Project Manager - Plastics Initiative

As part of our Plastics Initiative, you will work collaboratively across the Foundation to drive our common vision of a circular economy for plastic, in which it never becomes waste. You will lead project management and delivery of specific aspects of the Plastics Initiative, engaging a wide variety of stakeholders, including top FMCG companies in our network and beyond to unlock the enabling conditions to raise the plastic packaging value chain’s ambitions towards our common vision.

You will provide advice and run initiatives, facilitating knowledge exchange in different countries through workshops, online meetings, and events. This role will have a focus on corporate disclosure of packaging usage.

Your role is to drive collective action on plastic packaging transparency, building on the success of the Global Commitment. Working with external stakeholders and businesses, you will provide thought leadership for evolving the plastic packaging reporting framework.

Specific role responsibilities include:

Project Management: Leading specific projects within the Plastics Initiative programme, developing an approach (aligned with the EMF 2030 strategy) creating a plan, tracking progress against this, and ensuring timely delivery, including management of a team where applicable.

Relationship Management and Development:

Internal - Working with the project team and other teams in the Foundation.

External - Working with a wide range of stakeholders ranging from companies, philanthropists, policymakers, and NGOs – to drive progress towards a circular economy. Manage and develop some key relationships.

Strategic thinking. Providing input to the development of the broader programme strategy. Building relationships with organisations relevant to the strategic development of the project.

Representing the Foundation externally. Being a representative in meetings or at events and conferences, able to clearly explain and convey our vision, the insights we generate from our work and to engage and advise stakeholders. This will include some travel.

Internal capability building. Actively contributing to developing the Foundation’s expertise through the development of the Foundation’s knowledge repository, with a focus on measuring progress towards a circular economy for plastics and plastic packaging.

Your profile: 

• A good academic record and degree level qualifications in business, economics, science, engineering, political or social science, or other relevant discipline.
• 5+ years’ relevant experience in a role related to business and/or economics. Relevant experience in the plastic packaging sector and/or corporate disclosure is desirable for this role. Management or strategy consulting experience would also be valuable.
• Demonstrated experience in:
• Working with and engaging a diverse set of stakeholders. The ability to interact effectively with individuals at various management levels across a variety of organisations (industry, NGO, policymakers) and geographies.
• Managing multiple, complex projects to deliver successful outcomes and meet time-critical milestones, including project planning and effective prioritisation to deliver on an outcome basis.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to extract key insights from data and research and present these in an attractive and engaging way. Must be detail-orientated. Evidence of having written engaging documents in English.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills and a proven ability to work across teams in different locations both in-person and remotely. The ability to interact effectively at all levels of an organisation, contributing proactively to problem solving in meetings and workshops.

Desired starting date: As soon as possible.

Closing date: 26th January 2024.

Salary range: Up to £48,500 per annum depending on experience.

Benefits package: generous holiday allowance (25 days plus UK bank holidays and discretionary extra days leave) generous parental leave; enhanced pension options/private health scheme after 6 months; wellbeing programme. 

Location: Based in our Cowes, Isle of Wight office. Or UK based with regular attendance at our office in Cowes, Isle of Wight (subject to individual circumstances). Some international travel may be required.

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

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment and providing a working environment free from discrimination. Job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation or any other characteristic protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.