Head of Sustainability

**Job ID**:15511**Position Type**:Full-Time**Job Function**:Executive**Workplace Type**:
**Division**:Head Office**Province**:Western Cape**Location**:Cape Town North**Suburb**:Parow (Parow)Position Description:
**Head of Sustainability**

**Cape Town**
**Permanent**

**The opportunity**:
With 30 retail brands that trade in fashion, value, jewellery, accessories, sporting apparel, cellular, homeware and furniture, TFG is the leading speciality retailer in South Africa.

The Group has a presence in Botswana, Zambia, Namibia, Lesotho and Eswatini through various retail brands.

The Group operates in the UK through its Phase Eight, Whistles and Hobbs businesses as well as Australia through the Retail Apparel Group which owns a number of successful brands in that territory.

TFG has over 4 300 outlets in 26 countries and employs more than 34 800 people with over 26.4 million customers.

**TFG’s Purpose is to Inspire our Customers to Live their Best Lives and this position has a critical role to play in how we communicate our efforts to do just that.**

The role will report into the **Chief Strategy Officer**.

**Responsibilities**:
Sustainability
- Be responsible for and oversee the implementation of TFG’s sustainability strategy and engage / report back to the Social & Ethics Board subcommittee, TFG Operating Board and sustainability committee on an on-going basis
- Operational Steercoms - In conjunction with the focus area champions, oversee the implementation of the focus areas / objectives - set up meetings and chair, compile agenda, facilitate the process, issue minutes, follow-up on issues etc.
- Draw up annual action plans and deliver on the shared value proposition of the Group sustainability strategic pillars - Localisation and Job Creation, People and Communities, Environmental Efficiency and Product Stewardship and Supply Chain. This includes setting objectives and KPI’s, key outcomes and initiatives. Set up sustainability meetings/workshops, agenda, facilitate the process, issue minutes, follow-up on issues etc.
- TFG London and TFG Australia Sustainability - integrate into Group KPI’s, initiatives and reporting
- Assist in developing and enhancing the sustainability management solution (for data gathering, collation and reporting of non-financial data)
- Implement external data assurance processes
- Key annual reports: TFG’s Integrated Annual Report - sustainability section, TFG Inspired Living Report, carbon footprint report, CDP climate, water, forest reports, FTSE/JSE responsible investment index report, MSCI ESG research, Fashion Transparency Index report, TFG Limited website - sustainability section, TFG intranet - sustainability section and TCFD
- External engagements - Liaise extensively and represent the Group on external forums and industry bodies
- Advisory role on Group sustainability memberships and affiliations

Transformation
- In conjunction with the Social and Ethics committee and Operating Board contribute to the implementation of transformation in TFG Africa
- Chair the B-BBEE Forum
- Accountability for the Group annual B-BBEE Level, coordination of the annual B-BBEE audit and B-BBEE Commission submission
- Accountability for Group Enterprise Development and Socio-Economic Development strategies and initiatives
- Provision of guidance to the business on structuring existing projects to ensure annual scorecard targets are met - Ownership, Management Control, Employment Equity, Skills Development, Preferential Procurement and Supplier Development

Projects
- Coordinate all central and business sustainability projects (via the project manager and sustainability champions) and report quarterly
- Involvement in systems / process changes relating to new and existing projects / programs

Communication
- Accountability for sustainability communications strategy
- Implement sustainability strategy awareness - education campaign (including divisional/sector communications sessions) and improved reporting

Budgets
- Preparation and accountability of budgets and projections with ongoing oversight.

Team
- Manage and provide leadership to the sustainability team

**Requirements**:

- Experience within the retail industry would be highly advantageous, although not essential
- Analytical skills
- Competent in engaging with complexity and managing multiple stakeholders
- Able to work between detail and big-picture thinking
- Comfortable with complexity and multi-tasking
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
- Proficient in problem solving
- Willing to act as a champion and drive change across the business