Sustainability Manager Scope 3
Salary: Competitive Plus Benefits
Location: London Store Support Centre and Home, London, EC1M 6HA
Contract type: Fixed-Term Assignment
Business area: Food Commercial
Closing date: 29 March 2026
Requisition ID: 400054064
Why join us
Joining Sainsbury's as a Sustainability Manager focusing on Scope 3 carbon offers the unique opportunity to lead the development and implementation of our Group Climate Transition Plan, making a significant impact in mitigating environmental risks within the food and clothing sectors. You will collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders, drive key initiatives aligned with our sustainability goals, and shape the future of environmental sustainability within a customer-focused business. With a strong emphasis on innovation, collaboration and personal development, this role provides a platform to drive positive change, influence industry practises, and contribute to a sustainable future for all.
What you'll do
You will play a pivotal role in leading the development and implementation of the Scope 3 strategy as part of the Group Climate Transition Plan. Working within the Environment team, you will engage with internal and external stakeholders to further develop and support the implementation of our Scope 3 strategy. You will work closely with Commercial and Agriculture teams to identify and manage the implementation of key initiatives aligned to our Scope 3 strategy; engage and build cross-functional relationships with key suppliers, and lead on the facilitation of supplier disclosure programmes including communication of results to internal audiences. You will also determine our position on key issues by compiling and drafting approaches, policies and standards for internal sign-off; lead the climate agenda with relevant external stakeholders, including industry groups, government, investors and NGOs; contribute to external reporting and disclosures on behalf of the Group; and keep up to date with climate disclosure requirements, Government Net Zero progress, industry activity and innovation.
Who you are
As the Sustainability Manager Scope 3 at Sainsbury's, you are degree-level educated and bring experience managing environmental risks, ideally within the food or clothing sectors. You have strong experience of supplier engagement, working strategically with suppliers and Commercial teams to implement key initiatives, and you are motivated by mitigating environmental and business resilience risks. You understand relevant networks and stakeholders in environmental sustainability and offer specialist knowledge across Scope 3, including supply chain strategies, agricultural systems and carbon frameworks such as SBTi. You are experienced in managing complex projects with multiple stakeholders and budgets, are comfortable with risk assessment and prioritising activity amid competing priorities. You can influence, train, coach and provide ongoing support to internal and external stakeholders. You also bring experience of communication and reporting (on sustainability topics), are confident manipulating complex sustainability datasets using tools such as Microsoft Excel, and can deliver results at pace within a large, customer-focused business while working flexibly across an evolving agenda.
Essential Criteria
- Proven current experience in a sustainability or commercial role within a retail or manufacturing organisation, working closely with suppliers to deliver Scope 3 programmes and outcomes.
- Demonstrable experience developing and implementing sustainability (Scope 3) strategies and initiatives, translating ambition into practical delivery plans.
- Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with experience engaging cross-functional internal teams and external partners (e.g. suppliers, industry bodies, NGOs, consultants).
- Solid understanding of wider environmental risks and climate topics relevant to food and/or clothing value chains (e.g. deforestation, water, nature), including evolving disclosure expectations.
- Track record of managing complex projects end-to-end, including budgets, prioritisation, reporting, and clear written communication.
We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them: Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 20% of salary, depending on how we perform. Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance, and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday, and we provide private healthcare. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, interest free car loan of up to £10k, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an Employee Assistance Programme. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave. Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply).
