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Sustainability Project Manager - Value Chain

Agropur • United States • Added on Jul 16, 2026
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This role acts as a critical link between sustainability strategy and the operational realities of the dairy supply chain. You will take ownership of cross-functional projects that translate high-level ESG commitments into measurable actions across procurement, sales, and operations. By developing performance metrics and ROI assessments, you will help the organization navigate the complexities of decarbonization and resource efficiency within a large-scale manufacturing environment.

The dairy industry faces unique challenges, from methane reduction to animal welfare and farmer livelihoods. In this position, you will drive the value chain transformation necessary for Agropur to meet its “Better Dairy. Better World.” vision. Your work ensures that sustainability is not a standalone department but a core commercial driver that strengthens relationships with global retail partners and industrial customers who are increasingly demanding decarbonized supply chains.

This suits someone who possesses a strong business acumen and the ability to speak the language of both supply chain managers and sustainability specialists. You should be equally comfortable analyzing P&L impacts as you are discussing Scope 3 emission factors.

Perguntas frequentes da vaga

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The Sustainability Project Manager is responsible for operationalizing ESG goals across the entire value chain. This involves managing sustainability commitments with global workstream teams and partnering with Category and Sales leaders to ensure strategy alignment. You will own the implementation of initiatives that address environmental and social impacts while supporting the cooperative's business priorities. You will also focus heavily on data-driven performance monitoring. This includes developing tools and metrics to track progress against sustainability targets, particularly regarding supply chain collaboration and value chain emissions. Your role is to bridge the gap between high-level strategy and technical execution, providing senior management with actionable recommendations.

Key learning opportunities for this job

In this role, you will gain deep expertise in Scope 3 carbon accounting and the specific decarbonization pathways unique to the agricultural and dairy sectors. As you work across 29 plants and a vast network of producers, you will learn how to navigate the complex social and economic dynamics of a large-scale cooperative business model. You will also sharpen your skills in sustainable business transformation. Since the role requires building ROI assessments for sustainability projects, you will develop a sophisticated understanding of how ESG factors influence P&L and long-term value creation in the food and beverage manufacturing industry.

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

The ideal candidate brings at least five years of experience, preferably with a background in the food industry or consumer goods. You should have a proven track record in project management and a solid understanding of business fundamentals, including P&L management and sales processes, as this role is highly integrated with commercial functions. Technically, you should be familiar with dairy-related sustainability topics like regenerative agriculture or animal welfare standards. Soft skills are equally vital; you must be a persuasive communicator capable of managing diverse partnerships and influencing internal stakeholders ranging from plant operations leaders to Business Unit Presidents.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, emphasize your ability to connect sustainability to commercial outcomes. Don't just list ESG knowledge; explain how you have used sustainability data to improve customer relationships or drive supply chain efficiencies in previous roles. Given Agropur’s cooperative structure, demonstrating an understanding of stakeholder-based governance will be a significant advantage. Prepare to discuss specific examples where you moved a project from idea to execution within a complex organizational structure. Since the job requires interacting with VPs and Unit Presidents, your application should reflect a high level of professional maturity and the ability to build convincing business cases for non-financial initiatives.

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

Your primary focus will likely be on Scope 3 emissions reduction, as this is the most significant environmental impact for dairy producers. This includes working with suppliers and members to implement more sustainable farming practices and improving the environmental footprint of the raw milk supply chain. Additionally, you will focus on social impact and community development, which are core tenets of the cooperative's mission. You will help translate Agropur's animal welfare and environmental commitments into reporting frameworks that satisfy the rigorous requirements of global retail and industrial food customers.

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

One of the chief challenges will be managing competing priorities between short-term financial performance and long-term sustainability investments. Navigating the diverse interests of nearly 2,700 cooperative members alongside industrial business needs requires significant diplomacy and resilience. You may also face challenges related to data fragmentation across a large value chain. Gathering accurate, consistent sustainability data from various business units and external suppliers to meet reporting standards can be a complex and time-consuming technical hurdle.

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

A typical day might begin with a cross-functional meeting involving Operations and Supply Chain teams to track the progress of a waste-reduction initiative at a processing plant. Midday might be spent analyzing sustainability performance data or developing a business case for a new customer-facing ESG partnership. In the afternoon, you could find yourself presenting a sustainability strategy update to a Category VP or collaborating with the marketing team to ensure that sustainability claims are accurate and commercially impactful. The role involves a constant rotation between analytical desk work and high-level stakeholder engagement.

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

Agropur explicitly mentions advancement opportunities, and this role provides a high-visibility platform for leadership development. By working directly with Business Unit Presidents and VPs, you are well-positioned for future senior management or strategic leadership roles within the sustainability or commercial departments. You will also have the chance to become a subject matter expert in dairy sustainability, a niche field in high demand as global food systems undergo a transition toward net-zero. This expertise can lead to opportunities in regional or global sustainability governance within the food industry.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

You will frequently interact with internal business leaders, specifically Category VPs, Business Unit Presidents, and Operations Leaders, to align sustainability goals with operational reality. You will also collaborate closely with the dedicated Sustainability, Sales, and Supply Chain teams. Externally, your main stakeholders will include global retail and food service customers who require detailed sustainability reporting and partnership on green initiatives. You will also engage with suppliers and industry partners to share knowledge and advance collective sustainability standards across the dairy sector.

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