Senior Sustainability Partner - Sustainable Materials (12 month FTC)

Employment: Contract Experience level: Mid-Senior Level Job Description We are looking for a motivated and experienced Senior Sustainability Partner to join the Sustainability team at ASOS. This is a delivery-focused, hands-on role responsible for implementing ASOS’s sustainable materials priorities through structured programmes, close and ongoing supplier engagement, strong partnership with Buying and Sourcing teams, and robust data and certification processes.  The role will turn agreed sustainable materials targets and regulatory requirements into clear delivery plans, coordinated supplier actions, effective business processes and measurable outcomes, ensuring solutions are commercially aligned.  The role is a 12-month fixed-term contract reporting into the Head of Sustainability.  What you’ll be doing  Sustainable Materials Transformation  Lead delivery of annual sustainable materials targets, regularly tracking progress and analysing gaps across fibre, category, supplier and buying area, defining targeted actions at the most relevant level and driving their implementation with suppliers, Sourcing and Buying teams.  Develop and implement supplier transition plans with priority garment and fabric suppliers, assessing readiness and capacity, agreeing supplier-level actions, providing ongoing support, while ensuring solutions are commercially aligned on cost, quality and speed-to-market.  Maintain regular, hands-on engagement with key suppliers, driving progress on agreed sustainable materials actions and ensuring delivery against transition milestones and sourcing requirements.  Map and assess upstream sustainable fibre and material sources across Tier 3 and Tier 4, building insight into availability, capability and commercial terms to identify sourcing opportunities for Buying, Sourcing and Tier 1–2 suppliers.  Partner with Buying and Sourcing teams to turn sustainable materials goals into practical sourcing solutions, addressing challenges and embedding them into day-to-day product development.  Traceability & Certification  Lead the tracking, verification and validation of sustainable materials data and certifications at product and fabric level, using certification and chain-of-custody evidence to substantiate sustainable material data across the supply chain.  Drive the closure of identified gaps through targeted supplier engagement, providing clear guidance on requirements and following up on agreed actions, while coordinating with Sourcing and Fabric teams where wider support is needed.  Define business needs for certification and traceability data and work with relevant teams to shape the processes and system solutions needed across internal and external platforms, ensuring robust long-term integration.  Compliance, Data & Reporting  Translate legislative requirements, including ESPR, DPP, ECGT and the CMA Green Claims Code, into readiness plans and embed them into sustainable materials strategy, supplier requirements, processes and tools, in line with the direction and priorities set by the Corporate Affairs and Strategy team.  Work with technical and data teams to improve systems, dashboards and processes to support sustainable materials reporting and regulatory requirements.  Coordinate company and industry reporting on sustainable materials, ensuring data is robust and audit-ready, and manage relationships with key organisations such as Textile Exchange, Better Cotton and Canopy.  Team Management & Programme Delivery  Coordinate delivery across multiple workstreams, track progress, dependencies and risks, and provide clear updates and recommended actions to stakeholders.  Manage the Sustainable Product Team’s day-to-day delivery, allocating work, setting clear priorities and removing operational blockers.  Support team performance and development through clear objectives, regular feedback and practical coaching.  Qualifications Key Skills and Experience  5+ years’ experience working in sustainability within fashion, apparel or retail, with evidence of delivering programmes from plan through to implementation.  Strong understanding of sustainable materials, supply-chain traceability and certification standards across polyester, cotton and MMCFs.  Practical experience working with complex supply chains, including hands-on supplier engagement and progress monitoring.  Strong commercial awareness, with experience delivering sustainable materials solutions that balance cost, quality and speed-to-market.  Strong analytical and data-management skills, including the ability to validate supplier, material and certification information and deliver accurate, audit-ready reporting.  Experience working with product data systems (e.g. PLM), traceability platforms, and AI tools is beneficial.  Strong project management skills, with experience coordinating multiple workstreams, milestones, deadlines and dependencies in a fast-paced environment.  Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate across teams and turn decisions into clear actions.  Clear written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical or regulatory requirements into practical business and supplier guidance.  Good understanding of relevant sustainability and supply-chain legislation, including ESPR, DPP, ECGT and the CMA Green Claims Code.  Additional Information BeneFITS’  Employee discount (hello ASOS discount!)  Employee sample sales  25 days paid annual leave + an extra celebration day for a special moment  Discretionary bonus scheme  Private medical care scheme  Flexible benefits allowance - which you can choose to take as extra cash, or use towards other benefits  Opportunity for personalised learning and in-the-moment experiences that enable you to thrive and excel in your role.  Company Description We’re ASOS, the online retailer for fashion lovers all around the world.  We exist to give our customers the confidence to be whoever they want to be, and that goes for our people too. At ASOS, you’re free to be your true self without judgement, and channel your creativity into a platform used by millions.  Everyone needs some help showing up as their best self. We’re Disability Confident Committed - let our Talent team know if you need any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process