UK

United Kingdom · Sustainability · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Circular Economy

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports25-100+ reports
  • Reports toChief Sustainability Officer (CSO) or Chief Operating Officer (COO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP, Circular Business · Head of Sustainable Value Chains · Senior Director, Resource Optimisation · Circular Business Unit Lead

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Waste and Resource Management Industry Awareness CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 2 Certificate for Waste and Resource Management Operative
Manage customer care programs to improve waste management services CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 3 Diploma for Waste Supervisor
Maintain health and safety in the waste resource management industry CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 4 Medium Risk Operator Competence for Storage of Non-Hazardous Wastes
Stakeholder communication and other non-legislative factors affecting the waste and resource management industry CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 4 Certificate in Waste and Resource Management
Understand operational systems and procedures in the waste/recycling industry CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 2 Certificate in Principles of Sustainable Resource Management

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly
Frontier Fluency the next wave, beyond mainstream AI
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Circular Economy

5 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Waste and Resource Management Industry Awareness CIWM · covers 2 of 3 standards Level 2
  2. Manage customer care programs to improve waste management services CIWM · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 3
  3. Maintain health and safety in the waste resource management industry CIWM · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 4
  4. Stakeholder communication and other non-legislative factors affecting the waste and resource management industry CIWM · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 4
  5. Understand operational systems and procedures in the waste/recycling industry CIWM · covers 1 of 3 standards Level 2
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Circular Economy?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • Advanced Predictive Analytics for Circularity
  • Blockchain & Digital Product Passports
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Circular Economy plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

A Director of Circular Economy leads the shift from a 'take-make-dispose' model to one where materials keep their value. The work spans multi-year programmes and getting whole business units on board.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

LCA Software (SimaPro, GaBi, OpenLCA) Strategic

Evaluating and selecting the right LCA platforms for the organisation, interpreting complex model outputs, and using LCA results to inform strategic decisions and external communications. You won't be clicking buttons, but you'll guide those who do.

Material Flow / Traceability Platforms (Umberto, STAN, TrusTrace, Everledger) Architect

Setting the enterprise strategy for material traceability and circular material management. This means negotiating contracts with platform providers, ensuring data integrity, and overseeing the implementation of these systems across the business unit.

Data Visualization & BI (Tableau, Power BI) Strategic

Defining the key circularity metrics the business unit should track, using BI tools for board-level reporting, and ensuring your team builds dashboards that deliver clear, actionable insights for strategic decision-making.

Project & Collaboration Tools (Asana, Jira, Miro) Strategic

Overseeing the entire portfolio of circularity projects, ensuring resource allocation aligns with strategic goals, and using these tools to monitor progress and manage interdependencies across large programmes.

ERP & Supply Chain Systems (SAP S/4HANA, Oracle Fusion Cloud SCM) Architect

Influencing ERP configuration and master data strategy to enable circular business models at scale. This means working with IT and Operations to ensure our core systems can support reverse logistics, material passports, and service-based revenue.

Executive Reporting Platforms (Diligent Boards, OneTrust ESG) Advanced

Directly using or overseeing the use of these platforms to prepare and present materials for board meetings, investor briefings, and our annual sustainability reports. This is about ensuring our circularity story is accurately and compellingly told to critical audiences.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic Direction for Circularity Programmes No authority. Follows established guidelines. Proposes adjustments to existing programmes based on data. Designs and recommends new workstreams within larger projects.
Budget Allocation for Circular Initiatives No authority. Follows budget for assigned tasks. Manages small project budgets (up to £5K) with manager approval. Approves project-level expenditure up to £50K. Recommends larger investments.
Hiring & Team Structure No authority. Provides input on candidate fit for junior roles. Interviews and recommends candidates for specialist roles. Mentors junior staff.
External Partnerships & Vendor Selection No authority. Supports data gathering. Researches potential vendors and provides recommendations. Leads vendor selection for specific tools/services up to £100K. Negotiates terms.
Product Development & Design for Circularity No authority. Provides data for LCA. Suggests eco-design improvements for specific components. Leads eco-design workshops for new product lines. Makes recommendations to R&D.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Revenue from Circular Business Models
The percentage of total divisional revenue generated specifically from circular offerings like Product-as-a-Service, refurbished goods, or material recovery services.
Target · >5% of total divisional revenue within 3 years

If your business unit's revenue is £500M, you'd aim for £25M+ from circular models by year three. This isn't easy, it's about creating entirely new value streams.

