Sustainability Manager

The Senior Manager of Sustainability Solutions will lead the development and execution of commercial sustainability strategies for Bunzl North America in close partnership with Bunzl plc . This role will focus on interpreting sustainability-related legislation, supporting sales teams with customer engagements, and driving innovation in sustainable products and services. The Senior Manager will ensure Bunzl delivers a compelling sustainability value proposition to customers and maintains consistent messaging across Bunzl North America and Bunzl plc.

This role is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Value Proposition
• Partner with Bunzl plc to develop and deliver a sustainability value proposition for customers.
• Design and implement strategies for sustainable product and service solutions aligned with customer goals.
• Drive commercial value from sustainability work.
• Use carbon reporting and other tools to deliver local value.
• Customer Engagement & Reporting
• Support sales teams with sustainability-focused presentations, customer requests, and strategic meetings.
• Share legislative and sustainability updates.
• Ensure compliance through standardized processes.
• Support customer reporting.
• Deliver innovation projects.
• Legislation Advisory
• Monitor and interpret emerging sustainability legislation and regulatory trends.
• Advise customers and internal teams on legislative impacts and reporting obligations.
• Product Solution Development
• Identify and evaluate new product/service innovations with strong commercial and environmental potential.
• Collaborate with suppliers and procurement teams to validate environmental credentials (e.g., reusable, recyclable, compostable).
• Training & Communications
• Educate divisional teams on sustainability as a business-critical discipline.
• Develop and deliver sustainability training for sales and customer-facing teams.
• Tool Development
• Partner with Bunzl plc to create tools and resources that enhance customer engagement on sustainability topics.
• Industry Engagement & Advocacy
• Represent Bunzl in industry forums and advocacy initiatives to promote sustainability leadership.
• Share best practices and success stories across Bunzl North America and Bunzl plc.
• Leadership
• Lead and develop two direct reports, fostering a collaborative and high-performance team culture.

Skills & Competencies

• Ability to develop and deliver sustainability value propositions and tools for customer engagement.
• Demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration and influencing stakeholders in a matrixed organization.
• Analytical strategic thinker with strong planning, execution, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for customer-facing and internal training purposes.
• Comfortable managing ambiguity and shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Leadership capability to manage and develop a small team of individual contributors.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Environmental Science, or related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in sustainability solutions, category management, or brand/product development.
• Proven expertise in sustainable packaging within a commercial context, supported by relevant training and experience 
• Experience interpreting and applying sustainability legislation and regulatory frameworks.
• Strong ability to manage shifting priorities and navigate ambiguity in a matrixed organization.
• Demonstrated success in cross-functional collaboration and product launch execution.
• Strategic thinker with strong planning and implementation skills.
• Self-starter with an elevated level of initiative, motivation, and adaptability.
• Strong customer orientation and commitment to employee engagement.
• Must be able to travel 25-33% of the time with overnight trips and at least one trip per year to the UK.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA preferred.
• Background in sales, sales management, or operations is a plus.
• Product development experience in disposable packaging, safety, janitorial, or MRO/PPE is highly desirable.

Bunzl North America is a global leader in the Cleaning & Hygiene, Food Processing, Grocery, Health Care, Non‑Food Retail, and Safety industries. We have grown both organically and through acquisitions to exceed $10 billion in sales. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Bunzl operates more than 100 warehouses and serves all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, and parts of the Caribbean and Mexico. With more than 10,000 team members and over 400,000 supplies, Bunzl is recognized as a leading supplier across North America—and proudly certified as a Great Place to Work® . At Bunzl, you’ll find Unlimited Potential… Your Career - - Our Future!

Bunzl Distribution offers competitive salaries, a comfortable work environment, and a full range of benefits including a 401k with a company match.

Bunzl Distribution has a tradition of commitment to equal employment opportunity. It is the established policy to attract and retain the best qualified people without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex/gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability, or veteran status as provided by law.

Equal Opportunity Employer
This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the notice from the Department of Labor.