Sustainability & ESG Specialist

The core mission is to stand up and then run EBRO's group-level ESG management. In practice that means owning the ESG strategy across the business, translating European sustainability regulation into concrete requirements for each vehicle and model along its lifecycle, and making sure the company can demonstrate compliance rather than just claim it. CSRD non-financial reporting is the anchor deliverable: gathering data, applying ESRS and GRI frameworks, and preparing disclosures that hold up to scrutiny. Alongside reporting, the role defines the operational, methodological and governance frameworks the group will use going forward. That is a build job as much as a reporting one: deciding what data is collected, who owns it, how it flows between departments, and how sustainability gets embedded into normal business operations rather than handled by one team in isolation. Longer term, the objective is a functioning ESG system that scales with the company. End-of-life vehicle processes and data management sit inside that scope, which points to a lifecycle view covering design, production and disposal rather than a narrow reporting-only remit.

The most valuable thing this role offers is the chance to build an ESG function from a blank page, not inherit a mature one. That is where methodology and governance skills are forged, because you have to decide the frameworks, defend them internally and iterate when they meet reality. A specialist with 2 to 4 years behind them could come out of this having effectively designed the system they work in. On the technical side, expect deepening exposure to CSRD and the ESRS standards, plus adjacent regulations such as CSDDD and EUDR given the job's regulatory emphasis. Automotive-specific knowledge is a real gain too: end-of-life vehicle processes, lifecycle thinking across models and the data management that sits underneath it are transferable to other manufacturers and to any industrial group facing the same obligations. If the company supports it, certifications in ISO auditing, carbon footprinting or circular economy would complement the practical work, and the scaling context means exposure to how sustainability interacts with finance, engineering and production rather than staying a standalone reporting exercise.

The profile is a sustainability generalist with a technical edge and two to four years of hands-on experience. A degree in environmental science, environmental engineering or a related field is expected, and a master's in sustainability, environmental management or ESG would strengthen an application. What matters more than the diploma is demonstrable work on regulatory compliance and non-financial reporting, ideally with CSRD and familiarity with frameworks such as GRI and ESRS. Automotive, industrial or energy sector experience is flagged as highly desirable, which makes sense given the vehicle lifecycle and end-of-life angle of the role. So is a track record of building processes from scratch in a restructuring or evolving environment, because that is exactly the situation here. Certifications in ISO standards as internal or lead auditor, or in carbon footprint and circular economy, are valued additions rather than requirements. On the softer side, the ability to work across departments is central. The role asks for someone who can turn regulation into instructions that engineers, production teams and finance can act on, which takes clear communication and a certain patience with ambiguity. Adaptability in a fast-moving relaunch project likely matters more than perfect credentials.

Tailor the application around the two things this posting makes unavoidable: CSRD reporting and building processes from scratch. Rather than listing sustainability tasks in general terms, describe specific deliverables you have produced, for example a non-financial report, a data collection method, or a compliance process you introduced, and say what state it was in before you touched it. Concrete before-and-after descriptions will read far stronger than a list of frameworks you are familiar with. If you have any exposure to automotive, industrial or energy environments, surface it early, including work on end-of-life vehicles, product lifecycle data or environmental compliance in production. If you do not, be prepared to explain how your reporting and regulatory skills transfer to a vehicle manufacturer with model-level obligations. Certifications in ISO auditing, carbon footprinting or circular economy are worth naming explicitly since the posting calls them out. For interviews, expect questions about how you would build the function rather than only how you would run it. Prepare a short account of the governance questions you would ask in your first months: who owns which data, how it reaches reporting, and how you would get engineering and production on board. Reading up on EBRO's relaunch and its commercial vehicle range will help you frame sustainability in an industrial context. The cover letter can be brief but should show you understand the job is as much about creating structure as it is about compliance.

