Dir., Strategic Initiatives (ESG)
About the Company
Fifty years ago, Sam Walton started a single mom-and-pop shop and transformed it into the world's biggest retailer. Since those founding days, one thing has remained consistent: a commitment to helping customers save money so they can live better. Today, Walmart is reinventing the shopping experience and its associates are at the heart of it. You'll play a crucial role in shaping the future of retail, improving millions of lives around the world. This is that place where your passions meet purpose. Join their family and create a career you're proud of.
About the Job
Walmart seeks to lead on Environmental, Social & Governance (ESG) practices, disclosures, and outcomes, building a stronger and more resilient business, creating shared value, and fostering trust. The Director Strategic Initiatives—Corporate Affairs (ESG Reporting & Engagement) is responsible for leading all aspects of Walmart’s ESG reporting, disclosure, and external engagement. This includes creating reporting and engagement strategies; leading the process of preparing compelling, reliable, and decision-useful disclosures for investors and other stakeholders; building corresponding institutional capability across the enterprise; and helping to advance the field of ESG externally with respect to ESG reporting and disclosures.
Top candidates will be familiar with ESG and non-financial reporting frameworks, including ISSB, SASB, TCFD, TNFD, and GRI; have engaged with major ESG/sustainability surveys, raters, and benchmarking organizations including MSCI, Sustainalytics, ISS, CDP, S&P, etc.; and have experience engaging with institutional investors and stakeholders on ESG issues.
Responsibilities
Strengthening Walmart’s standing with investors and other stakeholders by developing and leading Walmart’s ESG reporting and engagement strategy. Elevate Walmart's shared value leadership on relevant ESG topics through strong disclosure and engagement. Create reporting and engagement strategies accounting for Walmart’s ESG thesis; investor expectations; disclosure standards/frameworks; and key ESG ratings, surveys, and benchmarks. This includes annual & long-range reporting and external disclosure strategy—what to report, to whom, and through what channels—partnering with Investor Relations, Legal, Communications, and ESG issue leads
Improving Walmart’s performance on priority external ESG assessments. Set priorities for engaging in external ESG assessments; understand Walmart’s current performance on priority assessments; identify opportunities to improve performance with respect to company practices, policies, and disclosure. Understand trends in ESG disclosures and implications for Walmart ESG disclosures
Coordinating enterprise-wide ESG reporting and disclosures, ensuring corporate-level reporting (e.g., SEC and state-level reporting) and market-level reporting are consistent. Partner with segment and international market ESG, sustainability, controllership, legal, compliance, and other teams to develop a seamless approach
Shaping Walmart’s ESG communications to improve investor and other stakeholder understanding of Walmart’s ESG policies, practices, and performance. Oversee development of annual ESG reporting, ESG issue briefs, priority ESG surveys, ratings responses, investor ESG inquiries, investor-focused publications/materials (annual investor meeting, shareholders meeting, earnings releases) regarding priority ESG issues, and Walmart shared value narratives. This includes proactive & responsive strategy and leadership in investor, survey/benchmark, rater, and ESG stakeholder engagement, partnering with Investor Relations
Helping advance the ESG disclosure and assessment sector, including advocating for ESG frameworks, standards, and assessments that foster long-termism, creation of shared value (“stakeholder capitalism”), and the transformation of societal systems for social and environmental sustainability. Monitor regulatory landscape and standard-setting (e.g., ISSB) processes and shape frameworks, standards, ratings, and regulation on ESG performance and disclosure. Identify and speak at external ESG events to highlight Walmart’s shared value strategy as well as share perspectives on best-practice ESG measurement
Managing multiple large, complex projects, processes, and programs that include dependencies across multiple groups, including internal and external stakeholders to identify goals, success criteria assumptions, and risks; forecasting internal and external resources (for example, legal, finance, partners) based on projects and strategic goals; anticipating and ensuring resolution of complex and critical issues; monitoring progress as compared to plan; tracking expenditures and budgets; overseeing development of implementation materials; and ensuring alignment with similar company-wide initiatives to leverage or report out on. This includes overall process oversight for major disclosure projects (e.g., ESG reporting, CDP)
Driving the execution of multiple business plans and projects by providing overall direction through analyzing business objectives and customer needs; developing, communicating, building support for, and implementing business strategies, plans, and practices; analyzing costs and forecasts and incorporating them into business plans; determining and supporting resource requirements; evaluating operational processes; measuring outcomes to ensure desired results; identifying and capitalizing on improvement opportunities; promoting a customer environment; and demonstrating adaptability and sponsoring continuous learning
Developing and implementing strategies to attract and maintain a highly skilled and engaged workforce by diagnosing capability gaps; recruiting, selecting, and developing talent; supporting mentorship, workforce development, and succession planning; and leveraging capabilities of new and existing talent
Cultivating an environment where associates respect and adhere to company standards of integrity and ethics by integrating these values into all programs and practices; developing consequences for violations or non-compliance; and supporting the Open Door Policy
Developing and leveraging internal and external partnerships and networks to maximize the achievement of business goals by sponsoring and leading key community outreach and involvement initiatives; engaging key stakeholders in the development, execution, and evaluation of appropriate business plans and initiatives; and supporting associate efforts in these areas
Serving as corporate spokesperson for strategic initiatives by developing and delivering messaging; participating in interviews with national and local media outlets; and presenting at conferences and speaking events
Overseeing and driving the development of innovative global strategic initiatives by engaging senior leadership to build support and policy for desired outcomes (for example, financial, social, environmental)
Overseeing the implementation of Walmart's strategic initiatives by directing collaboration between company business owners, suppliers, and external influencers; and ensuring Walmart's reputation and advocacy goals are enhanced and fulfilled through company strategic initiatives efforts
Ensuring the integration of strategic initiatives into cross-functional business plans, objectives, and overall business strategy by educating stakeholders on the long-term benefits of the initiatives; and ensuring alignment between corporate and business unit goals
Qualifications
Minimum Qualifications:
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Social Science, Communications, or related field and 5 years’ experience managing cross-functional projects for governmental or non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, or corporations
OR 7 years’ experience managing cross-functional projects for governmental or non-governmental organizations, consulting firms, or corporations
Preferred Qualifications:
Master's degree in International Business or related area
Experience managing strategic initiatives and project teams in a matrix environment
