UK

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

Director of Circular Economy

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports5-10 reports
  • Reports toVP, Sustainability / Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as Head of Circularity & Waste Strategy · VP, Zero Waste Initiatives · Sustainability Director (Circularity Focus)

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

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
Generate and retain waste and resource management business CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 4 Diploma In Systems and Operations Management
Manual collection of waste CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 2 Certificate for Sustainable Waste Management Operative
Maintain health and safety in the waste resource management industry CIWM (WAMITAB) Level 4 Medium Risk Operator Competence for Storage of Non-Hazardous Wastes

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
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work
Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Circular Economy

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

  1. Waste and Resource Management Industry Awareness CIWM · covers 3 of 8 standards Level 2
  2. Generate and retain waste and resource management business CIWM · covers 2 of 8 standards Level 4
  3. Manual collection of waste CIWM · covers 2 of 8 standards Level 2
  4. Maintain health and safety in the waste resource management industry CIWM · covers 2 of 8 standards Level 4
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

  • AI for Circular Design & Material Intelligence
  • Advanced Carbon Accounting & Scope 3 Integration
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 the free Automation Fluency module. No card.

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

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

A Director of Circular Economy leads a company's shift towards a circular business model, covering how materials are designed, made, used and recovered across the value chain.

4What you'd actually use

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

ESG & GRC Platforms (e.g., Workiva, OneTrust, ServiceNow GRC) Strategic

Overseeing the waste/circularity data domain, ensuring data integrity for annual sustainability reports, and using insights to inform strategic decisions and board presentations.

Data Analysis & Visualization (e.g., Power BI, Tableau, Excel Power Query) Strategic

Directing the data visualisation strategy, ensuring executive dashboards clearly link waste metrics to financial performance and ESG goals, and using advanced analytics for strategic forecasting.

LCA & Materials Software (e.g., SimaPro, GaBi) Strategic

Setting the organisational methodology for Life Cycle Assessments, using insights to influence product design, and shaping long-term circular economy strategy.

Collaboration & Reporting (e.g., Diligent, BoardVantage, PowerPoint/Google Slides) Strategic

Preparing and presenting quarterly business reviews to VPs and C-suite, and preparing materials for board-level sustainability committee meetings.

Waste Management Platforms (e.g., Rubicon, Enevo, RTS) Strategic

Leading platform selection and procurement, architecting enterprise-wide data collection strategies, and ensuring integration with broader ESG platforms.

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 & Vision N/A (executes tasks defined by others) N/A (contributes to project segments) Recommends strategic initiatives within a workstream, seeks input from Director.
Budget Allocation & Spend No authority; requests budget for specific tasks from supervisor. Manages small project budgets (up to £5K) within defined guidelines. Approves spend up to £25K for project-specific needs, consults Director for larger amounts.
Team Management & Hiring None (individual contributor). None (individual contributor, informal guidance to juniors). Mentors 0-2 junior team members, provides input on performance reviews.

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.

P&L Impact from Circularity Initiatives
The total financial value generated through cost savings (e.g., reduced waste disposal, material efficiency) and new revenue streams (e.g., resale, material recovery).
Target · Achieve £2M-£5M+ in annualised P&L benefit within 24 months.

Delivering £3.5M in savings in FY25 by redesigning packaging to use 20% less virgin material and implementing a take-back scheme for key products.

Overall Diversion Rate from Landfill
The percentage of all operational waste (including manufacturing, packaging, and office waste) that is diverted from landfill through recycling, composting, or reuse.
Target · Increase company-wide diversion rate by 5-10 percentage points YoY, aiming for 90% by 2030.

Moving from an 80% diversion rate in Q1 to 86% in Q2 across all major sites, driven by a new organics composting programme.

Circular Product/Service Adoption
The percentage of new products or services launched that incorporate circular design principles (e.g., designed for disassembly, made from recycled content, offered as a service model).
Target · Ensure 75% of new product development programmes integrate circular design principles by 2027.

Product X, launched in Q4, uses 40% recycled plastic and is designed for easy component replacement, contributing to the 78% circularity target for new launches.

ESG Rating Improvement (Waste & Circularity)
Our company's performance in key sustainability ratings (e.g., DJSI, CDP, EcoVadis) specifically related to waste management, circular economy, and resource efficiency.
Target · Improve our score in relevant ESG rating categories by at least 10% YoY for the next three years.

Achieving a 'Leadership' score in the CDP Waste questionnaire in 2026, up from 'Management' in 2025, directly attributable to new data transparency and strategy.