Virgin Material Reduction
The overall percentage reduction in virgin (new) material intake across the business unit's product portfolio, tracked against a baseline.
Target · Achieve a 20% reduction in virgin material use across key product lines within 2 years.

You'd track tonnes of virgin plastic, metal, or fibre purchased, aiming to replace a fifth of that with recycled content, reused components, or through service models.

Waste Diversion & Resource Efficiency
The percentage of operational waste (manufacturing, end-of-life products) that is diverted from landfill or incineration through reuse, recycling, or composting.
Target · Increase waste diversion rate by 15% year-on-year for the business unit.

If 60% of our waste currently goes to landfill, you'd push that to 75% by finding new recycling partners or internal reuse programmes. This often means finding value in what others see as rubbish.

Circular Economy Index Score Improvement
Our performance improvement on recognised external circularity assessments, such as the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's Circulytics tool.
Target · Improve our Circulytics score by 20% over 2 years.

This isn't just about internal numbers; it's about how the world sees us. A higher score means we're genuinely embedding circularity, not just talking about it.

P&L Responsibility for Circular Initiatives
Managing the budget and financial performance of circularity programmes and business models to ensure they are financially viable and contribute positively to the bottom line.
Target · Maintain a positive net margin for all new circular business lines under your remit, or deliver £2M+ in annual cost savings through circularity programmes.

You're not just spending money; you're investing it. This means showing a clear return, whether it's direct revenue, cost avoidance, or market advantage.

Strategic Integration & Influence
How well circular economy principles are embedded into core business strategy, product development roadmaps, and investment decisions across the business unit.
  • Regular invitations to C-Suite strategic planning sessions
  • circularity considerations explicitly included in new product development gates
  • successful funding approvals for significant circularity programmes
  • positive feedback from business unit leaders on collaborative efforts.
Team Leadership & Capability Building
Your ability to build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team that can execute complex circularity programmes and drive change.
  • High team retention rates
  • clear succession planning for key roles
  • positive feedback in 360-degree reviews
  • successful development of junior team members into leadership positions
  • a reputation for attracting top talent in the circular economy space.
External Reputation & Thought Leadership
Our standing as a leader in circular economy practices within our industry and with key external stakeholders.
  • Speaking engagements at major industry conferences
  • positive mentions in sustainability reports and industry publications
  • successful partnerships with leading circular economy organisations
  • recognition from investors for our circularity strategy
  • active participation in policy discussions.
Risk Mitigation & Regulatory Preparedness
How effectively the business unit is prepared for and responds to evolving regulatory landscapes (e.g., EPR laws) and market shifts towards circularity.
  • No unexpected regulatory fines or penalties related to product end-of-life
  • proactive adjustments to product design or supply chains in anticipation of new laws
  • positive internal audit results on circularity compliance
  • clear plans in place for managing material scarcity risks.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Driving Large-Scale Systemic Change

You'll be working on multi-year programmes that redefine how we operate, from product design to end-of-life. This means influencing strategic direction, securing significant investment, and seeing your vision come to life across an entire business unit.

Leading the transition of a major product category from a linear sales model to a Product-as-a-Service offering, completely changing its design, logistics, and revenue structure.

Building & Leading High-Impact Teams

You'll be responsible for recruiting, developing, and inspiring a diverse team of circularity experts. This involves setting strategic objectives, empowering your managers, and fostering a culture of innovation and resilience.

Mentoring a senior manager to successfully launch a new material take-back scheme, seeing them grow into a confident leader who can tackle complex operational challenges.

Solving Complex, Multi-Dimensional Problems

You thrive on tackling challenges that involve technical, financial, operational, and behavioural aspects all at once. There's no single right answer, and you'll be charting new territory, often with incomplete information.

