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Sustainability Manager, Asia Pacific

SSP Asia Pacific • Hong Kong • Added on Sep 23, 2026
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This regional leadership position owns the implementation of SSP’s environmental and social commitments across the Asia-Pacific market. You will spearhead regional sustainability planning, monitor local key performance indicators, and lead greenhouse gas reporting across multiple operations, while specifically project-managing Australia’s climate disclosure compliance.

Operating within the travel food and beverage sector means your work directly impacts large-scale commercial operations. By driving initiatives in menu decarbonisation, packaging waste reduction, and responsible sourcing across hundreds of airport and transit units, you actively help transform the footprint of global travel hospitality.

This suits someone who thrives in complex, multi-market corporate environments and possesses a strong blend of technical data governance skills and the cross-functional diplomacy needed to influence diverse international teams.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The successful candidate will take charge of translating global corporate sustainability targets into clear, actionable regional plans across the Asia-Pacific markets. This involves establishing local milestones, monitoring key performance indicators, and building data maturity across functions such as finance, procurement, and operations. You will also oversee the end-to-end regional greenhouse gas reporting cycle. Additionally, a core responsibility includes the direct project management of the climate reporting programme for the Australian market, ensuring full alignment with regulatory expectations. The role demands active participation in supply chain initiatives, supporting purchasing teams to enforce vendor standards and advance responsible sourcing goals.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Working in this position provides deep exposure to the rapidly evolving climate disclosure legislation across multiple jurisdictions in the Asia-Pacific region. Navigating different national compliance frameworks, particularly the stringent requirements in Australia, offers a real opportunity to develop advanced regulatory expertise. Furthermore, the candidate will improve their skills in cross-functional data governance and supply chain sustainability within a high-volume, multi-brand environment. Engaging with diverse stakeholders across numerous countries will significantly sharpen international project management capabilities and strategic corporate negotiation skills.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate holds a university degree in business administration, environmental science, finance, or sustainability, paired with solid experience managing corporate ESG initiatives in a complex, multi-market organization. A strong technical understanding of greenhouse gas protocols and corporate data governance frameworks is highly valued. Exceptional analytical capability is essential, as the role requires interrogating intricate datasets and challenging performance anomalies across different countries. Proven stakeholder management skills and the ability to turn technical environmental requirements into practical commercial practices are critical for success.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To distinguish your application, highlight your specific experience with international compliance frameworks and hands-on corporate carbon accounting. Demonstrating a track record of managing multi-stakeholder projects across different countries will immediately validate your operational readiness for this regional scope. Tailor your narrative to show how you have previously bridged the gap between global corporate strategies and local execution. Providing concrete examples of how you influenced commercial or procurement teams to adopt sustainable practices will underscore your practical business acumen.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

The role focuses significantly on improving the environmental footprint of food service operations, targeting key areas such as packaging reduction, waste management, and menu decarbonisation. Strengthening circular economy principles within transit retail environments will be a primary strategic objective. There is also a heavy concentration on compliance and supply chain transparency. This includes elevating supplier sustainability assessments, ensuring adherence to responsible sourcing guidelines, and establishing rigid internal controls for mandatory ESG reporting and climate disclosures.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the prominent hurdles will be managing the varying levels of sustainability maturity across different Asian markets. Balancing ambitious global mandates with localized operational capabilities requires high adaptability and patience to bring all teams up to standard. Data collection and validation across hundreds of travel food units can also present logistical complexities. The manager must overcome fragmented reporting habits and establish strong ownership over sustainability metrics within non-sustainability functions like finance and logistics.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day involves analyzing regional energy and waste data, followed by progress meetings with market leaders to review local sustainability milestones. You might shift from reviewing greenhouse gas data validation processes with the finance team to advising the procurement department on supplier compliance. Afternoons are frequently dedicated to project-managing the Australian climate disclosure roadmap, synchronizing with legal advisors and group sustainability leaders. The day routinely concludes with preparing regional performance briefs or training materials for local operational teams.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

This position offers significant corporate visibility, bridging local operations directly with global group executive leadership. Success in establishing a strong regional ESG framework provides an excellent stepping stone toward senior global sustainability director roles. The cross-functional nature of the responsibilities also opens career paths within corporate risk management, international procurement leadership, or strategic business transformation within large multinational consumer services corporations.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Internal interactions are extensive, requiring daily collaboration with APAC regional leadership, country managers, and functional heads spanning finance, procurement, and operations. You will also maintain a direct line of communication with the Group Sustainability team at the corporate headquarters. Externally, you will engage with supply chain partners to drive vendor compliance, as well as third-party sustainability auditors, legal consultants, and advisors specializing in regional environmental regulations.

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