Sustainability Manager

This role is designed to be Lyft Europe’s sustainability operator, translating global commitments into a regional roadmap that holds up to CSRD, CSDDD, EU Taxonomy and EV mandates. Day to day, that means monitoring regulatory changes, assessing their operational impact with Legal, and turning them into practical recommendations for Finance, Operations, and Growth teams. A second core mission is carbon accounting and data infrastructure. The manager will collect and validate emissions data, track decarbonization target progress, and build auditable, scalable processes that replace ad hoc spreadsheets. This is as much about systems design as it is about calculation. Finally, the role owns European disclosure and stakeholder engagement: preparing CDP and EcoVadis responses, supporting senior leadership and board-level insights, and managing consultants and ratings bodies. The long-term goal is to make sustainability a repeatable business practice across Lyft’s European markets, not a one-off reporting exercise.

The learning curve is likely steep and unusually broad. The candidate can expect to deepen their command of EU sustainability regulation, especially CSRD, CSDDD, TCFD, and EU Taxonomy, while learning how those rules are interpreted in a fast-moving mobility business. Working alongside Legal and Finance should sharpen the ability to translate legal text into operational controls and financial-relevant disclosures. On the technical side, this role offers hands-on development in carbon accounting and ESG data management, including platforms such as Workiva, CDP, and EcoVadis. Because the regional infrastructure is being built, the manager will learn how to design data collection, assurance-ready processes, and project management systems from the ground up. There is also exposure to global sustainability strategy through the Global Sustainability Manager, plus training resources like LinkedIn Learning and peer learning across Lyft’s international teams. That mix could build a rare profile: regulatory fluent, data capable, and commercially aware.

The ideal candidate likely has 4–5+ years in sustainability, strategy, or business development, with evidence of independently owning outcomes rather than only supporting programmes. They should be comfortable with detailed, multi-stakeholder project management and have a track record of moving processes from ad hoc to structured and repeatable. Technically, they need hands-on carbon accounting and data management experience, plus familiarity with reporting and disclosure frameworks such as TCFD, CDP, and EcoVadis. Strong understanding of EU and UK sustainability law, especially CSRD and CSDDD, is central. Proficiency with ESG platforms like Workiva, reporting portals, Google Suite, and ideally project tools like Jira would help. Soft skills matter just as much: the role calls for a strategic but detail-oriented operator who can influence Legal, Finance, and Operations without formal authority. Fluency in English is required, and another European language could be an advantage. A genuine interest in mobility, cities, and the practical side of decarbonization would fit the culture.

To stand out, avoid a generic sustainability CV. Show concrete examples of CSRD, CSDDD, TCFD, CDP, or EcoVadis work and quantify what changed: data coverage, audit readiness, reporting timelines, or emissions insights that influenced decisions. Freenow by Lyft is building regional infrastructure, so highlight moments where you created a process, not just maintained one. In your cover letter, connect directly to the Barcelona-based European scope. Mention the complexity of operating across 9 European markets and 200+ cities, and explain how you would translate EU rules into repeatable actions for Legal, Finance, and Operations. Referencing Lyft’s post-acquisition global sustainability team and Freenow’s multi-mobility model shows you understand the context. For interviews, prepare to discuss carbon accounting data flows, stakeholder mapping, and how you would handle a new regulation with unclear operational impact. Be ready with a view on EV mandates, CSRD double materiality, and enterprise client requests. Demonstrating calm prioritisation across reporting deadlines and regulatory ambiguity could be as persuasive as technical knowledge.