Board & Executive Confidence
The level of trust and confidence the Board and C-suite have in our circular economy strategy and its execution.
  • Regular invitations to present at Board meetings on circularity, C-suite proactively seeking your input on strategic business decisions with circularity implications, positive feedback on your strategic vision during annual reviews. They'll be asking 'what's next?' not 'are we hitting targets?'
Cross-Functional Integration & Adoption
The extent to which circular economy principles are embedded into the daily operations and decision-making processes of other departments (e.g., Product, Procurement, Operations).
  • Other department heads actively seeking your team's input on new initiatives, circularity metrics appearing in other departments' KPIs, successful cross-functional projects delivered on time and budget, evidence of circular principles in new product design briefs or procurement policies without your direct prompting.
External Thought Leadership & Reputation
Our company's standing as a leader in circular economy practices within our industry and the broader sustainability community.
  • Invitations for you or your team to speak at industry conferences, positive mentions in analyst reports or sustainability publications, successful collaborations with external partners (e.g., NGOs, academic institutions) on circularity projects, recognition in industry awards for circular innovation.

7Would you like it

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

What people enjoy
Driving Large-Scale Systemic Change

You'll spend your days strategising how to fundamentally alter our company's material footprint, influencing everything from product design to supply chain logistics. This isn't about small tweaks; it's about reshaping core business processes.

Leading the initiative to shift 30% of our product portfolio to a 'product-as-a-service' model, requiring deep collaboration with Product, Sales, and Finance.

Translating Environmental Ambition into Commercial Value

You'll be constantly building business cases, demonstrating how circularity initiatives not only reduce environmental impact but also deliver tangible financial benefits—think cost savings, new revenue, and brand enhancement. It's about making sustainability a core business driver.

Presenting to the CFO on how a new take-back scheme will reduce raw material procurement costs by £1M annually and create a new revenue stream from refurbished products.

Building and Leading a High-Impact Team

You'll be responsible for recruiting, developing, and inspiring a team of talented circular economy professionals. Your success will be measured by their growth and the collective impact they deliver.

Mentoring a Lead Strategist to successfully negotiate a multi-million pound contract with a new recycling partner, empowering them to take full ownership of the process.

What frustrates people
  • Getting a multi-million pound circularity programme approved, only for a sudden budget cut to halt it halfway through.
  • Spending months building a robust data model for material flow, only to have a critical piece of data from a legacy system prove impossible to extract.
  • The constant tension between short-term financial targets and long-term sustainability investments, often with you in the middle.
  • Dealing with other departments who want to claim 'circularity wins' without fully understanding (or implementing) the underlying operational changes.
What this role does not give you
  • A quiet, predictable work environment with minimal political navigation.
  • Immediate, tangible results for every single initiative you launch.
  • A role where you only focus on the 'glamorous' aspects of sustainability without getting into the nitty-gritty of operational change.
  • A position where you're handed a clear, fully-funded mandate without needing to fight for resources or justify every pound.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts our P&L by driving cost savings through waste reduction and resource efficiency, and by identifying new revenue opportunities from circular models. It also significantly shapes our brand reputation, regulatory compliance, and our ability to attract and retain talent who care about sustainability. Essentially, your work will be a core pillar of our long-term business resilience and competitive advantage.

Inside the business
  • C-Suite (CEO, COO, CFO, Chief Product Officer)
  • Heads of Product Design & Engineering
  • Procurement & Supply Chain Leadership
  • Operations & Facilities Directors
  • Legal & Regulatory Affairs
  • Investor Relations & Corporate Communications
Outside the business
  • Industry Bodies & Trade Associations (e.g., Ellen MacArthur Foundation, WRAP)
  • Key Waste & Recycling Vendors (strategic partnerships)
  • Government Regulators & Policy Makers
  • Investors & ESG Rating Agencies
  • Academic & Research Institutions

9What you need before you start

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

  • A proven track record of 12-16+ years in sustainability, circular economy, or waste management, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or management role.
  • Demonstrable experience managing significant budgets (ideally £500K-£2M+) and achieving measurable P&L impact through sustainability initiatives.
  • Experience leading and developing a team of 10+ professionals, including managing managers.
  • A history of successfully influencing C-suite and Board-level stakeholders to drive strategic change.
  • Deep understanding of complex supply chains and manufacturing processes.
  • Experience with major ESG reporting frameworks and data management at an enterprise level.

10What to practise next

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

Enterprise-Level Data Architecture for Circularity

As our circularity programmes grow, the volume and complexity of data will explode. You'll need to understand how to design robust data architectures that can capture, integrate, and analyse material flow data from across the entire enterprise and supply chain.

