Manager Nachhaltigkeit & Umwelt

The core mission is straightforward: keep Dr. Schumacher's sustainability and environmental strategy moving forward while making sure the company stays compliant. On a day-to-day level, that means compiling carbon footprints, environmental KPIs and sustainability reports, and staying on top of evolving environmental and packaging legislation that affects a chemical manufacturer. The role also owns the management systems that back up those claims. You would look after certifications such as EMAS, ISO 14001, FSC, PEFC and RSPO, plan and accompany audits, and turn findings into concrete improvement measures. A significant strand is packaging: coordinating projects toward sustainable and legally compliant packaging solutions, which is increasingly where sustainability pressure lands for a consumer-facing hygiene company. Beyond reporting and audits, the remit includes training colleagues and advising internal departments on environmental and sustainability topics, so the role sits at the intersection of technical work and internal education. Longer term, this is about embedding sustainability into how the company designs products, sources materials and reports to regulators and customers.

This position is a strong training ground in the practical machinery of corporate sustainability. You would deepen hands-on expertise in carbon footprinting, environmental KPIs and sustainability reporting, skills that are increasingly in demand across manufacturing. You would also build real fluency in European environmental and packaging law, which shifts constantly and is a valuable specialisation. Working across schemes like EMAS, ISO 14001, FSC, PEFC and RSPO offers exposure to the kind of certifications that appear across many industries, and to what it actually takes to pass audits and close out findings. The packaging work specifically is valuable exposure to circular economy requirements, which are among the fastest-moving parts of ESG regulation. Because Dr. Schumacher is a mid-sized family business, the role likely offers broad exposure rather than a narrow silo. You could expect to interact with production, procurement, R&D and sales, gaining an understanding of how sustainability decisions play out across a manufacturer's value chain and its international sites.

The posting points to someone with a degree in natural sciences or a comparable field, ideally already experienced in sustainability and environmental management. Practical knowledge of environmental and sustainability law plus the relevant standards and management systems is central, so prior work with EMAS or ISO 14001 would be a strong advantage. Two areas stand out as differentiators. First, packaging law and current sustainability legislation, which the role explicitly handles, so any exposure there is valuable. Second, project management, which the posting marks as desirable given the cross-functional coordination required. Solid MS Office skills and, importantly, fluency in both German and English, are expected given the international network of sites and distributors. On the softer side, the company asks for a structured and analytical approach alongside strong communication skills. That combination matters because the role both analyses data and advises colleagues, trains staff and liaises across departments. A pragmatic, self-organised person who can translate regulatory demands into actionable projects would likely fit the culture of a family-run manufacturer.

Given the breadth of the posting, a generic sustainability resume would likely blend in. Instead, structure your application around the three explicit pillars: sustainability and environmental strategy, packaging compliance, and certifications and audits. If you have worked with EMAS, ISO 14001, FSC, PEFC or RSPO, name the schemes, the cycles you ran and the results. Similarly, any carbon footprint or sustainability reporting experience should be quantified where possible. Because the role handles packaging law and current sustainability legislation, call out any exposure to European packaging regulation or circular economy requirements. Even a project you contributed to is worth citing. If you have project management experience, show it as a way of signalling you can coordinate across production, procurement and R&D rather than merely advise. The posting is in German and asks for good German and English, so a German-language application would be appropriate. Aligning with Dr. Schumacher's framing around hygiene and health protection could help: linking environmental compliance to product trust shows you understand the business context. Verify your claims before interview, because a family business that values a collegial culture and transparent career paths will likely probe how you actually handled audits, findings and regulatory change.

