Sustainability Integration Manager

The core of this role is making sustainability work as a coordinated business process rather than a standalone programme. Day to day, that means running the governance and reporting cycle: gathering data from teams across the business, checking it for accuracy, preparing disclosures and coordinating external assurance so that published claims hold up. The manager also monitors ESG ratings and tracks emerging regulation, then turns what they find into practical steps colleagues can act on. A second strand is cross-functional delivery. The role leads collaboration to put sustainability policies and reporting requirements into practice, which involves working with finance, legal, supply chain, product and retail teams to agree who does what and by when. This is less about writing strategy and more about making sure the commitments the company has already made actually get delivered and evidenced. Finally, there is an enablement element: developing training, guidance and communications that help colleagues understand sustainability priorities and see their own contribution. Over the longer term, the goal is to build trust in Dr. Martens' sustainability performance, keep the business ready for regulatory change, and support long-term value for the company, its people and the planet.

The most obvious learning curve is in reporting and assurance at a listed company. Coordinating disclosures and external assurance processes teaches you how ESG data moves from operational systems into published statements, and what auditors and regulators expect at each stage. That is a skill set in short supply and one this role puts at the centre. Beyond reporting, the role offers exposure to governance design: how policies, standards and ways of working get embedded across a global business. Working with functions outside sustainability builds fluency in how commercial, supply chain and legal teams operate, which is often the difference between a sustainability career that plateaus and one that grows. There is also a capability-building dimension. Developing training and engagement initiatives for colleagues means learning how to translate technical sustainability content for non-specialists, a skill that transfers to almost any future role. Add monitoring of ESG ratings and emerging regulation, and the position gives a broad, current view of the field rather than a narrow specialism.

The ideal candidate likely has several years in sustainability, ESG reporting or a governance-adjacent function, with hands-on experience coordinating disclosures and external assurance. Familiarity with frameworks such as CSRD, GRI, TCFD or the UK's climate-related disclosure rules matters, as does comfort with the data controls and audit trails that make numbers defensible. A background in a listed company, retail or consumer goods would help, since the reporting calendar and stakeholder map are similar. On the softer side, this person needs to be a credible coordinator rather than a solo expert. The job description stresses influencing, aligning stakeholders and navigating competing priorities, which points to someone who can hold a room of finance, legal, supply chain and brand colleagues to a shared timeline. Strong written communication is essential because the role produces guidance and tools for non-specialists. Education is not specified, but a degree in sustainability, environmental science, business, finance or a related field is typical, and professional certifications in reporting or assurance add weight. The most valued attribute is probably a track record of turning regulatory complexity into practical actions that other teams can actually deliver.

Before applying, map your experience directly onto the four capability areas Dr. Martens names: stakeholder engagement, reporting and data governance, regulatory and ESG insight, and communication. For each, prepare one concrete story with numbers or outcomes, because this role is judged on coordination and credibility rather than strategy setting. If you have run an assurance process, prepared a CSRD or TCFD-aligned disclosure, or managed ESG data controls, make that visible in the first third of your CV. Dr. Martens is a footwear brand with a strong subcultural identity, so a cover letter that ignores product and culture will read as generic. Show that you understand the tension between heritage manufacturing, Asian supply sites and listed-company reporting duties, and explain how you would help colleagues outside the sustainability team see their part in it. Referencing the brand's own "With Bouncing Soles" language shows you did homework beyond the job ad. In interview, expect questions on influencing without authority and on handling competing priorities. Prepare an example where you aligned commercial and sustainability agendas, and be ready to discuss how you would keep disclosures accurate while deadlines are tight. Asking thoughtful questions about the reporting calendar, assurance scope and how the team measures progress signals that you grasp the role's real weight.

