Department: EHS
Reports To: Director of Environmental and Safety
Location: Corporate Office
FLSA Status: Exempt
Pay Range + other compensation components: $135,000
Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, STD, Thrift, Life Insurance
Standard Hours: 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM (subject to management’s discretion) and some work outside of these time frames.
Position Overview
The ESG Manager role is responsible for developing, implementing and reporting on environmental, social, and governance priorities across the organization. The ESG Manager leads the design and delivery of the organization’s ESG agenda, ensuring alignment between the strategic objectives and regulatory and corporate expectations. This role coordinates internal owners, consolidates ESG data and shapes policies to reduce risk and enhance long term value.
The ESG Manager is accountable for developing an integrated ESG strategy, operationalizing initiatives and producing timely, accurate reporting for internal and external stakeholders. The role requires translating regulatory developments and stakeholder expectations into pragmatic actions and performance indicators.
Day-to-day tasks include leading data collection and assurance processes, preparing executive level briefings and disclosures, and driving continuous improvement in environmental performance, social impact and governance practices. The role operates within a complex organizational context and requires close collaboration with legal, finance, operations and sales teams.
Expectations include proactive risk identification, maintaining up to date knowledge of ESG trends and regulatory requirements, and supporting senior leaders to embed ESG considerations into business decision making and capital allocation.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and maintain the organization’s ESG strategy and multi-year roadmap aligned with business objectives.
- Lead the preparation of ESG disclosures and reports for investors, regulators and other stakeholders.
- Design and implement ESG metrics, targets and key performance indicators to track progress.
- Coordinate cross functional data collection, validation and consolidation for non-financial reporting.
- Manage stakeholder engagement with investors, suppliers, regulators and community groups on ESG matters.
- Assess and prioritize ESG risks and opportunities, integrating findings into enterprise risk processes.
- Develop policies, controls and governance structures to support ESG compliance and oversight.
- Oversee programs to reduce environmental impact, including energy, waste and resource efficiency initiatives.
- Champion social and workforce related programs and community investment activities.
- Support due diligence and integration of ESG considerations in mergers, acquisitions and major projects.
- Prepare briefings, presentations and executive level documents to inform the executive leadership team on ESG performance.
- Drive continuous improvement by benchmarking performance against peers and recognized standards.
- Coordinate external assurance and audits of ESG data and disclosures as required.
- Provide training and guidance to business units to embed ESG considerations into day-to-day operations.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in environmental science, sustainability, business, finance or related disciplines.
- Minimum of 5 years’ relevant experience in ESG, sustainability, corporate responsibility or related function.
- Proven experience in preparing non-financial reports and communicating with investors and regulators.
Required Skills/Abilities:
- Strong understanding of ESG concepts, governance frameworks and regulatory developments.
- Analytical skills with experience in data collection, validation and performance measurement.
- Experience of stakeholder engagement and ability to influence senior leaders and cross functional teams.
Required Soft Skills:
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and executive level presentations.
- Project management ability with a track record of delivering programs on time.
- Attention to detail and commitment to data integrity and transparency in reporting.
- Knowledge of risk assessment methodologies and integration of ESG into enterprise risk management.
- Ability to interpret policy and regulatory guidance and translate it into operational requirements.
- Professional credibility, integrity and capacity to work with external auditors and assurance providers.
Competency
- Must be able to read and write English and perform basic math calculations.
- Effective time management skills to achieve results through prioritizing demands.
- Demonstrates critical thinking skills and effective decision-making skills.
- Strong attention-to-detail and organizational skills.
- Must demonstrate proficiency in essential tasks and a willingness to learn.
- Strong Excel skills include, but are not limited to, creating and formatting spreadsheets, using formulas and functions to manage large datasets (IF, SUM, INDEX, MATCH, VLOOKUP), and creating charts/graphs
Working Conditions
Must be able to work in both very hot (more than 100 degrees) and very cold (20 degrees below zero) and in a very wet and humid environment for extended periods of time. Must be able to bend, crawl, climb, squat, and work at times both above the head and at ground level during operations. Must keep work area safe and clean and work in a safe and efficient manner.
About Prairie Farms – “Farmer Owned. Locally Produced. Since 1938.”
We are a farmer-owned cooperative. This means we are owned and operated by over 800+ farm families who are critical members of society. They have selflessly taken on the tremendous task of producing nutritious, high-quality milk for a growing population, which requires being on the job 24/7, 365 days a year.
We have represented American agriculture since our founding in 1938. Many of our dairy farms are operated by several generations of family members with roots dating back to the 1800s. On average, each farm milks around 120 cows and everyone pitches in to keep them happy and healthy - which means around-the-clock care!
Our Mission:
- To produce dairy products of the highest quality
- To conduct our business with professional integrity
- To exceed expectations of our customers and consumers
- To support our communities in a positive, sustainable manner
- To deliver exceptional patronage to our network of farm families
- To simply “do right” for our farm families, employees, and communities
EEO Statement
Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in environmental science, sustainability, business, finance, or a related discipline
- At least 5 years of relevant experience in ESG, sustainability, corporate responsibility, or a related function
- Experience preparing non-financial reports and communicating with investors and regulators
- Strong understanding of ESG concepts, governance frameworks, and regulatory developments
- Analytical skills and experience with data collection, validation, and performance measurement
- Stakeholder engagement experience and ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and executive presentations
- Project management ability with a record of delivering programs on time
- Knowledge of risk assessment methodologies and ESG integration into enterprise risk management
- Ability to interpret policy and regulatory guidance and translate it into operational requirements
- Ability to work with external auditors and assurance providers
- Strong Microsoft Excel skills, including formulas, functions, large dataset management, and charts or graphs
- Ability to work in hot, cold, wet, and humid environments and perform bending, crawling, climbing, and squatting
What We Do
Drink Local With Prairie Farms Dairy Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful dairy cooperatives operating in the Midwest and the South. Elements of the cooperative include over 500 farm families, 7,000 associates, 48 manufacturing plants, 100+ distribution facilities, and annual sales of over $4.6 billion. Prairie Farms is a nationally recognized leader in the dairy industry known for milk flavor innovations and producing award-winning milk, cheese, ice cream, and cultured dairy products. With headquarters in Edwardsville, Ill., the Prairie Farms distribution footprint covers over 30 percent of the United States; products are available in grocery chains, mass merchandiser stores, club stores, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores, schools, foodservice outlets, and warehouse distribution centers. Prairie Farms has proudly adopted the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, affirming to our customers, our consumers and the global marketplace Prairie Farms' pledge to responsible dairy production as we nourish the communities we serve. For more information about the U.S. Dairy Stewardship Commitment, go to: http://commitment.usdairy.com. Learn more about our dairy farmers and cooperative by visiting www.prairiefarms.com. And don't forget to visit our coupon page https://www.prairiefarms.com/coupons for savings on many of award-winning dairy products!
