Cowes, Isle of Wight or remote UK based Hybrid In this newly created role you will lead a key pillar of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Plastics Initiative: Business Action, in which you will develop, challenge and activate a global network of businesses to create a future free from plastic waste and pollution. You will lead a team to facilitate and steer collaborative projects between businesses in the network, support and challenge companies on their strategies and ambition level, host international cross-value-chain workshops, and report transparently on progress. This role includes leading the world’s largest voluntary initiative to tackle plastic waste and pollution: the Global Commitment. This initiative brings together over 1,000 organisations behind a common vision, including companies representing 20% of global plastic packaging use, and is already avoiding millions of tonnes of annual virgin plastic production. This is an exciting moment to take the lead of this new role, as the Plastic Initiative’s current phase is coming to an end and the ambitious next phase, focused on scaling action, is being shaped. Working with mission-aligned colleagues in an ever-changing and stimulating environment, this role will suit someone who excels at engaging and influencing large companies, based on a strategic understanding of plastic packaging circularity and the opportunities and challenges this poses for business. Specific role responsibilities include: Strategy development: Evolve and refine the strategy and approach for the Business Action pillar. Understand broad business and packaging circularity context and trends to set direction and activate the business network for maximum impact. Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain strong relationships with the businesses in the network. Support and challenge intelligently on business ambition and action. Further develop the business network. International travel will be required. Team Leadership: Build, motivate and develop a team of about 5 to be a thriving, high-performing team in an ever-changing external environment. Actively contribute to the initiative’s overall strategic direction and thriving of the wider plastics team, as a member of the EMF Plastics Initiative’s leadership team. Programme delivery: Lead the team to deliver, at quality and pace, the Business Action strategy. This includes facilitating collaborative projects, hosting workshops, developing industry-leading perspectives, and reporting on progress. Representing the Foundation externally. Represent the Foundation at key events, with partners and with the media to consistently promote circular economy solutions and their relevance for key stakeholders. Your profile: 10 years’ relevant experience in roles working with and influencing corporates, including at senior management level. Ability to influence large businesses, and to use the right mix of challenge, support, and inspiration to drive impact while strengthening relationships. Significant experience in plastic packaging and associated circular economy opportunities and challenges. Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills together with experience in group facilitation and workshop design. Proven ability to develop and motivate teams in an ever-changing external environment, with teams spread across different locations including remote. Entrepreneurial mindset and comfortable with ambiguity. Strategic thinking and analytical skills. Experience structuring complex problems and comfortable applying a hypothesis-based approach to solving them. Experience charting a course forward in an uncertain environment, based on scarce data and discussions with a broad spectrum of stakeholders. Experience managing programmes and workload to deliver successful outcomes and meet time-critical milestones, including project planning and effective prioritisation to deliver on an outcome basis. Experience in corporate measurement and reporting programmes is a plus. Apply by clicking the green icon where you will be asked to upload a CV and covering letter. Desired starting date: ASAP Closing date: 20th September 2024. Please note that we receive a large volume of applications for our roles, and we may take the role offline if we have a strong shortlist before this date Salary package : circa £65,000 per annum plus generous holiday allowance (25 days plus UK Bank Holidays plus discretionary organisational extra days leave) generous parental leave; enhanced pension options or private health scheme after 6 months; wellbeing programme. Location: Our headquarters are based in Cowes, Isle of Wight. A remote UK location will be considered for this role. Application process Initial Zoom meeting with our Talent team and prospective Line manager to start the process (we will send you the outline of the interview, so you know what to expect). A work-related assignment to complete at home or as part of the interview process so we know you will be comfortable with the type of work you would do here. Interview with our People Team, Team Lead and prospective Line manager here in our offices on the beautiful Isle of Wight, even if the role isn’t based here- we think it’s important you see where we started and meet the team For some of our candidates we recognise this may not always be possible. For more senior roles we will conduct a presentation interview too. What we do The Ellen MacArthur Foundation develops and promotes the idea of a circular economy. We work with, and inspire, business, academia, policymakers, and institutions to mobilise systems solutions at scale, globally. Our mission is to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Our vision is a new economic system that delivers better outcomes for people and the environment. Business models, products, and materials are designed to increase use and reuse, replicating the balance of the natural world, where nothing becomes waste, and everything has value. A circular economy, increasingly built on renewable energy and materials, is distributed, diverse, and inclusive. Our commitment to you We are keen to receive applications from people from underrepresented backgrounds, including (but not limited to) those of colour, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA, and people from other marginalised groups. It is important to us that our recruitment approach makes the opportunity as accessible as possible and ensures a diverse range of people are able to demonstrate their potential. We would be happy to provide any further support that you may require - please get in touch so that we can work together. If you would like further information on our diversity and inclusion policy or any further assistance, please contact us at [email protected] .