What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Manager, Strategic Sustainability Initiatives position at International Paper?
Job Description
Position Title:
Senior Manager, Strategic Sustainability Initiatives
Pay Rate
$163,200 - $183,200
Multiple factors, including Individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.
Variable pay may provide additional opportunities for financial awards. This job is eligible to participate in IP’s incentive plan
Category
Salaried Full-time
Location:
6400 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN
The Job You Will Perform
The Senior Manager, Strategic Sustainability Initiatives (SMSSI) leads IP’s climate enterprise strategy, with primary responsibility for decarbonization and water stewardship in support of IP’s Deliver 2030 commitments.
Reporting to the Chief Sustainability Officer, this role drives strategy development and cross‑functional execution across climate and water impact areas, ensuring alignment with business objectives and including compliance with voluntary and regulatory requirements, and collaborating with key stakeholders. The SMSSI represents IP externally at conferences and events, advances strategic partnerships through active engagement and influence, and manages a small team to deliver positive environmental outcomes through sustainable packaging solutions.
Key Responsibilities
The Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge You Will Bring:
The Benefits You Will Enjoy:
International Paper offers a benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short-term and Long-term Disability, 401(k), Company-funded retirement contributions, Paid Time Off, Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement), Student Loan Repayment Assistance, and Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets
The Career You Will Build
Leadership training, promotional opportunities
The Impact You Will Make
We continue to build a better future for people, the planet, and our company! IP has been a good steward of sustainable practices across communities around the world for more than 125 years. Join our team and you’ll see why our team members say they’re Proud to be IP.
The Culture You Will Experience
International Paper promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. We have team members all around the world with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. These are our strengths. We are committed to creating a culture where all individuals are respected, valued, engaged and have an opportunity to do their best work every day. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly inclusive and diverse culture. The Company You Will Join:
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is the global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. With company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in London, UK, we employ more than 65,000 team members and serve customers around the world with operations in more than 30 countries. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Net sales for 2024 were $18.6 billion. In 2025, International Paper acquired DS Smith creating an industry leader focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com.
International Paper is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. International Paper complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact reasonable.accommodations@ipaper.com or (877) 973-3919.
Position Title:
Senior Manager, Strategic Sustainability Initiatives
Pay Rate
$163,200 - $183,200
Multiple factors, including Individual experience, skills and abilities will determine where an employee is ultimately placed in the pay range.
Variable pay may provide additional opportunities for financial awards. This job is eligible to participate in IP’s incentive plan
Category
Salaried Full-time
Location:
6400 Poplar Ave
Memphis, TN
The Job You Will Perform
The Senior Manager, Strategic Sustainability Initiatives (SMSSI) leads IP’s climate enterprise strategy, with primary responsibility for decarbonization and water stewardship in support of IP’s Deliver 2030 commitments.
Reporting to the Chief Sustainability Officer, this role drives strategy development and cross‑functional execution across climate and water impact areas, ensuring alignment with business objectives and including compliance with voluntary and regulatory requirements, and collaborating with key stakeholders. The SMSSI represents IP externally at conferences and events, advances strategic partnerships through active engagement and influence, and manages a small team to deliver positive environmental outcomes through sustainable packaging solutions.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead enterprise climate and sustainability strategy, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions accounting (Scopes 1, 2, and 3), decarbonization planning, and water stewardship.
- Own development and execution of the enterprise decarbonization roadmap, supporting operational initiatives, supplier engagement, and product-level carbon accounting.
- Drive cross‑functional delivery of climate, forest carbon, and water commitments across manufacturing, procurement, finance, legal, and other core functions.
- Develop and maintain climate transition planning, including scenario analysis and physical climate risk assessment.
- Lead sustainability reporting and external disclosures (e.g., CDP, customer and regulatory requests) and support alignment with evolving standards such as TCFD and ISSB.
- Represent the company externally with customers, industry groups, NGOs, regulators, and at climate and sustainability forums.
- Provide executives with clear insights into sustainability risks, tradeoffs, and opportunities.
- Monitor regulatory and market developments and integrate best practices into enterprise strategy.
- Lead and develop sustainability resources supporting data management, analysis, and reporting.
The Qualifications, Skills and Knowledge You Will Bring:
- Bachelor’s degree in business, Sustainability, Natural Resource Management, or related field (Masters or MBA preferred).
- 7 years of experience in manufacturing, sustainability, management consulting, or comparable corporate environment.
- Deep understanding of carbon and water accounting, climate target setting, decarbonization pathway development, and reporting frameworks.
- Strong business and financial acumen; ability to translate sustainability strategy into measurable business value.
- Proven ability to lead complex, cross‑functional initiatives and influence senior leaders.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Expertise in GHG Protocol, SBTi, sustainability data management, controls, and disclosure frameworks.
- Understanding of product life cycles and global supplier ecosystems.
- Ability to translate complex technical, regulatory, and data‑heavy topics into clear executive insights.
- Experience with carbon offsets/credits and climate inventory development.
- Strong project and people management capabilities; ability to drive results independently.
- Strategic agility and future‑oriented thinking
- Ability to articulate a compelling sustainability vision
- Strong organizational and process management skills
- Interpersonal savvy and conflict management
- Persistence and accountability for results
- Effective people management and collaboration across the Sustainability team and enterprise
The Benefits You Will Enjoy:
International Paper offers a benefits package that includes health, welfare and retirement plans including Medical, Dental, Life insurance, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short-term and Long-term Disability, 401(k), Company-funded retirement contributions, Paid Time Off, Education & Development (including Tuition Reimbursement), Student Loan Repayment Assistance, and Voluntary Benefits including insurance for home, auto, vision and pets
The Career You Will Build
Leadership training, promotional opportunities
The Impact You Will Make
We continue to build a better future for people, the planet, and our company! IP has been a good steward of sustainable practices across communities around the world for more than 125 years. Join our team and you’ll see why our team members say they’re Proud to be IP.
The Culture You Will Experience
International Paper promotes employee well-being by providing safe, caring and inclusive workplaces. We have team members all around the world with diverse backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives. These are our strengths. We are committed to creating a culture where all individuals are respected, valued, engaged and have an opportunity to do their best work every day. We invite you to bring your uniqueness, creativity, talents, experiences, and safety mindset to be a part of our increasingly inclusive and diverse culture. The Company You Will Join:
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is the global leader in sustainable packaging solutions. With company headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, USA, and EMEA (Europe, Middle East and Africa) headquarters in London, UK, we employ more than 65,000 team members and serve customers around the world with operations in more than 30 countries. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Net sales for 2024 were $18.6 billion. In 2025, International Paper acquired DS Smith creating an industry leader focused on the attractive and growing North American and EMEA regions. Additional information can be found by visiting internationalpaper.com.
International Paper is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. International Paper complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact reasonable.accommodations@ipaper.com or (877) 973-3919.
Salary : $163,200 - $183,200