Director of Supply Chain Sustainability

Impact: Supply chain environmental and social risk reduction, responsible sourcing, and regulatory compliance

Lead the integration of sustainability principles into an organisation's supply chain, developing supplier standards, conducting audits, and implementing programmes that reduce environmental and social risks across the value chain. Engage suppliers, industry coalitions, and NGOs to advance responsible sourcing, and report on supply chain sustainability performance to investors and regulators.

What the day looks like

People interaction
Extensive
Team vs solo
70% Team / 30% Solo
Client facing
Frequent
Impact visibility
High
Travel
20-30% for supplier and partner visits
Schedule flexibility
Moderate
Remote work
Hybrid
Typical work hours
45-55 hours/week
Stress level
Moderate

At a glance

Median salary
$165,000
Entry-level
$120,000 - $150,000
Senior
$220,000+
Growth by 2033
20% (faster than average)
Demand
Growing Fast
Freelance potential
Low
Salary growth potential
High to 50-65% growth from entry to senior
Typical student debt
$40,000 - $80,000

Skills you'll use

Hard skills

  • Supplier Sustainability Auditing
  • Responsible Sourcing Standards (SA8000 / RSPO / FSC)
  • Supply Chain GHG Accounting (Scope 3)
  • ESG Due Diligence
  • Supplier Engagement & Capacity Building
  • Regulatory Compliance (CSDD / EUDR)

Soft skills

  • Strategic Leadership
  • Stakeholder Engagement
  • Negotiation
  • Systems Thinking
  • Executive Communication

Technical complexity: Moderate

How to get there

Minimum education
Master's Degree
Licensing
No
Years to mid-career
8-12 years
Years to senior
14-20 years
Career switching
Hard

Where this career leads

How people arrive here

    Where you can go from here

      Typical progression

      1. Supply Chain Sustainability Analyst
      2. Manager
      3. Director of Supply Chain Sustainability
      4. VP of Sustainability
      5. Chief Sustainability Officer

      Future outlook

      Automation probability
      12% to strategy and supplier engagement are resistant to automation
      AI disruption risk
      Low
      Demand trend
      Growing Fast

      How people feel about it

      Overall satisfaction
      3.8/10
      Meaning
      4.2/10
      Work-life balance
      3.5/10
      Prestige
      7.5/10
      Social perception
      High

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