Circularity Specialist
YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP is the world leader in online luxury and fashion which comprises a complete luxury retail ecosystem. To support the teams who are powering this ecosystem, we have a global Corporate division consisting of departments including Legal, Finance, Security, Human Resources, and Communications & Sustainability.
Our Corporate division is now seeking a talented Circularity Specialist to join the Sustainability team. The team is responsible for driving sustainable transformation through innovation, circular business, D&I, and business strategy, for raising the bar not only within the industry but to prepare and increase the relevance of our business for the future. Through education, training, and engagement, the Sustainability team is driving excitement, and collaboration and empowering our teams to work towards lasting positive impacts, together.
Some of the essentials for you to know are:
Location: Our office in Milan or Bologna
Department Size: Group Comms & Sustainability – 10 People
Reporting into: Director of Corporate Communications & Sustainability
Direct reports: NA
Here is a breakdown of what you’ll be doing:
- Plan, lead and execute the circular strategy across YNAP in line with the Group’s sustainability strategy, Infinity, as well as other Group and Brands business strategies.
- Drive integration of the circular strategy in the business, partnering with Brand leaders across the Group to build aligned plans and drive execution.
- Identify, build and manage relevant circular business models and propositions to enhance the current offering across NET-A-PORTER, MR PORTER, THE OUTNET, YOOX, in collaboration with senior leadership teams. This includes:
- identify circular propositions with the highest business potential and, if needed, strategic rollout partner(s).
- build the business case, define related commercial, marketing, communication targets, and KPIs, and monitor and improve performance accordingly.
- Identify and/or ideate circular solutions and processes to enable all Group functions and teams to embed circularity into their processes and ways of working in order to support the Group transformation into a circular business by 2030 e.g. work with procurement to prioritize suppliers offering care and repair services.
- Oversee circular content integration into Group & Brand messaging, customer comms, and campaigns.
- Own and drive relationships with external partners (NGOs, consultancies, start-ups, etc.).
- Build YOOX NET-A-PORTER‘s authority and thought leadership in circular luxury fashion acting as the Group’s subject matter expert.
- Regularly engage with the Infinity Program Manager, Infinity Leads, and SLT presenting on plans and progress and helping synthesize data and provide recommendations.
- Prepare reports and presentations to ExCo on proposed circular strategy and growth opportunities.
- Engage and unify Brand and corporate functions leadership teams to create buy-in to the Group’s circular transformation and execution of key parts of the agenda within their teams.
The type of person we are looking for:
- Knowledge and experience in circularity, sustainability, and innovation – preferably in fashion, apparel retail, or luxury industry.
- 5+ years of experience in sustainability and/or strategy consultancy with a top-tier firm or similar in-house position in the fashion, apparel retail, or luxury industry.
- Strong knowledge of business administration across functions.
- Strategic and inquisitive mindset with an ability to think laterally, quickly grasp a new and wide variety of topics, and develop analytical frameworks.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills to educate and influence senior leaders; ability to “manage up”.
- Comfortable with ambiguity, with a high sense of ownership, and embracing challenges. Someone able to develop the role and work without a pre-set framework.
- A truly collaborative and open mindset with outstanding people and relationship skills; and the ability to interact with different levels of a multi-cultural, global, and matrix organization.
- Outstanding attention to detail with a proven ability to plan, organize/manage multiple tasks and drive project timelines to completion.
- Flexible, and able to perform in a dynamic environment with a high standard of ethics and integrity.
- Self-starter, hands-on, and able to prioritize with a results-oriented mindset.