates to senior leadership on an ad hoc basis is part of the remit. Externally, the role coordinates with assurance providers for the annual Scope 1-2 GHG and gender diversity work, and likely with consultants or partners involved in energy, renewable energy or other initiatives. Rating agencies and peers' disclosures are relevant reference points for benchmarking, even if contact is indirect. A further set of stakeholders is international. The posting asks the Advisor to support integrating international business segments into both the ESG strategy and reporting, which means engaging teams in other countries and adapting the approach to local realities. Managing that distance, functionally and culturally, is part of the job.