Director Sustainability

This search procedure has been closed (15-07-2016).
Field
Management
Salary
Salary undisclosed
Location
Amsterdam
Employment
Permanent
Headhunter
AkzoNobel

The organisation

AkzoNobel is a leading multinational in the fields of Decorative Paints, Performance Coatings and Specialty Chemicals. Headquartered in Amsterdam, we are active in more than 80 countries and employ approximately 45,000 people.

AkzoNobel creates everyday essentials to make people’s lives more liveable and inspiring. As a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals, we supply essential ingredients, essential protection and essential color to industries and consumers worldwide.

Backed by a pioneering heritage, our innovative products and sustainable technologies are designed to meet the growing demands of our fast-changing planet, while making life easier. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we have approximately 45,000 people in around 80 countries, while our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Flexa, Sikkens, Alabastine and Jozo.

Consistently ranked as a leader in sustainability, we are dedicated to energizing cities and communities while creating a protected, colorful world where life is improved by what we do.

The position

Bring your technical, influencing and change management skills to a high level role within a committed sustainability leader.

AkzoNobel has gained an outstanding reputation for the way in which we embed sustainability within all our operations, and we are year-on-year leaders in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

Within this context, your mission in this role as a member of the sustainability team is to build on this position by applying the highest levels of sustainability knowledge, development, coordination and communications across our global organization. In doing so you will further enhance our reputation as a company that is leading the way in this important area. You will report to the Corporate Director Sustainability.

Is this a challenge that matches your skills and ambitions? Are you a team builder with powerful strategic, leadership, and change management skills? Can you exert credible influence at senior management level? Do you have the technical knowledge to identify and implement good sustainability practices for the chemicals industry? Above all, can you make a real difference within our dynamic, multinational and multicultural business environment?

If you offer all this and more, we invite you to apply for the position of Director Sustainability.

Tasks & responsibilities

Working from our global headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, your core objective is to maintain our sustainability leadership position by enhancing the company’s sustainability performance and reputation. This requires you to work across all areas of the AkzoNobel organization, acting as a change agent so that we continue to build sustainability best practice into all our operations.

Key activities include:

  • Commercial Excellence
    • Among AkzoNobel’s clients are some of the world’s most high profile companies. You work with business colleagues to offer our clients compelling sustainability solutions, while increasing their sustainability knowledge.
  • Manage sustainability governance processes
    • You develop and maintain appropriate sustainability strategies, policies, standards, systems and best practices, working with entities that include the Sustainability Council and Leadership teams.
  • Support for business units (BUs) and functional managers
    • You manage a well-resourced Center of Expertise team that maintains a high level of environmental sustainability coaching and assessment skills. A core function of this team is to help our business units and functional managers to identify business opportunities arising from sustainability practice and performance.
  • Monitor, benchmark and strengthen sustainability performance
    • You work with our BUs and functions to identify/address gaps in performance/ processes. You also initiate and establish cross-BU/cross-function programs. This requires you to identify and evaluate good practices from peer and other sectors to enhance the company’s sustainability performance and reputation.
  • Represent the company on external bodies and with key stakeholders 
    • You build and maintain networks and relationships that expose AkzoNobel to good practice, and enhance AkzoNobel’s reputation as a sustainability leader. You also initiate partnerships to raise sustainability opportunities and performance in our value chains.

As such, this is a role for a truly visionary and networked sustainabilty leader with a good knowledge of technical process description and improvement in areas from procurement processes to customer excellence to market segmentation. It is also essential that you are able to act as an inspiring and relentless champion for sustainability both inside and outside the company.

Candidate profile

To apply for this position you must possess all the following attributes:

  • Master’s degree in a technical discipline, and a knowledge of the chemicals industry and its key processes
  • Track record of building personal networks both internally and with external organizations and thought leaders, etc.
  • Able to make effective appointments
  • Integrity and the ability to withstand pressure
  • Strong analytical and evaluation skills
  • Highly effective communicator including fluent written and spoken English

Interested?

You are invited to apply for this position by following the link below.

This position is managed by Marjan van Grinsven, Talent Resourcing Manager. For further information, please contact us by phone at +31 (0)88 010 67 89, extension #2. Employment screening will be part of the selection process.

Agency or sales calls are not appreciated.

This search procedure has been closed (15-07-2016).