Sustainability Compliance Tracing (SCT) Team Lead

The primary mission of the SCT Team Lead is to ensure that Keppel's infrastructure projects (particularly those involving biofuels, biomethane, and sustainable aviation fuel) maintain rigorous compliance with certification standards such as ISCC EU/PLUS and RSB. On a day-to-day basis, this means coordinating with external auditors for desk and on-site audits, overseeing periodic certification renewals, and managing corrective action plans across the entire supply chain. You will also verify chain-of-custody records to confirm that sustainable outputs match sustainable inputs, and calculate life-cycle emissions and mass balance bookkeeping with high precision. Beyond the audit treadmill, the role carries a strong stakeholder guidance component. You will provide continuous advice to suppliers and clients on ISCC compliance and documentation, helping them develop corrective action plans and monitoring their implementation. This is not a back-office compliance job; it's a client-facing position where your expertise directly enables commercial deals and supply-chain integrity. A significant part of the mandate is team building. You are expected to gradually build a team with the know-how to manage ISCC-related certification needs for various molecules, such as biomethane and SAF, across Keppel's projects. Long-term, you will also work with the business development team to prepare commercial proposals, ensuring that compliance considerations are baked into new ventures from the start. The role reports to the department head and includes any other due diligence assigned, giving you broad exposure to Keppel's New Energy business.

This role offers deep technical immersion in carbon accounting, credit/offset mechanisms, and biofuel certification schemes. You will likely become a subject-matter expert in ISCC EU/PLUS, RSB, and other global sustainability frameworks such as EU RED II and CORSIA. The hands-on work with life-cycle emissions calculations and mass balance bookkeeping will sharpen your quantitative skills, probably making you proficient in Excel-based data analysis and possibly AI tools for auditing. Because Keppel operates across multiple markets and molecules, you can expect exposure to the entire low-carbon energy value chain, from feedstock sourcing to final fuel blending mandates. The requirement to stay updated on international fuel blending mandates, sustainability policies, and trade documentation means you'll develop a regulatory radar that's highly transferable across the energy transition sector. Beyond technical skills, the team-building aspect offers a rare opportunity to shape a compliance function from the ground up. You will likely gain experience in hiring, mentoring, and designing processes that scale. The client-facing responsibilities will also hone your communication and negotiation skills, as you guide suppliers and clients through complex certification requirements. Keppel's stated support for extending certifications beyond ISCC means you may be nominated for additional training, such as ISO-related certifications or other sustainability credentials, further broadening your expertise.

The ideal candidate likely holds a minimum bachelor's degree in environmental science, sustainability, engineering, agriculture, or a related field, backed by at least five years of direct experience in sustainability auditing, quality management, or supply-chain logistics. Mandatory completion of official ISCC Basic Training (EU and PLUS) is a must, and ISO-related certifications or other sustainability credentials would be a bonus. Given the technical nature of the role, strong data-analysis capabilities, particularly in Excel or AI tools, and a forensic attention to detail are essential. Soft skills matter just as much. The role demands excellent client-facing communication, as you will be guiding suppliers and clients through compliance requirements and corrective action plans. You should be comfortable working independently but also thrive in a team setting, especially since you'll be building a team gradually. A willingness to travel for on-site audits is non-negotiable. Experience with environmental management systems and familiarity with regulatory frameworks like EU RED II or CORSIA would set you apart. The ideal candidate is likely someone who combines technical depth in carbon accounting with the interpersonal finesse to influence stakeholders and the entrepreneurial spirit to build a new function within a large infrastructure player. Keppel's fast-moving New Energy business probably requires someone who is proactive, adaptable, and genuinely passionate about enabling the energy transition through credible certification.

To stand out, you should tailor your application to emphasise direct experience with ISCC EU/PLUS certification, carbon accounting, and mass balance bookkeeping. The job description explicitly lists mandatory ISCC Basic Training, so if you have completed it, highlight it prominently, ideally in your cover letter and resume summary. Quantify your audit management experience: number of audits coordinated, corrective action plans managed, and certifications renewed. Concrete metrics will demonstrate your ability to handle the end-to-end supply chain compliance that Keppel needs. Because the role involves building a team for biomethane and SAF certification, any experience with emerging molecules or sustainable aviation fuel will be a strong differentiator. Show that you understand the regulatory environment, mention specific frameworks like EU RED II, CORSIA, or RSB, and how you've interpreted and implemented updates in previous roles. Keppel's business spans multiple countries, so international experience or exposure to cross-border trade documentation could be valuable. In your cover letter, articulate why Keppel's New Energy business specifically interests you. The company is developing Singapore's first hydrogen-ready power plant and importing renewable hydropower, so aligning your motivation with these flagship projects will show genuine engagement. Prepare for interviews by thinking through how you would build a compliance team from scratch: what processes, tools, and talent you'd prioritise. Finally, demonstrate your client-facing skills by describing how you've guided suppliers through complex certification challenges, as stakeholder guidance is a core responsibility.