The role is anchored in the environmental and reporting side of ESG, which fits a chemical manufacturer with its own production. Expect the focus to fall on carbon footprints, environmental KPIs and sustainability or environmental reports, since those are named responsibilities. That suggests a company formalising its measurement and disclosure as customer, investor and regulatory expectations rise. Packaging is another clear focal point. Coordinating sustainable and legally compliant packaging solutions points to the European packaging regulation agenda, where manufacturers face recycling, reduction and material requirements. For a hygiene and cosmetics producer, packaging is a high-visibility sustainability topic, and getting ahead of it matters commercially as much as environmentally. Certifications reinforce the governance angle: EMAS, ISO 14001, FSC, PEFC and RSPO cover environmental management, responsible fibre sourcing and sustainable palm oil. These indicate a company seeking credible, auditable claims rather than marketing-only messaging. The role would likely sit at the centre of tying these external commitments to internal processes and product decisions.

One likely challenge is navigating the tension between regulatory ambition and operational reality. Aligning packaging to sustainability and legal requirements in a manufacturer with an international footprint means balancing sourcing, cost, production constraints and customers' expectations. Progress is often incremental, and the role holder would need patience and persuasion rather than pure directive authority. Another challenge is data. Carbon footprints, environmental KPIs and sustainability reports depend on reliable information from sites, production and suppliers, including operations in Poland and beyond. Gathering consistent data across departments and translating it into reportable figures can be more political and time-consuming than the technical calculation itself. There is also the compliance load: keeping up with environmental, packaging and certification requirements while running audits and closing findings leaves little slack. The posting hints at expanding scope, noting further tasks depending on capacity, which suggests the role could be stretched thin. Managing priorities and setting realistic expectations may be as important as technical expertise.

A typical day would likely be split between analysis and coordination. You might spend time consolidating environmental KPIs, working on a carbon footprint or sustainability report, or reviewing packaging materials for compliance against current legislation. Interspersed with that would be meetings with procurement, production or R&D colleagues to move sustainability projects forward. Given the coordination element, you would regularly interact with internal departments you advise and train, and potentially with external certification bodies or auditors. During audit periods or certification cycles, the rhythm would shift toward documentation, site visits and follow-up on findings. Reporting deadlines would create their own busy phases when data gathering accelerates. Variability is likely high because the role spans strategy, compliance and hands-on projects across multiple sites. On some days you might be updating management systems or preparing training sessions; on others, trouble-shooting a packaging requirement or supporting a colleague on an environmental question. It is a role with both desk-based depth and cross-functional breadth.

The breadth of the remit is itself a growth asset. Owning sustainability and environmental strategy, certifications, reporting and packaging compliance in one role gives an unusually complete profile, which strengthens your position for more senior sustainability leadership later. Certifications and regulatory expertise built here is highly portable across manufacturing, chemicals, consumer goods and beyond. The posting mentions transparent career paths and individual training and development, which suggests the company invests in progression, particularly for someone who demonstrates delivery. Success in audits, reporting and the packaging transition could lead to broader responsibilities, more strategic influence, or leadership of a wider ESG function as the company formalises its approach. Because the company operates across eight sites worldwide and roughly 70 export markets, there is also potential for international exposure and cross-site projects. That could open lateral paths into operations, procurement or quality roles, or deepen a specialist track in environmental management and reporting, depending on where the candidate wants to specialise.

Internally, the role would work closely with production, procurement, R&D and quality teams, since sustainability touches materials, packaging and processes. You would likely report into a senior manager responsible for quality, environment or operations, and also interact with the manager named as the contact for the application. Advising and training internal departments means many of your daily relationships are cross-functional rather than hierarchical. Externally, certification bodies and auditors are important stakeholders, given the EMAS, ISO 14001, FSC, PEFC and RSPO portfolio. You would deal with them during audits and certification cycles, so managing those relationships carefully matters. Depending on how reporting is used, customers and possibly investors or regulators could also be audiences for the sustainability information you produce. Because Dr. Schumacher coordinates production, R&D and global sales from its Malsfeld headquarters and operates a facility in Poland, you could also interact with colleagues at other sites to gather data and align standards. Distributors across roughly 70 countries may indirectly be stakeholders too, as packaging and product sustainability claims flow through international channels.