Head of Product & Supplier Sustainability

The primary mission is to direct the end-to-end strategic growth of two flagship global initiatives: the Better World Products (BWP) range and the Supplier ESG Action Plan. This entails turning high-level sustainability targets into commercially viable product propositions that expand customer adoption, increase margins, and uphold rigorous regulatory compliance across EMEA, the Americas, and APAC. Key responsibilities include scaling the BWP catalog from approximately 33,000 products to over 100,000 by 2030, establishing clear claims frameworks aligned with the EU Green Claims Directive, and launching curated Better World Solutions. You will also oversee the roadmap for product lifecycle assessments (LCA), product carbon footprinting, and integration of sustainable attributes into the company's central Product Information Management systems. On the supply chain side, you will guide supplier due diligence, risk mitigation, and engagement across 2,500+ product vendors and indirect partners. This involves driving primary Scope 3 emissions reporting, setting science-based targets, conducting EcoVadis and Sedex audits, and mentoring a direct team of two program leads.

In this role, you will gain unmatched exposure to operating sustainability at an immense commercial scale within industrial distribution. Navigating a catalog spanning hundreds of thousands of active parts provides firsthand mastery of sustainable master data architecture and product information systems powered by AI. Furthermore, you will deepen your technical expertise in product carbon footprint (PCF) methodologies, LCA modeling, and upcoming European product directives, such as the Digital Product Passport and Green Claims regulations. You will also refine executive-level matrix leadership by influencing cross-functional leaders across sales, digital, procurement, and commercial functions globally.

The ideal candidate combines strong commercial and category management acumen with in-depth ESG and supply chain expertise. Proven success in taking sustainable products to market, developing customer value propositions, and engaging supplier networks within manufacturing, distribution, or retail is essential. Technically, you should have a solid grasp of Scope 3 emissions accounting, supplier ratings platforms like EcoVadis and Sedex, and green claims legislation. Outstanding matrix management, stakeholder diplomacy, and data-driven analytical skills are essential, as is the ability to communicate technical environmental data simply to sales teams and executive boards.

Tailor your application around tangible commercial and sustainability results rather than purely theoretical ESG frameworks. Highlight specific instances where you built product lines, negotiated supplier sustainability expectations, or launched customer-facing propositions that drove measurable revenue and margin improvements. Demonstrate familiarity with RS's dual identity as both an industrial distributor and an ESG front-runner holding an EcoVadis Platinum rating and CDP A-list standing. Be prepared to discuss how you would structure credibility checks to insulate the business against greenwashing risks while expanding a catalog rapidly across international territories.

The role concentrates directly on Scope 3 supply chain decarbonization and product-level sustainability attributes. It sits at the operational crossroads where procurement, product compliance, and environmental stewardship intersect. Core focal areas include scaling the RS Better World Products initiative, guiding suppliers toward Science Based Targets (SBTi), improving packaging circularity, and tracking primary supplier emissions. Additionally, you will ensure total integrity across claims verification, ethical trading standards, and regulatory readiness for emerging European corporate sustainability mandates.

A primary challenge will be navigating the balance between aggressive commercial growth targets (expanding the sustainable catalog to 100,000 SKUs) and maintaining uncompromised scientific integrity to avoid greenwashing accusations under tightening regulations. Another significant obstacle lies in supplier data maturity: collecting reliable primary carbon and lifecycle data across 2,500 diverse suppliers varying widely in size and digital readiness requires patient, persuasive engagement. You will also need to drive global alignment across semi-autonomous regional teams without direct operational reporting lines.

A typical day might start by reviewing performance analytics for the Better World Products portfolio alongside the digital marketing and eCommerce teams to optimize customer conversion. Mid-morning could involve a strategic alignment call with regional procurement directors across the Americas and EMEA to embed supplier ESG assessment criteria into routine contract renewals. In the afternoon, you might meet with external technical consultants to refine the methodological criteria for product carbon footprint labeling, followed by 1:1 coaching sessions with your direct reports. The day might conclude with an executive presentation on Scope 3 supply chain decarbonization progress for the Group ESG steering committee.

Given the high visibility of this role across executive leadership, successful delivery provides a natural pathway toward senior corporate leadership, such as Vice President of Sustainable Procurement or Chief Sustainability Officer within large multinational enterprises. Because the role uniquely bridges technical ESG strategy with top-line commercial proposition design, it equips you with an executive skill set that is in exceptional demand across consumer, industrial, and global logistics markets.

Internally, you will report upward while managing two direct reports: the Better World Products Lead and the Supplier ESG Lead. You will actively collaborate with colleagues across Product & Supplier Management, Category Management, Sales Enablement, Digital Customer Experience, Legal, and Group Ethics & Compliance. Externally, your primary stakeholders include the executive leadership of key industrial suppliers, commercial enterprise customers looking to green their maintenance and repair supply chains, external sustainability consulting partners, and industry bodies auditing compliance.