Data Lakes & Warehouses for ESG · API Integration for Supply Chain Data · Data Governance & Quality for Circularity

  • This quarter: Review our current enterprise data architecture with our IT team, identifying gaps for circularity data capture.
  • Next 6 months: Commission a feasibility study or develop a high-level design for a dedicated circularity data hub.
  • Next 12 months: Lead the selection and implementation of new data tools or platforms to support our evolving data needs.
  • Engage with data architects and engineers to understand best practices in large-scale data management.

Quick win: Work with your team to standardise data collection templates across all sites, improving data quality immediately.

Advanced Digital Product Passport (DPP) Implementation

DPPs are becoming a regulatory requirement in many markets and a critical enabler of circularity. As a Director, you'll need to lead the strategic implementation of these across our product portfolio, ensuring compliance and unlocking new value.

DPP Data Requirements & Standards · Blockchain for DPP & Traceability · Stakeholder Engagement for DPP

  • This quarter: Conduct a gap analysis of our current product data against anticipated DPP requirements for our key markets.
  • Next 6 months: Develop a pilot programme for implementing DPPs on a specific product line, learning from the process.
  • Next 12 months: Create a phased rollout plan for DPP implementation across our entire product portfolio.
  • Participate in industry working groups or consortia focused on DPP development and standards.

Quick win: Identify a single product or component where basic material traceability data can be digitised and linked to a QR code, starting the journey towards a full DPP.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Active participation in leading industry associations (e.g., CIWM, Ellen MacArthur Foundation network, WRAP) to stay abreast of best practices and policy developments.
  • Regularly attending and speaking at key sustainability and circular economy conferences to share our story and learn from others.
  • Engaging in executive education programmes focused on sustainable business strategy, innovation, or change leadership.
  • Mentoring junior professionals within the sustainability field, giving back to the community and honing your leadership skills.

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.

AI for Circular Design & Material Intelligence

AI is rapidly transforming how we design products and manage materials. Companies that can effectively use AI to optimise material selection, predict end-of-life pathways, and even automate disassembly will gain a significant competitive advantage. This isn't just for specialists anymore; leaders need to understand its strategic implications.

  • Generative Design for Circularity
  • Digital Product Passports (DPP) & Blockchain
  • Predictive Analytics for Material Flow
  • AI-Powered Disassembly & Sorting

Advanced Carbon Accounting & Scope 3 Integration

Carbon emissions, especially Scope 3 (value chain emissions), are increasingly intertwined with circularity. Investors and regulators demand robust carbon accounting, and circular strategies are often key levers for decarbonisation. As a Director, you'll need to strategically link these two areas.

  • LCA for Carbon Footprinting
  • Scope 3 Emission Hotspot Analysis
  • Insetting vs. Offsetting
  • Science-Based Targets (SBTi) for Circularity

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Circular Economy Strategy & Business Model Innovation
  • ESG Reporting & Governance (Circularity Focus)
  • Supply Chain Optimisation for Circularity
  • Materials Innovation & Policy Influence

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

    Lead Zero Waste Strategist (L4)

    Transition typically takes 3-5 years from an L4 role.

    Skills to master

    • Moving from architecting programmes to leading a full function. This means mastering enterprise-level influence, managing larger budgets, and developing a strategic understanding of how circularity impacts the entire business P&L.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully designed and implemented multi-year waste reduction strategies across multiple sites or business units.
    • Demonstrated ability to negotiate complex, high-value contracts with strategic vendors.
    • Proven track record of influencing senior leadership (VP-level) on strategic decisions.
    • Experience managing a small team (3-8 direct reports) and developing their capabilities.
  2. 2

    Zero Waste Program Manager (L5)

    A direct step up, usually after 2-4 years as an L5 Manager.

    Skills to master

    • This transition requires scaling your leadership from managing a team and a function to shaping business unit strategy. You'll need to deepen your P&L ownership, engage more directly with the Board, and drive cross-functional transformation rather than just managing programmes.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully managed a team of 10-25 (including managers) and delivered significant functional KPIs.
    • Owned a P&L of £500K-£2M and demonstrated strong financial acumen.
    • Consistently met or exceeded strategic objectives for the entire waste programme.
    • Represented the organisation externally on sustainability topics.
  3. 3

    Head of ESG / Sustainability (from another organisation)

    Direct entry for experienced leaders, typically requiring 15+ years of experience.

