Sustainability Manager - UAE National - IKEA

Job description / Role

Sustainability Manager - UAE National - IKEA - Dubai

The role of a sustainability manager is to establish the IKEA Brand and IKEA stores as trusted and meaningful stores, with the latter being a natural destination for sustainable life at home. The IKEA Group sustainability strategy, People & Planet Positive, needs to be integrated into everyday decisions, ways of working, operations and enable change.

You will be overall accountable for securing the implementation of the three change drivers in the business plan and day-to-day operations, while also securing market relevance and fostering new ideas through forward-thinking. Also to be the sustainability ambassador and spokesperson, internally and externally, to build the trust of co-workers, suppliers and customers by demonstrating our commitment to having a positive impact on people and the planet.

About the Job:
- Inspire and enable people to live a more sustainable life at home through integral involvement in related projects and activities, such as the co-worker and customer engagement projects, mega events, marketing projects, in-store communication and range solutions, and support the sales steering of the range.
- Ensure that the sustainability basics are in place by contributing to all aspects of IKEA retail operations while driving the sustainability agenda (preferably as part of the management group).
- Use key performance indicator (KPI) measurements, analysis and feedback to ensure improved business performance while securing the reporting of accurate data in accordance with reporting instructions and periods.
- Facilitate store improvement through the Sustainability Functional Review and other relevant tools.
- Contribute to the monitoring, evaluation and actions of external, market-relevant demands; trends and legislation; IWAY for suppliers - IKEA Group code of conduct; policies and standards, and working methods. Be the country competence centre for IWAY (support with training and know-how). Manage sustainability risk assessments when relevant.
- Work with Property and Facilities on renovations, rebuilds and new store builds from a sustainability standpoint by providing information and support relating to best practices, new technologies, etc.
- Be involved in and provide support on community involvement initiatives, both nationally and in each primary market area, as well as support the implementation of the Good Cause Campaigns.
- Engage managers and co-workers by providing timely and relevant sustainability knowledge and information. Provide support in delivering co-worker sustainability training and secure the understanding of roles and

Requirements

- Experience of working with sustainability in a business environment.
- Successful project management experience.
- Experience of leading in a changing environment.
- Ability to lead, inspire and engage.
- Successful experience of setting and implementing action plans and providing clear direction and following up on goals.
- Ability to work within a matrix organisation as both a leader and a coach.

Specific Knowledge:
- Sustainability University degree (e.g. sustainability/CSR, environmental engineering, business, economics).
- Advanced sustainability knowledge and an understanding of how it can support the business agenda.
- Country/market-specific knowledge and experience.
- Fluent in English, both written and spoken.

Motivation:
- A passion for sustainability/CSR and highly motivated in making the IKEA organisation People & Planet Positive.
- Striving for excellence and high performance.
- Strong desire to lead people and business.
- Inspired by the IKEA vision "to create a better everyday life for the many people".
- The IKEA values reflect personal values

Capabilities:
- Excellent leadership, communication and networking skills with the ability to inspire and motivate people.
- Ability to build trustworthy relations within the sphere of influence.
- Ability to create an inspiring vision and secure its realisation.
- Ability to focus, strategise, structure and prioritise between actions.

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.