Designing a closed-loop supply chain for a critical component that involves negotiating with multiple suppliers, optimising reverse logistics, and securing investment for new processing technology.

What frustrates people
  • The Tyranny of the Quarterly Report: You'll constantly be fighting to justify long-term circular investments (which might take 5-10 years to fully mature) against short-term financial metrics that still reward linear, extractive models. Getting the CFO to see beyond the next quarter is a constant battle.
  • Pilot Purgatory: You'll successfully prove a fantastic circular model in a pilot project, only to see it stall indefinitely due to a lack of funding, risk aversion, or simply a lack of organisational will to scale it across the business. It's incredibly frustrating to see great ideas die on the vine.
  • Data Black Holes (at Scale): Even at this level, you'll spend far too much time trying to get accurate, consistent data on waste streams, energy consumption, or material composition from various business units and suppliers. People just don't track it consistently, or they see it as 'your problem,' not theirs.
  • Silo Warfare: Your KPIs are all about reducing virgin material intake and increasing circular revenue, but the procurement team's bonus might still be tied to lowering the cost-per-unit, which often means buying cheaper, less sustainable materials. You're constantly mediating these internal conflicts.
  • 'Green-wishing' from Marketing: You'll be pressured by the marketing department to make bold, headline-grabbing sustainability claims that aren't fully supported by the data or the operational reality. Managing the gap between ambition and reality is a delicate dance.
  • Legacy System Friction: Trying to implement a new Product-as-a-Service model when your company's ERP and accounting systems are hard-coded for one-way sales and simply can't process returns, track refurbished goods, or handle service-based revenue models. It's like trying to run a marathon in concrete boots.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet life with predictable routines. Expect constant challenges and shifting priorities.
  • Guaranteed quick wins. Most of what you'll do involves long-term, systemic change.
  • A role where you only focus on one aspect of sustainability. This is broad and interconnected.
  • The luxury of working in a perfectly green, circular company from day one. You're building it.

8Who you work with

This role directly shapes our business strategy and market position for an entire business unit. Your decisions will influence multi-million-pound investments, product roadmaps, and our ability to meet ambitious sustainability targets. You're not just advising; you're building and running a core part of our future business.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, CFO, COO, CSO)
  • Business Unit Managing Directors
  • Head of Product Development & R&D
  • Head of Supply Chain & Operations
  • Legal & Regulatory Affairs
  • Marketing & Brand Leadership
Outside the business
  • Key Strategic Suppliers & Partners
  • Industry Bodies & Associations (e.g., Ellen MacArthur Foundation)
  • Government Regulators & Policy Makers
  • Investors & ESG Rating Agencies
  • Major Customers & Client Accounts

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Proven track record of leading large-scale sustainability or circular economy programmes within a complex organisation (100+ employees).
  • Demonstrable experience managing a P&L or significant budget (£2M+) for business initiatives.
  • Extensive experience (5+ years) in a senior leadership role, managing managers and large teams.
  • Deep expertise in at least three core circular economy domains (e.g., circular business model design, reverse logistics, LCA).
  • Experience presenting strategic recommendations and programme updates to C-Suite executives and/or Board members.
  • A strong network within the circular economy community or relevant industry bodies.
  • Ability to drive change and influence without direct authority across multiple departments.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Strategic ERP Integration for Circularity

ERP systems are the backbone of our operations. Future success in circularity depends on deeply integrating circular processes (e.g., reverse logistics, material passports, service-based revenue) into our core ERP, rather than relying on bolt-on solutions. You'll need to influence enterprise-level IT architecture.

Master Data Management for Circular Materials · Reverse Logistics Module Configuration · Service-Based Revenue Recognition · API Integration for External Circularity Platforms

  • This quarter: Meet with our Head of IT and ERP Programme Manager to understand upcoming system upgrades and integration roadmaps.
  • Next 6 months: Commission a feasibility study on how to best integrate circularity requirements into our next ERP upgrade cycle.
  • Next 12 months: Attend a conference on 'ERP for Sustainability' or 'Digital Supply Chain Transformation'.
  • Ongoing: Challenge your team to identify specific ERP pain points hindering circularity and propose solutions for IT.