The role's centre of gravity is regulatory compliance and reporting rather than climate advocacy or communications. CSRD non-financial reporting is named directly, so a large share of the work will revolve around preparing disclosures, gathering environmental and social data from across the group, and applying ESRS and GRI frameworks. That places the position squarely in the governance and reporting corner of ESG. A second focus area is the product itself. The posting mentions compliance with European sustainability regulations along the vehicle and model lifecycle and experience with end-of-life vehicle processes, which suggests attention to circularity, materials, and how a commercial vehicle's environmental impact is measured from production through disposal. Carbon footprint work is a plausible part of that picture given the certifications the company values, though the posting does not commit to a specific decarbonisation target. The third strand is methodological: defining operational and governance frameworks so sustainability becomes embedded in business operations. For a manufacturer relaunching a brand, that likely means setting the measurement foundations now so future targets and claims rest on reliable data.

The obvious challenge is the word the posting repeats: from scratch. Building ESG frameworks in a scaling organisation means there is no established data history, no settled ownership of metrics, and probably no long-standing habits of environmental reporting. You will spend significant effort convincing other departments to supply data and adopt processes that add work to their day, and progress can be slow before it looks smooth. Regulatory pressure adds a second layer. CSRD and adjacent rules are demanding and still being interpreted in practice, so the role carries the risk of designing a reporting system that later needs rework as guidance firms up. Automotive adds complexity: model-level lifecycle and end-of-life data are not trivial to collect, and they depend on suppliers and production teams outside the specialist's direct control. Finally, there is the tension between building for the future and reporting for the present. In a relaunch of this kind, resources are focused on getting vehicles to market, and sustainability can be seen as a cost centre rather than a driver. Holding the line on data quality while staying pragmatic is likely to be the ongoing test.

A typical day would probably mix analysis, coordination and drafting. Mornings might involve pulling and checking ESG data from different departments, working through discrepancies in environmental or production figures, and preparing or refining CSRD-related documentation. Because the frameworks are being built, some of that time goes into deciding how data should be defined and recorded, not only compiling it. Much of the rest is interaction. The role explicitly asks for collaboration with internal departments, so expect meetings with engineering, finance, production and possibly purchasing to align on data needs and embed sustainability criteria into their routines. There may also be contact with external advisers, auditors or certification bodies, especially if ISO auditing or assurance work is underway. Regulatory monitoring is a regular task: tracking CSRD, CSDDD or related developments and assessing what they mean for the group. Variability is likely high. In a 488-person company relaunching a brand, priorities shift, and some weeks will be dominated by reporting deadlines while others go into process design, training colleagues or handling end-of-life vehicle data questions.

The clearest growth path is scope. Starting as a specialist building ESG processes at group level, the natural next step in a scaling company is a manager or head-of-function role as the team and reporting obligations expand. Having designed the frameworks gives you strong claim on leading them later, and the exposure to CSRD work is a credential the market values. Lateral movement is also plausible. The automotive and industrial context opens routes into product sustainability, environmental compliance, supply chain due diligence or quality and environmental management, particularly if ISO auditing experience grows. Because the role touches finance through non-financial reporting and operations through process integration, it can also lead toward broader corporate governance or risk positions. Visibility is an advantage here. In a relaunch project, sustainability work is part of the company's external story, and a specialist who can speak to it credibly tends to get noticed beyond the sustainability function. That said, growth will depend on how quickly the company scales and how it structures the team around this role.

The most frequent internal partners are likely the departments that hold ESG data: finance for non-financial reporting and CSRD alignment, engineering and production for vehicle lifecycle and environmental performance, and purchasing where supplier and materials information feed compliance. Because the role defines frameworks for the whole group, senior management and whoever sponsors the ESG agenda are also key, as they set priorities and approve methodology. Externally, the specialist would probably deal with auditors and assurance providers verifying non-financial disclosures, regulatory or industry bodies relevant to automotive compliance, and possibly consultants supporting CSRD implementation or ISO certification. End-of-life vehicle work can bring in dismantlers, recyclers or other partners in the disposal chain, depending on how the process is organised. People-wise, the role sits between technical specialists and non-specialists. Much of the skill lies in explaining regulatory requirements in plain terms to colleagues whose main job is building vehicles, and in coordinating inputs from teams that do not report to the sustainability function. Influence, rather than authority, is likely the main currency.