Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Corporate Sustainability - Waste and Circularity

Posted:
9/18/2025, 10:03:54 AM

Location(s):
Bentonville, Arkansas, United States ⋅ Arkansas, United States

Experience Level(s):
Expert or higher ⋅ Senior

Field(s):
Business & Strategy

Position Summary...

What you'll do...

Are you passionate about using business as a force for good by reducing waste and building a more circular economy at scale? As Senior Director of Corporate Sustainability – Waste and Circularity at Walmart, you’ll lead a team working across the organization (Walmart US, Sam’s Club, and international markets) to reduce waste across operations, and packaging and materials to advance Walmart’s ambitious waste and circularity goals and create business value.

As a member of the Senior leadership of the Sustainability team, this high-impact role will lead long-term strategy development, drive progress on key targets, manage innovation roadmaps, engage with a variety of key internal and external stakeholders, and support ESG disclosures.

What you'll do:

Lead Walmart’s waste reduction and circularity strategy

  • Develop and drive the execution of Walmart’s waste, packaging optimization, and materials circularity strategies, including zero waste in operations, food loss and waste reduction, and circular packaging and materials. 

  • Manage the goal setting and tracking processes, ensuring alignment across functions and reporting consistency.

  • Build glide paths and action plans to deliver against goals - supporting business case development and implementation while solving capability or resource gaps.

  • Create and manage innovation roadmaps and project pipelines to advance waste reduction and circular economy strategies.

Operationalize the strategy across business functions

  • Lead integration of priorities into core business planning cycles for Walmart US, Sam’s Club, and international markets.

  • Partner with Operations, Supply Chain, Facilities Services, Merchandising, Private Brands, Sourcing, Procurement, and Tech to translate goals into execution across business units, and to accelerate progress on targets and internal KPi’s.

  • Track and support progress against KPI’s and ensure accountability across cross-functional owners.

Drive external engagement and systems change

  • Manage key external relationships such as NGOs, suppliers, and industry coalitions focused on waste and circularity (product, packaging, and materials).

  • Develop and review ESG disclosures by providing data, narratives, and impact metrics related to waste and circularity.

  • Engage with standards organizations and support Walmart’s policy advocacy efforts to enable circular systems and infrastructure.

  • Represent Walmart's sustainability interests and positions with key public and Industry forums.

Lead and develop a high-performing team

  • Manage a team of sustainability professionals, providing coaching, feedback, and professional development opportunities.

  • Set clear goals, establish accountability, and foster a culture of innovation and collaboration.

  • Align team resources to high-impact opportunities, ensuring progress on both short-term deliverables and long-term strategic priorities.

What you’ll bring:

  • Strong business acumen and strategy development skills: able to define long-term strategy and implementation roadmaps to reduce waste & unnecessary packaging (and increase overall material circularity) that also create business value; integrate sustainability strategies into core business functions, and drive systems thinking.

  • Strategic communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to articulate complex sustainability strategies to diverse audiences, including senior leadership. Able to influence without authority and build alignment across diverse internal and external stakeholders.

  • Track record of leading complex, enterprise-wide initiatives: Managing projects across operations, facilities services, finance, merchandising, and sourcing to deliver measurable results in large, matrixed organizations. Proven ability to manage ambiguity, prioritize competing workstreams, and maintain momentum toward long-term objectives.

  • Team leadership: Proven ability to build, lead, and develop high-performing, cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment. 

  • Familiarity with sustainability strategies, reporting standards, policy levers, and industry benchmarks – especially in packaging, food systems, waste infrastructure, and circular economy models.

At Walmart, we offer competitive pay as well as performance-based bonus awards and other great benefits for a happier mind, body, and wallet. Health benefits include medical, vision and dental coverage. Financial benefits include 401(k), stock purchase and company-paid life insurance. Paid time off benefits include PTO (including sick leave), parental leave, family care leave, bereavement, jury duty, and voting. Other benefits include short-term and long-term disability, company discounts, Military Leave Pay, adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, and more.

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You will also receive PTO and/or PPTO that can be used for vacation, sick leave, holidays, or other purposes. The amount you receive depends on your job classification and length of employment. It will meet or exceed the requirements of paid sick leave laws, where applicable.

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For information about PTO, see https://one.walmart.com/notices.

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Live Better U is a Walmart-paid education benefit program for full-time and part-time associates in Walmart and Sam's Club facilities. Programs range from high school completion to bachelor's degrees, including English Language Learning and short-form certificates. Tuition, books, and fees are completely paid for by Walmart.

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Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on your job classification and length of employment. Benefits are subject to change and may be subject to a specific plan or program terms.

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For information about benefits and eligibility, see One.Walmart.

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The annual salary range for this position is $130,000.00-$260,000.00

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Additional compensation includes annual or quarterly performance bonuses.

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Additional compensation for certain positions may also include:

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- Stock

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Minimum Qualifications...

Outlined below are the required minimum qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no minimum qualifications.

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Environmental Science, Social Science, Communications, or related field and 6 years' experience managing cross-functional projects for governmental or non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, or corporations OR 10 years' experience managing cross-functional projects for governmental or non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, or corporations.

Preferred Qualifications...

Outlined below are the optional preferred qualifications for this position. If none are listed, there are no preferred qualifications.

Consulting, Preparing and executing budgets, Project Management, Strategic Planning, Sustainability - Environmental, Sustainability - Social, Working in a matrixed organization

Masters: International Studies

Primary Location...

702 Sw 8Th St, Bentonville, AR 72716, United States of America

Walmart and its subsidiaries are committed to maintaining a drug-free workplace and has a no tolerance policy regarding the use of illegal drugs and alcohol on the job. This policy applies to all employees and aims to create a safe and productive work environment.