Q: What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The core mission involves accelerating the collection and recycling infrastructure for beverage cartons within Finland and the Baltic markets. You will translate global sustainability goals into local action plans that increase sorting rates and improve the efficiency of recycling streams. Your day-to-day work includes managing investment-related projects and coordinating with regional recycling partners. You will also monitor the local regulatory environment, ensuring that market operations are prepared for significant legislative changes such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

Q: Key learning opportunities for this job

You will gain deep expertise in the circular economy value chain within a global industrial context. This role offers specialized exposure to European packaging regulations and the practical mechanics of producer responsibility systems across multiple national jurisdictions. Furthermore, you will develop high-level skills in cross-functional project management , collaborating with global sustainability experts and local commercial teams. This provides a unique vantage point on how a multinational corporation navigates environmental transitions.

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

This role is specifically centered on Circular Economy and End-of-Life management . You will focus on the 'Protect the Planet' pillar by ensuring that Tetra Pak’s cartons are collected and recycled at high rates, thereby minimizing environmental impact. You will also be a key player in regulatory compliance , particularly helping the company and its customers meet increasingly stringent EU targets for packaging circularity. This involves technical focus on sorting technologies and the commercial viability of recycled materials.

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

One of the primary challenges is managing the diverse regulatory landscapes across Finland and the three Baltic states, each with different waste management maturity levels. You will need to balance global corporate directives with very specific local market conditions. Additionally, driving progress in recycling often requires external dependencies beyond the company's direct control, such as consumer behavior and municipal sorting capabilities. Navigating these external barriers while meeting internal KPIs will require high levels of persistence and diplomatic skill.

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

A typical day might begin by reviewing regulatory updates from the EU followed by a meeting with a local Producer Responsibility Organisation to discuss collection rates. You might spend your afternoon coordinating an investment project with a recycling facility partner. The role involves significant cross-functional internal collaboration , so you will often find yourself in meetings with Marketing or Corporate Affairs teams to align on sustainability messaging. Frequent travel across the region is also a core part of the workflow.

Q: The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Internal stakeholders include Sustainability Operations Europe , Corporate Affairs, Marketing, and commercial teams who rely on your expertise to guide customer dialogues. You will report directly to the Head of Sustainability for North Europe. External stakeholders are broad and include PROs, sorters, recyclers, retailers, and policy forums . You will act as the face of Tetra Pak in regional industry associations, building the necessary alliances to move the recyclability agenda forward.

Question 1

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

Accepted Answer

The core mission involves accelerating the collection and recycling infrastructure for beverage cartons within Finland and the Baltic markets. You will translate global sustainability goals into local action plans that increase sorting rates and improve the efficiency of recycling streams. Your day-to-day work includes managing investment-related projects and coordinating with regional recycling partners. You will also monitor the local regulatory environment, ensuring that market operations are prepared for significant legislative changes such as the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

Question 2

Key learning opportunities for this job

Accepted Answer

You will gain deep expertise in the circular economy value chain within a global industrial context. This role offers specialized exposure to European packaging regulations and the practical mechanics of producer responsibility systems across multiple national jurisdictions. Furthermore, you will develop high-level skills in cross-functional project management, collaborating with global sustainability experts and local commercial teams. This provides a unique vantage point on how a multinational corporation navigates environmental transitions.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

The ideal candidate holds a university degree in engineering, environmental science, or international affairs, paired with experience in circularity or regulatory affairs. You should demonstrate a proven ability to manage complex dependencies and influence external partners without direct authority. Practical knowledge of Producer Responsibility Organisations (PROs) or the recycling industry is highly valued. While English is the primary working language, professional proficiency in Finnish is a significant advantage for managing local relationships and navigating the regional policy landscape.

Question 4

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Accepted Answer

Focus your application on concrete examples of where you have bridged the gap between strategy and execution. Highlight your experience in the recycling sector or your understanding of how PPWR impacts the packaging industry to demonstrate immediate technical relevance. Since this role requires high levels of autonomy, emphasize your ability to build networks within complex ecosystems. Show that you are a pragmatic problem-solver who can navigate the operational realities of the Nordic and Baltic waste management markets.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

This role is specifically centered on Circular Economy and End-of-Life management. You will focus on the 'Protect the Planet' pillar by ensuring that Tetra Pak’s cartons are collected and recycled at high rates, thereby minimizing environmental impact. You will also be a key player in regulatory compliance, particularly helping the company and its customers meet increasingly stringent EU targets for packaging circularity. This involves technical focus on sorting technologies and the commercial viability of recycled materials.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

One of the primary challenges is managing the diverse regulatory landscapes across Finland and the three Baltic states, each with different waste management maturity levels. You will need to balance global corporate directives with very specific local market conditions. Additionally, driving progress in recycling often requires external dependencies beyond the company's direct control, such as consumer behavior and municipal sorting capabilities. Navigating these external barriers while meeting internal KPIs will require high levels of persistence and diplomatic skill.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

A typical day might begin by reviewing regulatory updates from the EU followed by a meeting with a local Producer Responsibility Organisation to discuss collection rates. You might spend your afternoon coordinating an investment project with a recycling facility partner. The role involves significant cross-functional internal collaboration, so you will often find yourself in meetings with Marketing or Corporate Affairs teams to align on sustainability messaging. Frequent travel across the region is also a core part of the workflow.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

Within a global leader like Tetra Pak, this role serves as a springboard to senior regional or global leadership positions in Sustainability Operations. The exposure to high-stakes regulatory topics and complex value-chain management is highly transferable to corporate affairs positions. You may also have opportunities to lead high-visibility pilot projects that serve as blueprints for other regions globally. The technical and political expertise gained here is rare and highly sought after as companies pivot towards mandatory circularity models.

Question 9

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Accepted Answer

Internal stakeholders include Sustainability Operations Europe, Corporate Affairs, Marketing, and commercial teams who rely on your expertise to guide customer dialogues. You will report directly to the Head of Sustainability for North Europe. External stakeholders are broad and include PROs, sorters, recyclers, retailers, and policy forums. You will act as the face of Tetra Pak in regional industry associations, building the necessary alliances to move the recyclability agenda forward.

Sustainability Manager Finland and Baltics

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