    Skills to master

    • This path requires demonstrating a deep specialisation in circular economy and waste, even if your previous role was broader. You'll need to show how your general sustainability leadership translates into driving specific, high-impact circularity outcomes within a complex business.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Proven experience leading a significant sustainability function in a large, complex organisation.
    • Demonstrable experience with P&L responsibility and strategic influence at an executive level.
    • A clear track record of driving measurable environmental and financial outcomes.
    • Specific examples of implementing circular economy or waste reduction strategies at scale.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role leads work that goes beyond recycling targets, shaping product development, procurement and business models. It can lead to roles such as Chief Sustainability Officer or Chief Operating Officer, or to a position 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

The record names a next step, but the catalogue has no page for it yet:

  • VP, Sustainability / Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) (L7)

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

1. To enable the learner to explain the purpose and core activities of the waste and recycling industry, along with key concepts such as waste minimisation, the waste hierarchy, and zero waste. 2. To enable the learner to identify and differentiate between various categories of waste, including hazardous and non-hazardous materials, and explain how to identify unacceptable wastes. 3. To enable the learner to explain the reasons for recycling from local authority and organisational perspectives, and describe Government recycling targets and aims for both business and domestic waste. 4. To enable the learner to describe different types of waste and other materials handled within the waste/recycling industry and explain how various recyclables are subsequently used. 5. To enable the learner to understand and describe physical, biological, and advanced thermal waste treatment technologies, and explain how wastes can be treated in relation to the waste hierarchy.

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.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Circular Economy
  • Circular Economy Strategy & Business Model Innovation
  • ESG Reporting & Governance (Circularity Focus)
  • Supply Chain Optimisation for Circularity
  • Materials Innovation & Policy Influence
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. VP, Sustainability / Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) (L7)

    Roughly 4-6 years in the Director role.

    This is the next logical step, moving from shaping business unit strategy to driving enterprise-wide sustainability vision and reporting directly to the CEO/Board.

    • Deep expertise in all ESG domains (Climate, Social, Governance) beyond circularity.
    • Advanced financial modelling for sustainability investments and valuations.
    • M&A due diligence and integration from a sustainability perspective.
    • Leading large, multi-disciplinary sustainability teams (hundreds to thousands) across global operations.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real: leading a major transformation like circular economy isn't just about big ideas; it's about navigating mountains of data, staying on top of regulations, and influencing countless stakeholders. What if you could offload some of that heavy lifting to smart tools, freeing you up to focus on the truly strategic work?

Our AI Productivity Hub is designed specifically for leaders like you in Sustainability_Corporate_Social. It's not about replacing your expertise, but augmenting it, giving you superpowers to analyse, predict, and communicate your circular economy vision more effectively. Imagine having an intelligent assistant that helps you stay ahead of the curve and make more impactful decisions.

Strategic Insight Generation

Use AI to rapidly analyse vast datasets of material flows, market trends, and competitor circularity initiatives. Get instant summaries of complex reports, identify emerging opportunities, and spot potential risks to your strategy long before they become problems. This means less time sifting through data, more time strategising.

Advanced Regulatory & Policy Scanning

An AI assistant can continuously monitor global waste regulations, extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes, and circular economy policies. Receive concise, actionable summaries of changes that impact our business, allowing you to proactively adapt our strategy and ensure compliance without drowning in legal texts.

Supply Chain Circularity Optimisation

Deploy AI models to map our supply chain's material footprint, identify high-impact areas for circular intervention, and simulate the effects of different circular design choices (e.g., using recycled content, designing for disassembly). This helps you make data-backed decisions on where to focus your efforts for maximum impact.

Executive Communication & Reporting

Leverage AI to draft compelling executive summaries for Board presentations, generate initial drafts of investor reports on circularity performance, or create tailored communication plans for internal stakeholders. This frees up your time from drafting, letting you focus on refining the message and building relationships.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Circular Economy?

Common routes in include Lead Zero Waste Strategist (Transition typically takes 3-5 years from an L4 role.), Zero Waste Program Manager (A direct step up, usually after 2-4 years as an L5 Manager.) and Head of ESG / Sustainability (from another organisation) (Direct entry for experienced leaders, typically requiring 15+ years of experience.). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Circular Economy progress to?

This role can lead on to VP, Sustainability / Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) (Roughly 4-6 years in the Director role.), depending on the skills you build.

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

Increasingly, AI for Circular Design & Material Intelligence and Advanced Carbon Accounting & Scope 3 Integration. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

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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

Experience in circular economy work and large-scale transformation applies across industries. It can lead to consulting roles advising several companies on sustainability, or to leadership roles in non-profit organisations working on systemic change.

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 free Automation Fluency module 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.