Embedded within the global Centre of Excellence, this role steers Sibelco’s international operations through the rapidly tightening environment of European environmental directives. You will translate complex regulatory frameworks into operational standards, oversee corporate ESG disclosures, and lead initiatives spanning grant acquisition, value chain engagement, and regulatory compliance.
In an extraction and minerals manufacturing enterprise, sustainable transformation requires rigorous oversight. By leading compliance with CSRD, EU Taxonomy, and CSDDD, this role embeds environmental accountability directly into industrial practices, helping modernize mineral extraction and glass recycling networks across worldwide facilities.
This suits someone who pairs strong regulatory acumen with pragmatic project management, eager to bridge the gap between EU sustainability frameworks and operational realities in an industrial setting.
Job FAQs
What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?
The appointed professional will be responsible for tracking, interpreting, and applying European sustainability regulations across all group operations. This includes orchestrating readiness and compliance for key directives like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), and the EU Taxonomy, converting these complex requirements into practical guidelines and operational policies.
Beyond pure regulatory oversight, the role drives corporate ESG reporting by working directly with regional data owners to verify data integrity and build assurance-ready disclosure workflows. Additionally, the manager acts as a strategic bridge to the value chain, handling sustainability queries from key industrial clients, engaging suppliers, and identifying national or European public funding and grant programs to support environmental initiatives.
Key learning opportunities for this job
This role offers an exceptional vantage point to master the operational mechanics of European ESG legislation within an energy-intensive and resource-heavy industry. Candidates will gain profound, hands-on experience in implementing end-to-end CSRD compliance architectures, developing audit-proof data governance processes, and navigating complex double materiality assessments.
Furthermore, candidates will develop deep strategic acumen by engaging directly with external industrial associations and standard-setting bodies. The exposure to cross-functional global operations provides an opportunity to master stakeholder diplomacy, carbon economics, and sustainable supply chain due diligence at scale.
How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?
The ideal candidate brings at least five years of professional experience in corporate sustainability, regulatory compliance, or ESG reporting, backed by a relevant Master's degree. A concrete understanding of European frameworks such as the CSRD, EU Taxonomy, and CSDDD is vital, coupled with the ability to distill technical legal language into pragmatic guidance for non-experts.
From a technical standpoint, proficiency in digital sustainability tools, reporting platforms, and business intelligence suites like Power BI is highly advantageous. Soft skills are equally decisive: the position demands strong cross-cultural communication, analytical rigor, proactive ownership, and the diplomatic poise needed to manage both senior executives and operational plant managers.
Advice to stand out and make a successful application
To stand out, move beyond theoretical sustainability concepts and show concrete experience in establishing compliance mechanisms or building auditable reporting workflows. Highlight previous projects where you successfully interpreted complex regulatory mandates into actionable industrial processes.
Tailor your application by demonstrating a clear appreciation for the heavy industry and mining sectors. Explicitly referencing prior experience with data governance systems, assurance readiness, or successful grant applications for capital expenditure decarbonization will distinguish your profile from generalist applicants.
What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?
The position heavily concentrates on corporate governance, ESG regulatory compliance, and value chain accountability. Key priorities include aligning industrial mineral production and extensive glass recycling networks with rigorous EU environmental reporting standards and responsible sourcing frameworks.
In addition, the role directly supports supply chain transparency under CSDDD and packaging circularity under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). The manager helps monitor environmental indicators such as resource efficiency, emissions reduction, and operational compliance, ensuring that sustainability narratives are backed by auditable metrics.
What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?
A primary challenge will be standardizing data collection across diverse industrial facilities operating under disparate local realities and regulatory environments. Bridging operational priorities with corporate legal mandates often requires breaking down internal silos and fostering buy-in from plant-level teams who may view reporting as an administrative burden.
Additionally, maintaining agility amid an evolving European regulatory calendar poses significant pressure. The manager must rapidly assimilate new delegating acts and disclosure rules while maintaining business-as-usual reporting operations without causing operational friction.
How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?
A typical day might start with reviewing regulatory intelligence updates regarding CSRD reporting standards, followed by a working session with internal data stewards to validate greenhouse gas and circularity data. Midday could involve collaborating with the finance and legal teams to evaluate eligibility criteria for an upcoming EU grant program.
In the afternoon, the manager might lead an alignment call with commercial account teams to draft responses to an extensive customer ESG assessment. The day often concludes with preparing briefing notes for executive leadership or attending an external working group meeting held by a relevant mining or minerals industry association.
What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?
Operating out of a global Centre of Excellence provides high visibility across the entire enterprise, serving as an ideal springboard for senior corporate sustainability leadership. Successful performance can lead to broader executive roles in ESG strategy, global compliance, or dedicated sustainability operations leadership.
Given the strategic importance of regulatory readiness, the expertise cultivated in this position is in high demand worldwide. It can open doors to lateral advancement within operational excellence, risk management, or investor relations inside multinational industrial groups.
The main stakeholders you might be interacting with
Internally, this professional will collaborate closely with the central sustainability team, regional plant managers, legal advisors, finance controllers, and corporate communication teams. They will also interface frequently with procurement and sales units to coordinate customer and supplier sustainability reviews.
Externally, key interactions include industry trade associations, regulatory authorities, independent third-party auditors, technical consultants, and municipal or European grant administrators.
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