Premier League to rope in sustainability manager
New position will lead sustainability operations, working alongside the Head of Sustainability.
The Premier League is expanding its environmental team with the addition of a Sustainability Manager.
The Premier League’s Policy and Corporate Affairs team had invited prospective applicants to apply for the role. The successful candidate will lead the Premier League’s sustainability operations.
“An integral part of the Premier League’s work is to be a ‘Force for Good’ in both the communities we operate in and our wider reach,” reads an overview of the job description. “As part of this ambition, the Premier League is looking for an experienced environmental Sustainability Manager to support the Head of Sustainability in implementing the Premier League’s sustainability strategy.”
The Sustainability Manager will work alongside Will Hutton, Head of Sustainability, on delivering internal programmes to help the league achieve its environmental commitments.
Some key responsibilities include the development of a management system for the Premier League’s business operations, building the company’s Climate Transition Plan, rolling out staff training, managing reporting processes, and improving emissions data collection capabilities.
In February, the top-flight league and its member clubs announced the Premier League Environmental Sustainability Commitment to step up their environmental efforts. One of the pledges states that each club will designate a senior employee to lead the club’s environmental sustainability activities.
In an investigation, The Asterisk confirmed that a majority of clubs have appointed a senior employee to lead green operations.
Wycombe Wanderers midfielder and PFA sustainability champion David Wheeler criticised the pace at which the league is developing its environmental strategy.
“The lack of moral leadership seems to be a common thread among the top people in the different organisations in football, be that FIFA or now, it seems, the Premier League,” he told BBC Sport.
“There are lots of sustainability professionals behind the scenes in sport doing incredible work, but the CEOs and board members seem to be getting in the way of making positive change.”
The addition of a Sustainability Manager will bolster the Premier League’s efforts to reduce emissions by 50% and achieve net-zero status by 2030.
PL Sustainability Manager: What the role entails?
Support the organisation’s sustainability programme, including the delivery and communication of the Premier League’s overall sustainability strategy.
Develop and implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) for the Premier League’s business, aligned with best practice (ISO 14001).
Lead the development of a climate transition plan for the business.
Create and / or amend policies and guidelines relating to key environmental impact areas (e.g. procurement, events, business travel, legal compliance, environmental risk management). Work across departments to support the effective implementation of policies and guidelines.
Design and deliver an environmental training programme for the business, tailored to relevant departments and teams (e.g. sustainable events, sustainable procurement practices, environmental reporting).
Support event leads in embedding environmental considerations across events that the Premier League owns.
Improve the robustness and accuracy of the Premier League’s carbon emissions inventory and reporting capabilities.
Lead the delivery of the Premier League's statutory and voluntary sustainability reporting deliverables (UN Sports for Climate Action framework, annual reporting against GRI Standards, Streamlined Energy Carbon Reporting).
Manage both internal and external communications relating to environmental sustainability.
Provide comprehensive guidance and support to Clubs, club community organisations (CCOs) and Premier League Club sustainability leads.
The Premier League states that the Sustainability Manager should have a diverse range of skills, ideally with a background in the implementation of sustainability strategies, and a flexible and collaborative approach.
Requirements for the role
Demonstrable experience of delivering sustainability programmes within a corporate organisation.
Proven ability to support the implementation and delivery of sustainability commitments.
A strong understanding of sustainability principles, environmental issues, and their impact on businesses is essential. This includes knowledge of sustainability frameworks / standards (such as ISO 14001, SBTi, GHG Protocol, Transition Plan Taskforce Disclosure Framework).
A collaborative team player able to communicate effectively with a variety of internal and external stakeholders.
Excellent attention to detail and strong written and oral communication skills, with an ability to input to / produce written reports, guidelines, presentation and other materials.
Strong project management skills and an ability to hit deadlines.
A general appreciation of the global and sporting contexts in which the Premier League works in.
