Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Corporate ...

Senior Director Of Corporate Sustainability Waste And Circularity

Are you passionate about using business as a force for good by reducing waste and building a more circular economy at scale? As Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability Waste and Circularity at Walmart, you'll lead a team working across the organization (Walmart US, Sam's Club, and international markets) to reduce waste in our operations (including food loss and waste), packaging, and materials to advance Walmart's ambitious waste and circularity goals and create business value.

As Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability Waste and Circularity, this high-impact role will shape and develop a high-performing team focused on long-term strategy development and implementation, drive meaningful progress on key targets and internal KPIs, manage innovation roadmaps, engage and influence a variety of internal and external stakeholders, and support ESG disclosures.

What you'll do:

Lead Walmart's waste reduction and circularity strategy

• Develop and drive the execution of Walmart's waste, packaging optimization, and materials circularity strategies, including zero waste in operations, food loss and waste reduction, and circular packaging and materials across the organization.
• Manage the goal setting and tracking processes, ensuring alignment across functions and reporting consistency.
• Build glidepaths and action plans to deliver against goals and internal KPIs- supporting business case development and implementation with key business partners while solving capability or resource gaps.
• Create and manage innovation roadmaps and project pipelines to advance waste reduction and circular economy strategies (in alignment with EPR policies and enhancing end-of-life recyclability).

Operationalize the strategy across business functions

• Lead the integration of priorities and action plans into core business planning cycles for Walmart US, Sam's Club, and international markets.
• Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Facilities Services, Merchandising, Private Brands, Sourcing, Procurement, and Tech to translate goals into operational plans aligned across business units, and to accelerate progress on targets and internal KPI's
• Lead and influence cross-functional teams to develop and implement solutions maximizing long-term value creation for our business while enabling positive outcomes for people, communities, and the planet.
• Track and support progress against KPI's and ensure accountability across cross-functional owners.

Drive external engagement and systems change

• Manage key external relationships such as NGOs, suppliers, and industry coalitions focused on waste and circularity (product, packaging, and materials).
• Develop and review ESG disclosures by providing data, narratives, and impact metrics related to waste and circularity.
• Engage with standards organizations and support Walmart's policy advocacy efforts to enable circular systems and infrastructure.
• Represent Walmart's sustainability interests and positions with key public and Industry forums.

Lead and develop a high-performing team

• Manage a team of sustainability professionals, providing coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities.
• Set clear goals, establish accountability, and foster a culture of result orientation, innovation, and collaboration.
• Align team resources to high-impact opportunities, ensuring progress on both short-term deliverables and long-term strategic priorities.

What you'll bring:

• Strong business acumen and strategy development skills: able to define long-term strategy and impactful implementation roadmaps to reduce waste (including food loss and waste), optimize packaging, and increase overall material circularity to create business value; integrate sustainability strategies into core business functions, and drive systems thinking.
• Strategic communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex sustainability strategies to diverse audiences, including senior leadership. Able to influence without authority and build alignment across diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Track record of successfully leading complex, enterprise-wide initiatives: Managing projects across operations, facilities services, finance, merchandising, and sourcing to deliver meaningful results in large, matrixed organizations. Proven ability to manage ambiguity, prioritize competing workstreams, and maintain momentum toward long-term objectives while delivering on short term objectives.
• Team leadership: Proven ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment.
• Strong understanding of sustainability strategies, reporting standards, policy levers, and industry benchmarks especially in packaging, food systems, waste infrastructure, and circular economy models (including EPR policies and eco-modulation implementation).

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Environmental Science, Social Science, Communications, or related field and 6 years' experience managing cross-functional projects for governmental or non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, or corporations OR 10 years' experience managing cross-functional projects for governmental or non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, or corporations.

Preferred Qualifications: Consulting, Preparing and executing budgets, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Sustainability - Environmental, Sustainability - Social, Working in a matrixed organization Masters: International Studies

Primary Location: 702 Sw 8Th St, Bentonville, AR 72716, United States of America