Sustainability Manager

The appointed professional will be responsible for orchestrating critical sustainability workstreams across the conglomerate's diverse operating entities. This entails end-to-end management of annual sustainability reporting inputs, consolidating non-financial data, addressing audit inquiries, and guaranteeing verifiable evidence trails. In addition, the role takes charge of continuous ESG risk ratings, coordinating submissions for agencies such as S&P, MSCI, or Sustainalytics. Beyond data governance, the position drives stakeholder engagement initiatives and internal communication campaigns. The manager will spearhead corporate sustainability events, wellbeing initiatives, training programs, and regional awards submissions. Importantly, the role involves line-managing and coaching junior team members, ensuring that tasks are distributed effectively and delivered against corporate quality standards.

Working within an enterprise that encompasses shopping malls, hospitality, real estate communities, and retail grocery stores offers a comprehensive view of complex multi-sector sustainability operations. You will develop extensive expertise in navigating varied ESG disclosure standards, international benchmark protocols, and third-party assurance procedures. Additionally, the managerial remit provides fertile ground to sharpen people leadership, coaching, and project governance capabilities. Exposure to cross-business strategic decision-making prepares the professional for senior regional CSR leadership roles.

The ideal candidate brings at least five years of dedicated experience in sustainability or ESG within a corporate environment or a reputable management consultancy. They should demonstrate a thorough grasp of reporting mechanisms, materiality assessments, and ESG rating agency expectations. Strong organizational rigor, high analytical capability, and comfortable presentation skills are essential. A background in environmental science, sustainable development, or corporate strategy, combined with relevant credentials such as GRI, LEED, or similar accreditations, will position an applicant favorably.

Highlight your direct experience managing structured disclosures and cross-functional workstreams under demanding timelines. Provide tangible examples where you successfully oversaw an ESG rating submission, coordinated complex sections of a sustainability report, or led employee awareness campaigns across diverse business units. Given the specific Emirati Talent focus and Majid Al Futtaim's high-visibility regional stature, demonstrate your understanding of UAE sustainability agendas, including national net-zero targets. Emphasize your ability to manage both upwards to leadership and downwards to mentor junior analysts.

The role will likely concentrate on institutional transparency, governance, and stakeholder alignment. A substantial portion of the effort centers on gathering and vetting data points regarding energy efficiency, waste diversion, community impact, and employee welfare across properties and retail operations. Furthermore, external positioning through ESG ratings, regional recognitions, and green building disclosures forms a core dimension. The role ensures that the company's real-world operational advances in green buildings and circularity are properly captured and communicated to external rating agencies and investors.

Coordinating timely and accurate data across shopping malls, hotels, and grocery retail arms presents a considerable operational hurdle. Overcoming data silos and maintaining data integrity requires both diplomatic persistence and strict governance frameworks. Balancing technical reporting compliance with engaging communication campaigns can also prove taxing. The individual must switch seamlessly between granular metric verification and high-level stakeholder storytelling while maintaining team momentum under tight corporate reporting deadlines.

A regular day might begin with a stand-up meeting with junior team members to review progress on annual report data collection and allocate upcoming deliverables. Mid-morning could involve collaborating with investor relations or communications teams to refine evidence for an ESG rating survey. In the afternoon, the manager might lead a cross-business working group to plan an upcoming internal sustainability campaign, followed by reviewing draft narrative submissions for an industry green building award or standard operating procedure updates.

Given the visibility of group sustainability at Majid Al Futtaim, high performers can advance toward senior leadership positions, such as Senior Manager or Director of Sustainability, overseeing strategic decarbonization or social impact policy. The breadth of exposure across retail, property, and entertainment sectors also opens paths for specialized lateral moves into sustainable supply chain management, sustainable finance, or corporate development within the group.

Primary internal interactions include the central group sustainability leadership, legal and risk teams, corporate communications, and business-unit operational heads across malls, retail, and hospitality. You will also manage and coach direct reports within the sustainability department. Externally, key contacts encompass ESG rating agencies, external assurance auditors, sustainability industry bodies, certification entities, and event organizers involved in regional climate and CSR initiatives.