--- title: Head of Sustainable Development canonical: https://csrjobs.club/jobs/vp-brands-international-head-of-sustainable-development-vrh1 locale: en description: VP Brands International is hiring a Head of Sustainable Development on CSR Jobs. Discover this in-house sustainability role and apply today. updated: 2026-10-02 company: VP Brands International country: Bulgaria contract: Full time seniority: Senior missions: Compliance, ESG reporting, Corporate Carbon Footprint, Eco-conception, Strategic planning job_type: Sustainability Manager, Sustainability Compliance Manager posted: 2026-10-02 valid_through: 2026-12-02 apply: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4472887121 source: CSR Jobs --- # Head of Sustainable Development This role puts you at the helm of building and executing the company-wide sustainability management system across modern wine and spirits production facilities. You will take full ownership of ESG strategy, emissions tracking, European regulatory compliance, and cross-functional environmental performance from raw material processing to final bottling. Beverage manufacturing faces substantial environmental demands, from energy-intensive distillation to heavy glass packaging and agricultural sourcing. Leading this agenda allows you to steer **tangible decarbonization and circularity**, directly implementing PPWR packaging standards, cutting operational footprints, and positioning a regional beverage powerhouse at international standards of accountability. This suits someone who pairs strong regulatory acumen under CSRD and PPWR with the pragmatic diplomacy needed to embed sustainable practices directly onto industrial manufacturing floors. ## Job FAQs ### What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role? The Head of Sustainable Development is tasked with establishing, structuring, and supervising the enterprise-wide sustainability management system. Core duties include defining the overarching **ESG framework, corporate policies, quantitative targets, and key performance indicators**. The individual will coordinate all ESG data governance, ensuring alignment and readiness for major European reporting mandates like CSRD, ESRS, and the EU Taxonomy. On the operational side, the position directly manages regulatory compliance with directives like the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), optimizing packaging sustainability and documentation. You will lead **Scope 1, 2, and relevant Scope 3 carbon footprint calculations**, orchestrate decarbonization and resource efficiency projects, and oversee third-party assessments such as EcoVadis ratings to drive continuous operational improvement. ### Key learning opportunities for this job This position offers deep, hands-on experience in operationalizing **CSRD and ESRS reporting structures** from scratch within an industrial manufacturing setting. You will gain mastery over the EU Taxonomy and newly evolving circular economy directives like PPWR, which heavily impact food and beverage packaging. Additionally, you will strengthen your expertise in cross-departmental supply chain footprinting and industrial energy management. Leading corporate **EcoVadis evaluations and audit-readiness protocols** will provide invaluable knowledge in institutional sustainability governance and corporate ESG rating methodologies. ### How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)? The ideal candidate brings around 3 to 5 or more years of hands-on experience in sustainability, ESG management, environmental compliance, or regulatory affairs, ideally within a **manufacturing or beverage production environment**. An academic background in environmental science, engineering, business administration, or economics provides the analytical foundation needed. Key technical competencies include familiarity with GHG protocol accounting, European legislative frameworks (CSRD, PPWR, EU Taxonomy), and EcoVadis workflows. Soft skills are critical: you should possess **pragmatic communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional leadership** to translate complex environmental data into clear actions for factory and commercial managers. ### Advice to stand out and make a successful application To stand out, highlight specific, real-world implementations rather than generic sustainability passion. Detail prior experience establishing **KPI dashboards, carbon inventories, or packaging compliance audits** within industrial operations. Demonstrating familiarity with manufacturing realities will immediately capture the hiring team's attention. Emphasize your practical knowledge of the EU regulatory environment affecting European distillers and vintners, especially regarding packaging materials, energy usage, and CSRD readiness. In your cover letter, articulate how you bridge technical compliance with commercial and production priorities. ### What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on? The role centers heavily on operational eco-efficiency and regulatory compliance. Priority areas include **sustainable packaging and circularity** under the EU PPWR, optimizing glass and closures, and tracking packaging lifecycles across product portfolios. Another major pillar is industrial energy management and decarbonization across distillation and fermentation centres in Peshtera, Saedinenie, and Katunitsa. Managing **Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions**, assessing raw material agricultural footprints in Scope 3, and securing high-integrity ESG disclosures represent the core focus. ### What are the main challenges someone in this role might face? A primary challenge will likely be bridging the gap between high-level EU regulatory compliance and day-to-day manufacturing floor operations. Setting up **consistent, verifiable data collection pipelines** across disparate production lines and legacy systems requires persistence and systematic project management. Balancing aggressive European packaging directives with product aesthetic standards and commercial margins could also create friction. The professional must navigate these trade-offs by demonstrating the business value and risk mitigation inherent in sustainable practices. ### How could a typical day look like for someone in this position? A typical day might start by reviewing energy usage logs and packaging data collected from production facilities to feed the corporate carbon accounting model. You could then hold a working session with the **Procurement and Quality teams** to evaluate supplier data for upcoming EcoVadis submissions or PPWR packaging compliance. In the afternoon, your focus might shift to reviewing CSRD readiness frameworks, drafting environmental policies with legal advisors, or presenting updated sustainability KPIs to operations leaders. The day routinely combines detailed analytical data work with strategic stakeholder meetings. ### What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role? Serving as the lead architect of sustainability for a prominent beverage producer provides exceptional visibility with executive management. Successfully standardizing the company’s ESG architecture and achieving strong **external ratings (such as EcoVadis)** will establish you as a prime strategic advisor within the business. As European ESG requirements intensify, this role positions you well to evolve into a full C-level Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) or to take on expanded European-level corporate governance and operational transformation portfolios. ### The main stakeholders you might be interacting with You will collaborate closely with internal leaders across **Production, Procurement, Quality, Logistics, and Marketing** to gather data, review packaging designs, and implement energy efficiency initiatives. Working with Legal, IT, Finance, and HR will be essential to establish strong ESG reporting and regulatory compliance. Externally, you will engage with third-party ESG auditors, rating platforms such as EcoVadis, regulatory bodies, external consulting partners, and packaging vendors across the supply chain. --- Source: https://csrjobs.club/jobs/vp-brands-international-head-of-sustainable-development-vrh1