Sustainability and Circularity Manager EMEA

Wavin manufactures plastic service pipes and designs service pipe networks, enabling every day essentials such as clean water supply; rain water and sewage drainage; gas and electricity networks; and telecom pipes. Wavin is one of the most innovative players in this field. In addition, Wavin continuously works to become a more sustainable and planet responsible organization, with the ambition to be a market leader while setting the standards for sustainability very high. To develop, drive, and effectively communicate sustainability initiatives, Wavin is looking for a passionate and result-driven Sustainability and Circularity Manager for the EMEA region.

About Wavin

Wavin delivers plastic service pipe solutions for a wide range of residential, public, and industrial applications. Wavin’s systems, solutions, and services are essential for every day needs, such as safe supply of clean water and gas; controlled drainage of sewage water and rain water; energy-efficient heating and cooling of buildings; and reliable electricity and telecom networks.

In 2012 Wavin became a part of the Mexichem conglomerate. Mexichem is the world leader in pipe systems, and is also active in designing solutions for safe containment and transfer of chemical substances. In the past 15 years, Mexichem experienced extraordinary growth, with revenue increasing from 250 million to 7.5 billion dollars. This growth was mainly driven by a series of 26 successful acquisitions – including Wavin. These acquisitions helped strengthen the presence of Mexichem in key regions, while adding knowledge, skills, and proprietary technology to the Mexichem portfolio.

Sustainability and circularity in the plastics industry

As a leader in the plastics industry, Wavin wants to take responsibility in showing sustainable leadership. This means ensuring a product portfolio that is geared towards climate change adoption; embedding the concepts of circularity from design to product reclaim & recycle; and continuously reducing our environmental footprint across the full value chain.

Wavin wants to take initiative and be part of the solution, while keeping the bar for commercial performance high.

When it comes to sustainability in this industry, the main focus is on circularity: Closing and looping the production and consumption chains to minimize and eventually eliminate waste of energy and materials. Circularity is a relatively young concept in the realm of production industries. The necessary technologies and business cases have not yet been perfected. This means there is an exciting opportunity to innovate and pioneer, for highly relevant and tangible impact.

The vacancy: Sustainability and Circularity Manager EMEA

To provide the leadership needed to make this ambition come true, Wavin is looking for a passionate, highly result-oriented, charismatic and cooperative sustainability and circularity manager (SCM) for the EMEA region, with a primary focus on Europe but but you will expect to participate in global Sustainability and Circularity initiatives. The SCM will be the motor behind sustainability and circularity initiatives within the entire Wavin organization. He or she will work together with the commercial discipline so that they become a strong advocate for circular products towards Wavin’s customers. At the same time, the SCM will be working with the full value chain on how to design, develop, manufacture and source circular products. This means he / she will, for instance, work with both generic and dedicated R&D professionals to design initiatives, and cooperate intensively with the commercial teams to develop the related value propositions. The SCM also needs to get to know the production, procurement, and other teams well, in order to ensure sustainability is on everyone’s agenda and initiatives are rapidly and effectively rolled out.

The SCM will bring a powerful drive for sustainability as well as authentic curiosity for the organization’s culture and processes (which may differ per region) to be able to drive the topic of (especially) circularity within Wavin. A successful SCM is highly proactive and result-driven, as well as persuasive and well-trusted, allowing him or her to push for progressive and innovative decisions within the organization.

The SCM will put sustainability and circularity prominently on the map within the organization. Furthermore, he or she will have a pioneering role within the Mexichem conglomerate, and if successful, will provide the blueprint for sustainability and circularity leadership within the larger, highly international organization.

Wavin works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
Contact Imke Peters at imke.peters@topofminds.com for more information.