Sustainability Manager - Procurement & Travel

Who are we? Howden is a global insurance group with employee ownership at its heart. Together, we have pushed the boundaries of insurance. We are united by a shared passion and no-limits mindset, and our strength lies in our ability to collaborate as a powerful international team comprised of 23,000 employees spanning over 56 countries. People join Howden for many different reasons, but they stay for the same one: our culture. It’s what sets us apart, and the reason our employees have been turning down headhunters for years. Whatever your priorities – work / life balance, career progression, sustainability, volunteering – you’ll find like-minded people driving change at Howden.

What is the role? As a Sustainability Manager – Procurement & Travel at Howden, you will play a pivotal role in driving sustainable practices across the organisation’s procurement and travel activities. Your responsibilities will centre on developing and implementing strategies that minimise environmental impact, enhance ethical sourcing, and promote responsible travel. You’ll collaborate with internal teams and external partners to ensure supply chains are transparent and aligned with sustainability goals, while also championing initiatives that reduce carbon emissions. By analysing data, setting targets, and monitoring progress, you’ll help create and shape policies that support Howden’s commitment to making a positive difference. Your work will be integral to embedding sustainability into everyday business decisions, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring that procurement and travel operations reflect the company’s values and long-term vision.

What will you be doing? Based within the Group Sustainability Team, you will act as a sustainability business partner to procurement and travel functions:

• Designing and rolling out policies, procedures and standards for sustainable procurement and travel, ensuring alignment with Howden’s ESG and net zero commitments.
• Leading the integration of sustainability criteria into supplier selection, contract negotiation, and travel management processes.
• Conducting supply chain due diligence, including risk assessments and supplier sustainability evaluations using the appropriate tools.
• Collaborating with suppliers to improve their environmental and social performance, and ensure compliance with Howden’s Supplier Code of Conduct.
• Monitoring and reporting on supplier adherence to sustainability benchmarks.
• Identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation in procurement and travel relating to sustainability.
• Preparing management reports and contributing to external sustainability reporting disclosures.
• Leading training and awareness programmes for procurement and travel teams; and stakeholders on sustainable practices.
• Supporting the implementation of new technologies and systems to enhance sustainability outcomes.
• Identifying, assessing, and managing sustainability risks and opportunities within procurement and travel.
• Supporting business case development for sustainability initiatives and reporting on benefits and value delivered.

What are we looking for? A hands-on sustainability professional with relevant experience embedding sustainability into procurement and business travel functions in a corporate environment. You will have helped large, multinational organisations translate net-zero ambitions into pragmatic policies, data-led decisions, and measurable Scope 3 reductions across purchased goods/services and employee travel. We are seeking an individual who is collaborative and comfortable engaging with suppliers, travel partners, and internal stakeholders to drive change at pace.

Core experience and domain expertise:

• Extensive experience across corporate sustainability with a deep understanding of sustainable procurement and corporate travel, this could be from an in-house or consultancy background.
• Preferably you will have experience of designing and implementing policies and minimum standards that align operational decisions with enterprise-level ESG and net-zero commitments.
• Experience of supply chain due diligence, e.g. CSDDD, Due Diligence acts in various geographies, with the proven capability to keep pace with regulatory change and emerging best practice.

Qualifications and credentials:

• Degree in sustainability, environmental management, supply chain, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• Professional certifications desirable: MCIPS (or CIPS advanced modules in sustainable procurement), IEMA/ENVQUAL, GHG Accounting (e.g., WRI/WBCSD).
• Familiarity with ISO 20400 (Sustainable Procurement), ISO 14001, and standard carbon accounting frameworks (GHG Protocol, Scope 3).

What do we offer in return? A career that you define. At Howden, we value diversity – there is no one Howden type. Instead, we’re looking for individuals who share the same values as us:

• Our successes have all come from someone brave enough to try something new.
• We support each other in the small everyday moments and the bigger challenges.
• We are determined to make a positive difference at work and beyond.

Reasonable adjustments: We’re committed to providing reasonable accommodations at Howden to ensure that our positions align well with your needs. Besides the usual adjustments such as software, IT, and office setups, we can also accommodate other changes such as flexible hours or hybrid working. If you’re excited by this role but have some doubts about whether it’s the right fit for you, send us your application – if your profile fits the role’s criteria, we will be in touch to assist in helping to get you set up with any reasonable adjustments you may require.