Quick win: Identify one key piece of circularity data that isn't currently tracked in our ERP. Work with IT to see how quickly it could be added, even as a custom field. Small wins build momentum.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Active participation in global circular economy forums and conferences (e.g., World Circular Economy Forum, GreenBiz).
  • Engaging with industry working groups focused on circularity standards or policy development.
  • Mentoring junior professionals in the sustainability or circular economy space.
  • Publishing thought leadership articles or speaking at industry events to position yourself and the company as a leader.
  • Ongoing learning about emerging technologies (AI, blockchain) and their application to circular economy challenges.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

Advanced Predictive Analytics for Circularity

The sheer volume of data from IoT-enabled products, supply chain sensors, and customer behaviour is exploding. Directors who can harness this to predict product end-of-life, optimise collection routes, forecast material availability, and anticipate market demand for refurbished goods will gain a massive competitive edge.

  • Machine Learning for Demand Forecasting
  • Digital Twins for Product Lifecycle Management
  • AI for Anomaly Detection in Material Quality
  • Optimisation Algorithms for Reverse Logistics

Blockchain & Digital Product Passports

Transparency and traceability are becoming non-negotiable for circularity. Blockchain offers an immutable record of a product's journey, materials, and ownership, enabling true material passports and combating greenwashing. As regulators demand more proof, this will be critical.

  • Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT)
  • Tokenisation of Materials
  • Smart Contracts for Circularity
  • Interoperability Standards for Digital Passports

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) & Strategic Interpretation
  • Circular Business Model Design & Implementation
  • Material Flow Analysis (MFA) & Value Chain Optimisation
  • Reverse Logistics & Closed-Loop Supply Chain Strategy
  • Eco-Design & Design for Disassembly (DfD) Leadership
  • Stakeholder Co-creation & Value Chain Collaboration (Executive Level)

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    From Lead Circular Business Strategist (Internal)

    3-5 years as a Lead

    Skills to master

    • Expanding strategic scope beyond specific programmes to encompass an entire business unit, developing strong P&L management skills, building and leading larger teams (including managers), and honing C-Suite communication.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led multiple complex, multi-year circularity programmes from concept to implementation.
    • Consistently delivered measurable impact on key circularity metrics and financial outcomes.
    • Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams without direct authority.
    • Proven capability in mentoring and developing senior specialists or junior managers.
  2. 2

    From Senior Manager/Head of Sustainability (External, Large Enterprise)

    5-8 years in a similar senior management role

    Skills to master

    • Deepening expertise specifically in circular economy principles and their operationalisation, adapting to our company's specific industry challenges, and building a new internal network quickly.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Managed a significant sustainability function or business unit within another large, complex organisation.
    • Direct experience with circular economy programme design and implementation at scale.
    • Proven ability to navigate corporate politics and drive change in a new environment.
    • Strong external network and reputation in the sustainability or circular economy field.
  3. 3

    From Management Consulting (Sustainability/Circular Economy Focus)

    8-12 years in consulting, with 3-5 years as a Principal or Partner

    Skills to master

    • Transitioning from advisory to direct operational leadership, building and managing internal teams, and adapting strategic frameworks to the realities of a single corporate entity.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Led major circular economy transformation projects for multiple large clients.
    • Deep expertise in strategy development and implementation, with a strong understanding of financial implications.
    • Proven ability to influence C-Suite clients and manage complex stakeholder relationships.
    • Demonstrated desire to move into a hands-on, long-term leadership role within a company.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to senior leadership positions such as Chief Sustainability Officer or Chief Operating Officer, or a place on a board as a Non-Executive Director.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Circular Economy is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

Also named as a next step, with no page in the catalogue yet:

  • General Manager / Business Unit Lead (with Circularity Focus)

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Waste and Resource Management Industry Awareness, worked against Director of Circular Economy.