This role is laser-focused on the integrity of Keppel's low-carbon fuel supply chains, which is central to the company's decarbonisation strategy. The SCT Team Lead will be responsible for ensuring that biofuels, biomethane, and sustainable aviation fuel meet ISCC and RSB standards, directly supporting Keppel's New Energy business. Traceability and mass balance verification are the backbone of credible sustainability claims in this space; without them, Keppel's ability to import renewable electricity, develop hydrogen-ready power, and supply SAF would be undermined. So this role likely focuses heavily on environmental governance (specifically, the 'E' and 'G' of ESG) by providing the audit trail that regulators, investors, and customers demand. Beyond compliance, the role intersects with Keppel's broader sustainability initiatives. The company is actively involved in waste-to-energy, water treatment, and cross-border renewable energy imports, all of which require rigorous sustainability certification. By managing corrective action plans and guiding suppliers, the SCT Team Lead helps embed sustainability criteria deep into the value chain, ensuring that Keppel's projects genuinely contribute to global decarbonisation rather than just claiming to. The work on fuel blending mandates and trade documentation also ties into policy advocacy and market development, as Keppel seeks to shape the regulatory environment for low-carbon fuels in Asia. Social aspects may also come into play through stakeholder engagement. By providing guidance to suppliers and clients, the role fosters capacity building and responsible sourcing practices, which can have positive social impacts in feedstock-producing regions. Overall, this position is a linchpin for Keppel's environmental credibility and its ability to scale sustainable infrastructure across more than 20 countries.

One of the main challenges will be managing the complexity of supply chains that span multiple countries, feedstocks, and regulatory regimes. Each molecule (biomethane, SAF, etc.) has its own certification nuances, and keeping track of mass balance bookkeeping across various sites could be an operational headache. The SCT Team Lead will need to ensure that sustainable outputs match sustainable inputs without gaps, which demands rigorous data management and attention to detail. Any discrepancy could jeopardise certification and, by extension, Keppel's commercial deals. Another challenge is the evolving regulatory environment. Frameworks like EU RED II and CORSIA are subject to periodic revisions, and fuel blending mandates differ by country. Staying up-to-date and interpreting these changes for practical implementation will require constant learning and flexibility. The role also involves building a team from scratch, which means not only hiring the right talent but also developing their expertise in ISCC certification, a task that takes time and could strain resources in the short term. Stakeholder management presents its own difficulties. Suppliers and clients may not always prioritise compliance, and guiding them through corrective action plans could be met with resistance or delays. The SCT Team Lead must balance firmness with diplomacy, ensuring that commercial relationships are preserved while upholding certification standards. Additionally, the travel required for on-site audits, potentially to remote locations, might be physically demanding and could disrupt work-life balance. Finally, working with the business development team to prepare proposals means juggling compliance rigour with commercial pragmatism, a tension that requires sound judgment.

A typical day for the SCT Team Lead might begin with a review of audit schedules and pending corrective action plans. You could start by checking emails from external auditors or suppliers, then dive into verifying chain-of-custody records and mass balance calculations for a specific project. This analytical work often requires deep focus and might involve reconciling data in Excel spreadsheets or specialised software. Mid-morning, you might have a virtual meeting with a supplier to discuss ISCC documentation gaps, walking them through requirements and agreeing on a timeline for fixes. After lunch, the focus could shift to internal coordination. You might meet with the business development team to review a commercial proposal, ensuring that compliance costs and timelines are accurately reflected. Or you could spend time with your growing team, mentoring a new hire on audit preparation or reviewing their work. If an on-site audit is scheduled, you might be travelling, conducting desk reviews, or physically inspecting facilities and interviewing staff. These days are intense but essential for maintaining certification integrity. Later in the afternoon, you might catch up on regulatory updates, scanning newsletters or attending webinars on EU RED II changes, and assess how they impact Keppel's projects. You could also prepare guidance materials for clients or update internal stakeholders on compliance status. The role likely involves frequent ad-hoc requests from the department head, so flexibility is key. Some days will be heavy on client calls, others on data analysis; the variety keeps the job dynamic but requires strong time management.

In the near term, the SCT Team Lead can expect to deepen their expertise in carbon accounting and certification schemes, possibly becoming a recognised authority within Keppel and the broader industry. As you build and lead a team, you will develop management and leadership skills, which could pave the way for larger roles in sustainability compliance or operations. The exposure to commercial proposals and business development may open doors to more strategic positions, such as Head of Sustainability or New Energy Business Development, especially as Keppel expands its low-carbon portfolio. Keppel's global footprint across more than 20 countries offers potential for lateral moves into different business segments (infrastructure, real estate, or connectivity) where sustainability compliance is increasingly relevant. The company's stated willingness to nominate you for extended certifications beyond ISCC means you could gain credentials in ISO standards or other frameworks, improving your marketability. High-visibility projects like Singapore's first hydrogen-ready power plant or cross-border renewable imports provide a platform to show your impact to senior leadership. Longer term, the energy transition is a growth industry, and professionals with hands-on experience in biofuel certification and mass balance are in high demand. This role could serve as a springboard to consultancy, auditing firms, or international organisations focused on sustainable fuels. Within Keppel, success in this position might lead to a regional or global sustainability role, given the company's emphasis on decarbonisation as a core strategy.

The SCT Team Lead will interact most frequently with external auditors, who conduct desk and on-site audits and certify Keppel's compliance with ISCC and other standards. These interactions are collaborative but also scrutinising, as auditors verify the integrity of your data and processes. You will also engage regularly with suppliers and clients, providing guidance on compliance requirements, documentation, and corrective action plans. This is a consultative relationship where you must balance enforcement with support, helping them meet standards without damaging commercial ties. Internally, you will work closely with the business development team to prepare SCT commercial proposals for prospective clients. This involves translating complex compliance requirements into clear value propositions and cost estimates. You will also collaborate with other departments, such as operations and legal, to ensure that certification considerations are integrated into project planning and contracts. Your own team, which you will build gradually, will be a key stakeholder group; you'll mentor them, assign tasks, and ensure their work meets quality standards. The department head is another important stakeholder, to whom you'll report and who may assign additional due diligence tasks. Depending on the project, you might also interact with regulatory bodies or industry associations to stay informed about changes in standards and fuel blending mandates. Finally, senior leadership may look to you for assurance that Keppel's sustainability claims are credible, making your role key in maintaining the company's reputation and enabling its growth in sustainable infrastructure.