This role is likely to focus on the environmental and governance side of Lyft Europe’s ESG agenda, especially the intersection of mobility operations and EU regulation. That includes carbon accounting across offices, fleets, and value-chain activities, tracking progress against decarbonization targets, and identifying reduction opportunities linked to vehicle electrification and modal shift. Reporting and compliance will be central. The manager will probably work on CSRD, CSDDD, EU Taxonomy, and TCFD alignment, plus disclosures for CDP, EcoVadis, and enterprise clients. Because Freenow operates a multi-mobility app with taxis, car-sharing, bikes, and public transport, the sustainability angle could extend to scope 3 emissions, fleet transition, and urban mobility impact rather than only internal footprint. There is also a governance and stakeholder dimension: embedding sustainability into procurement, real estate, B2B contracts, and business decisions. The role may not own social programmes directly, but it could influence how sustainability risks and opportunities are reported to senior leadership and the board across European markets.

A major challenge could be the pace and ambiguity of EU regulation. CSRD, CSDDD, EU Taxonomy, and EV mandates are evolving, and interpreting them for a multi-market mobility platform will require close coordination with Legal while still giving business teams actionable guidance. The manager may sometimes need to make calls before every detail is settled. Data is another likely hurdle. Building auditable, scalable carbon accounting across nine European markets means dealing with inconsistent data sources, different local operations, and legacy ad hoc processes. Convincing busy Finance, Operations, and Procurement stakeholders to prioritise data quality could be as difficult as the technical calculation itself. Finally, the role sits between global strategy and regional execution. Balancing Lyft’s global sustainability commitments with Freenow’s European regulatory reality (and multiple reporting deadlines for CDP, EcoVadis, and enterprise clients) will demand strong prioritisation. Success may depend on influencing without authority and turning compliance pressure into practical business change.

A typical day might start with scanning EU regulatory updates and flagging items that could affect Lyft Europe’s operations or disclosures. The manager could then join a call with Legal to interpret a new CSRD or CSDDD development, followed by a working session with Finance or Operations to validate carbon data and resolve gaps in the regional dataset. Midday could involve project management: updating the sustainability roadmap, documenting a new data process, or preparing materials for the Global Sustainability Manager. Afternoon might bring a consultant or ratings-body call about CDP or EcoVadis, then a cross-functional meeting with Procurement, Real Estate, or B2B teams to embed sustainability criteria into a business decision. Not every day will look the same. Reporting deadlines could shift the focus to disclosure drafting and assurance preparation, while quieter periods might be spent building scalable systems or coaching colleagues on data ownership. The rhythm likely blends regulatory analysis, data work, and stakeholder coordination.

Because this is a foundational regional role, the growth potential could be significant. Success in building Lyft Europe’s sustainability infrastructure may position the manager for a Senior Sustainability Manager or Head of Sustainability role as the European team expands. Demonstrated CSRD and CSDDD expertise is highly portable and increasingly valuable across mobility, tech, and other regulated sectors. There is also exposure to global sustainability strategy through the Global Sustainability Manager and cross-regional reporting. That could open lateral paths into ESG reporting, compliance, strategy, or finance-adjacent roles within Lyft, especially as the post-acquisition integration matures. Board-level and senior leadership visibility may further raise the profile of the position. The role also builds a rare blend of regulatory acumen, carbon accounting, and project management. That combination could support a move into consulting, ESG platform implementation, or a broader sustainability leadership position. Much depends on the manager’s ability to show measurable progress in data quality, compliance readiness, and cross-functional influence.

The most immediate stakeholder is likely the Global Sustainability Manager, who sets global strategy and will rely on this role for European regulatory insight and execution. The manager will also work closely with Legal to interpret CSRD, CSDDD, and related rules, and with Finance to ensure sustainability data is strong enough for reporting and assurance. Internally, expect regular interaction with Operations, Procurement, Real Estate, B2B, and Global Growth teams. These groups may own the operational data, contracts, or business decisions that sustainability reporting depends on, so the role will need to influence rather than command. Senior leadership and the board may be audiences for periodic insights on impacts, risks, and opportunities. Externally, the manager could manage relationships with consultants, CDP, EcoVadis, and enterprise clients requesting sustainability information. The nature of these interactions will range from technical data exchange to strategic alignment, making stakeholder translation a core part of the job.