Lead, Circular Economy & Sustainability at International Facilities Services Limited - IFS

Job Description

• PGC Initiative is the Company's flagship ESG initiative: a large-scale program designed to support the development of a circular economy by promoting sustainable waste management practices, beginning with gated residential communities, commercial developments, and industrial estates. 
• The project introduces a colour-coded waste segregation system that encourages waste separation at source, making recycling, recovery, and responsible disposal more effective and sustainable. 
• The initiative is implemented in collaboration with relevant environmental regulators, local authorities, community associations, and private-sector stakeholders, with waste segregation bins and circular economy technology, processes and systems made available at accessible and competitive prices to encourage widespread and sustained adoption.
• PGC Initiative is structured as a commercially viable enterprise with a strong social and environmental impact mandate rather than a traditional corporate social responsibility (CSR) program. 
• It operates with clearly defined commercial objectives, strategic stakeholder partnerships, and a scalable growth model aimed at establishing a sustainable and defensible footprint across multiple communities, cities, and regions over time. Through this approach, the project seeks to create long-term environmental value, support economic opportunities within the recycling value chain, and contribute meaningfully to the transition towards a more circular and resource-efficient economy.
• We are hiring a single, senior owner to build and run PGC Initiative end-to-end. 
• This person will report directly to the MD/CEO and will be the public face, commercial owner, and operational driver of the initiative.
• The ideal candidate combines genuine sustainability/circular-economy credibility — ideally with international exposure — with the commercial instincts of someone who has run a P&L, plus the political and relational skill to manage a long-term government partnership without losing momentum.

Strategy & Project Ownership:

• Own the end-to-end strategy and roadmap for PGC Initiative, from current pilot footprint to city-wide scale.
• Translate the circular economy vision into a phased, executable plan: estate selection, sequencing, resourcing, and milestones.
• Build out the project team over time — field operations, partnerships, and commercial functions — as scale demands.

Government & Regulatory Relations:
Serve as the primary relationship owner with EPA's and other relevant regulatory bodies.

Navigate approvals, permits, and regulatory requirements needed to expand footprint across the city.

Identify and pursue opportunities to deepen or formalize the government partnership over time (e.g. Co-funded initiatives, policy advocacy).

Commercial Ownership:

• Own sales, pricing, and revenue targets for the multicolored bin distribution model.
• Build and manage the commercial funnel: estate outreach, conversion, fulfillment, and after-sales relationship.
• Track unit economics and channel performance, and continuously refine the commercial model for profitability and scale.
• Report regularly to the MD/CEO on commercial performance, with clear, honest visibility into what is and isn't working.

Stakeholder & Partnership Engagement:

• Build relationships with estate management associations and gated residential/industrial estate decision-makers to drive adoption.
• Engage corporate ESG partners, international development organizations, and potential funders or co-investors in the circular economy space.
• Represent the project at relevant industry, government, and international forums.

Brand & Narrative:

• Position PGC Initiative as a flagship, visible ESG story for the business — through media engagement, public communications, and stakeholder storytelling.
• Act as the credible public face of the initiative in press, panels, and partner-facing communications.

Requirements

• 7+ years of experience in sustainability, circular economy, waste management, infrastructure, or a comparable multi-stakeholder commercial role.
• Demonstrated experience working internationally or with international organizations (DFIs, multinationals, NGOs, development agencies) — candidates with foreign work or study exposure are strongly preferred.
• A track record of owning and hitting commercial/revenue targets, not only running programs or managing grants.
• Experience engaging government or regulatory bodies directly, ideally in Nigeria or a comparable emerging-market context.

Skills & Attributes:

• Fluent in global circular economy and ESG frameworks (e.g. SDGs, extended producer responsibility, climate disclosure norms), and able to translate them credibly for local and international audiences alike.
• Strong commercial instincts — comfortable with pricing, unit economics, and revenue accountability.
• Polished, credible communicator across very different audiences: government regulators, estate committees, corporate partners, and international funders.
• Comfortable spending real time in the field — this is not a desk-bound strategy role.
• High personal integrity and transparency, particularly in government and partner-facing dealings.
• Entrepreneurial mindset — genuinely energized by building a new venture rather than inheriting an established playbook.

Benefits

• Attractive.