Reporting and compliance sit at the centre of this role. As a FTSE 250 listed company, Dr. Martens faces investor expectations and evolving UK and EU disclosure rules, so the manager will likely spend much of their time on ESG disclosure, data governance and assurance readiness. That includes keeping the reporting calendar on track and making sure claims are auditable. Beyond reporting, the role touches the areas where a footwear brand has material impact. Supply chain and manufacturing are significant, given production across Asia alongside the original Northamptonshire factory, so labour standards, materials and emissions linked to sourcing are probable focus points. Product-level concerns such as durability and circularity align with a brand built on boots that last for years. Governance and engagement form the third strand. Monitoring ESG ratings, preparing the business for new regulation and building internal capability all support how the company presents its performance externally. The role is less about setting new environmental targets and more about making existing commitments measurable, credible and understood across the organisation.

The hardest part is likely the influence without direct authority. The role coordinates reporting and governance across functions it does not manage, so progress depends on persuading busy colleagues in finance, supply chain and brand teams to prioritise sustainability deadlines alongside their own. When priorities conflict, which they will, the manager has to find a workable path rather than issue instructions. Regulatory pressure adds another layer. Reporting requirements keep shifting, and a listed footwear brand faces scrutiny from investors, ratings agencies and consumers at once. Keeping disclosures accurate while frameworks change means constant monitoring and a tolerance for ambiguity. Any gap between stated commitments and delivered results becomes visible quickly, so the role carries reputational weight. Data quality is a quieter challenge. Sustainability data often sits in disconnected systems and depends on people who are not data specialists. Building controls and audit trails across a global business with multiple production sites takes patience and persistence, and early reporting cycles may reveal weaknesses that take more than one year to fix.

A typical day probably mixes coordination, analysis and communication. There may be a morning check on the reporting calendar, chasing data owners for figures due that week and reviewing submissions for gaps or inconsistencies. Spreadsheets, disclosure drafts and assurance queries are constant companions in this kind of role. Meetings take up a large share of the schedule: a session with finance or legal on disclosure wording, a working group with supply chain or product colleagues on data collection, and possibly a check-in with the Director of Sustainability on priorities. Between meetings, the manager might draft guidance for a non-specialist audience or prepare materials for a training session. Variability comes from the reporting cycle. During assurance and publication periods, the pace sharpens and deadlines dominate. In quieter stretches, there is more room for monitoring regulatory developments, improving processes or planning engagement activity. External calls with assurance providers or rating agencies add a formal counterpoint to the internal coordination work.

The reporting and governance exposure in this role is directly transferable to more senior ESG and sustainability reporting positions, especially as regulatory requirements keep expanding. Someone who coordinates assurance and disclosure here builds a portfolio that hiring managers in listed companies recognise, and the cross-functional reach means visibility well beyond the sustainability team. Internally, progression could run toward a head of sustainability reporting or a broader sustainability lead role, depending on how the team grows. Because the position reports into the Director of Sustainability, there is a direct line to senior decision-making and a chance to shape processes that outlast any single reporting cycle. Skill growth also comes from the enablement side: designing training and communications that change how colleagues work is a leadership capability in its own right. Add exposure to investor-facing disclosure and ESG ratings, and the role becomes a strong platform for either a specialist reporting track or a generalist sustainability leadership path.

The closest working relationship is with the Director of Sustainability, who sets direction and to whom this role reports. Day to day, the manager likely works with a small central sustainability team, sharing the reporting calendar, assurance timetable and engagement planning. Across the business, the key contacts sit in finance, legal, supply chain, product, retail and communications. Finance and legal matter most for disclosure accuracy and compliance, supply chain and product for the environmental data that feeds reporting, and communications for how sustainability messages reach consumers. These relationships are collaborative but often deadline-driven, since reporting cycles impose fixed dates. Externally, the role probably deals with assurance providers, ESG ratings agencies and possibly investors or their advisers. Those interactions are more formal and evidence-based, focused on verifying claims and answering questions. Managing that boundary between internal data owners and external scrutiny is a defining part of the job.