Global Environment Manager in Sunderland

Join Freshfields as Global Environment Manager: Shape a Sustainable Future. Are you an accomplished ESG or environmental professional with a passion for driving meaningful change on a global scale? Freshfields, a premier international law firm, invites you to seize a pivotal opportunity to forge our ambitious environmental agenda. As our Global Environment Manager, you will be instrumental in delivering our environmental goals, embedding sustainability across our worldwide operations, and enhancing our reputation as a leader in responsible business. This is more than a role; it’s a chance to make a significant strategic impact, influence colleagues globally, and help define the future of environmental stewardship within the legal sector.

What You Will Do:

• Shape our Global Environmental Ambition: Collaborate closely with the Head of Client Sustainability and Environment to develop, implement, and maintain Freshfields' global environmental policy and delivery plan, including our science-based carbon reduction targets.
• Lead Data & Reporting Excellence: Oversee our comprehensive environmental data collection, processing, and quality assurance. You will be responsible for driving critical environmental reporting, including regulated disclosures (e.g., SECR, ESOS, TCFD), CDP, EcoVadis, and internal reports, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
• Influence & Engage Stakeholders: Cultivate influential relationships across our global network from regional COOs to function leads, and the global leadership team to champion environmental progress. You will also chair our impactful Global Green Group, fostering a vibrant community of colleague-led environmental champions.
• Elevate Our Brand & Communications: Shape the narrative of our environmental commitment by curating engaging content for internal and external platforms, including our intranet, website, case studies, and presentations.
• Strategic Project & Partnership Management: Drive impactful local and global projects and campaigns that deliver tangible environmental improvements across our offices. Oversee strategic partnerships with leading environmental platforms, software providers, and advisory services.
• Client & Industry Engagement: Serve as a key point of contact for clients, providing expert insights and data on our environmental and climate performance. Represent Freshfields in prestigious legal industry alliances (e.g., LSA) and engage with wider environmental initiatives (e.g., RE100, Greener Litigation Pledge).
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner seamlessly with teams such as Workplace Portfolio, Travel, Finance, and Procurement to embed environmental best practices in new offices, business travel, carbon accounting, and supplier engagement strategies.

Who You Are:

To succeed in this impactful role, you will bring a blend of strategic vision, technical expertise, and exceptional organisational qualities:

Essential Qualifications:

• Experience: Proven expertise in an ESG / environmental management / corporate sustainability role within a complex, multi-site, or global organisation. Demonstrated success in supporting ESG strategies, net-zero pathways (including SBTi), and sustainability-related certifications. Hands-on mastery of environmental data, reporting platforms, and assurance processes (e.g., TCFD, CDP, EcoVadis). A track record of fostering environmental leadership and collaborating with diverse teams.
• Competencies: A strong understanding of regulatory requirements and best practices in operational sustainability. Exceptional analytical skills, capable of interpreting complex environmental data, identifying trends, and providing insights to drive decision-making. Superior project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple workstreams and stakeholders in a dynamic professional environment. Adept at producing well-structured reports, dashboards, and executive-ready materials. Proficient with data systems, spreadsheets, and environmental reporting tools.
• Behaviours: Proactive and confident, ready to lead activities and influence colleagues across all functions and seniority levels. Outstanding communication and interpersonal abilities, capable of translating technical environmental concepts into clear, business-friendly language. A highly collaborative and team-oriented approach, fostering strong relationships internally and with external partners. An unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility, driven by a "can-do" improvement mindset. Resilient and adaptable, comfortable navigating ambiguity in a complex global environment.

Highly Desirable Attributes:

• Experience: Experience within a leading professional services culture (e.g., law firms, consulting, financial services), with an understanding of operational constraints and client expectations. Familiarity with global regulatory trends, market frameworks, and geo-political influences on sustainability strategy.
• Competencies: Knowledge of environmental technology solutions, such as smart building systems or advanced analytical tools. An understanding of responsible procurement and supply-chain sustainability. The ability to support and drive behavioural-based sustainability initiatives.
• Behaviours: Comfortable and compelling when presenting to senior stakeholders, committees, and external audiences. A creative and innovative mindset, always seeking new approaches to improve environmental performance through operational excellence.

Inclusion: Freshfields is an equal opportunities employer and all applications received by the firm will be considered by the firm on the basis of their merit alone and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of background. All offers of employment will be conditional on the candidate having/securing the right to work in the UK and providing the firm with evidence of that right (as required by the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006) prior to employment commencing. Freshfields is a Ban the Box employer. We ask applicants to disclose criminal convictions only when a conditional job offer is made. A conviction does not automatically lead to withdrawal of the offer: we make decisions on a case-by-case basis and take a number of factors into account (e.g. the role you are applying for and the circumstances of the offence). You would have the opportunity to discuss the matter with us before we make a decision.