Waste and Resource Management Industry Awareness Level 2

Applied to your work in Director of Circular Economy

This unit aims to provide learners with a broad awareness of the waste and resource management industry, including its purpose, different waste categories, and methods of waste minimisation. Learners will explore the reasons for recycling, government targets, materials arising within the industry, hazardous versus non-hazardous waste, and various physical, biological, and advanced waste treatment technologies.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

Start my Director of Circular Economy plan, free
See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Circular Economy
  • Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) & Strategic Interpretation
  • Circular Business Model Design & Implementation
  • Material Flow Analysis (MFA) & Value Chain Optimisation
  • Reverse Logistics & Closed-Loop Supply Chain Strategy
  • Eco-Design & Design for Disassembly (DfD) Leadership
  • Stakeholder Co-creation & Value Chain Collaboration (Executive Level)
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Circular Economy is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)

    3-5 years as Director of Circular Economy

    From business unit leadership to enterprise-wide strategic leadership, reporting directly to the CEO or Board.

    • Holistic ESG data management and reporting frameworks (e.g., SASB, GRI, TCFD).
    • Strategic risk management for climate change and social impacts.
    • Global regulatory foresight and compliance across all sustainability pillars.
    • M&A due diligence and integration from an ESG perspective.

  2. General Manager / Business Unit Lead (with Circularity Focus)

    4-6 years as Director of Circular Economy

    From leading a functional area (circularity) to full P&L ownership and strategic direction of an entire business unit.

    • Comprehensive market analysis and customer segmentation.
    • Advanced product lifecycle management (from concept to commercialisation).
    • Global supply chain optimisation and risk management.
    • Digital transformation leadership across all business functions.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, leading a circular transformation means juggling a million things. The good news? AI isn't just for junior analysts anymore. It's a game-changer for senior leaders like you, freeing up precious time from routine tasks so you can focus on what truly matters: strategy, influence, and driving massive impact.

We're embedding AI across our Sustainability_Corporate_Social department, and for a Director of Circular Economy, this means less time sifting through data or drafting reports, and more time shaping the future. Think of AI as your super-efficient strategic assistant, helping you see around corners and communicate with unparalleled clarity.

Automated Data Harvesting & Synthesis

Imagine AI agents automatically pulling sustainability data from hundreds of supplier portals, parsing complex PDF spec sheets, and cleaning disparate internal ERP records. It then synthesises this into actionable insights, ready for your strategic review. This isn't just data collection; it's intelligence gathering on steroids, giving you a real-time pulse on our circular performance.

Circular Scenario Modelling & Risk Prediction

Use AI to run thousands of 'what if' scenarios for new circular business models or supply chain changes. Predict the complex, non-linear impacts on cost, carbon footprint, resource use, and logistics. This helps you make bolder, more informed strategic decisions, identifying potential pitfalls and opportunities before they even appear on the horizon. It's like having a crystal ball for circularity.

Global Regulatory & Innovation Scouting

Deploy AI tools to continuously scan global sources for emerging Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, new material science breakthroughs, or disruptive circular startups. It provides you with summarised, tailored intelligence briefings, ensuring you're always ahead of the curve on policy changes and market innovations. No more sifting through endless reports yourself.

Executive Communication & Report Generation

Feed GenAI your raw data, key messages, and strategic objectives, and watch it draft the initial narrative for board presentations, investor reports, and internal strategy documents. It handles the first 80% of the writing, allowing you to refine, add your unique insights, and focus on delivering a powerful, persuasive message. This is about making your communication more impactful, faster.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Circular Economy?

Common routes in include From Lead Circular Business Strategist (Internal) (3-5 years as a Lead), From Senior Manager/Head of Sustainability (External, Large Enterprise) (5-8 years in a similar senior management role) and From Management Consulting (Sustainability/Circular Economy Focus) (8-12 years in consulting, with 3-5 years as a Principal or Partner). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Circular Economy progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) (3-5 years as Director of Circular Economy) and General Manager / Business Unit Lead (with Circularity Focus) (4-6 years as Director of Circular Economy), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Circular Economy?

Increasingly, Advanced Predictive Analytics for Circularity and Blockchain & Digital Product Passports. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in sustainability

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

Skills in driving systemic change, designing new business models and working with different stakeholders carry across industries. This can lead to senior roles in fashion, electronics, automotive or food, or into impact investing, policy development or research on sustainable business.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Director of Circular Economy plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.