Packaging Advocacy Senior Manager

* Location to be ideally based within the Canadian market, under a hybrid arrangement. Travel expected to be 10-20%.
ABOUT US
tms unites technology, marketing, and sourcing to drive transformational change for the world's leading brands. With 1,200+ employees across 26 countries, we offer an impressive range of solutions - from inspiration and innovation to category management and delivery.
Operating as a creative agency, a strategic consultancy, a sourcing business, and a technology provider, we engage with over 110 million customers every single day for our clients, including McDonald's, T-Mobile, O2, Starbucks, and adidas.
Most importantly, we're a place where you can achieve great things, and be recognized as the best.
WHAT MATTERS THE MOST
Breakthrough, business-driving ideas come from extraordinary people with the freedom to be their most authentic selves at work. Authenticity and diversity are critical elements of our business. They can only be realized when we create access and equity for all. We foster a culture of inclusion and belonging and aspire to be ever-evolving.
tms is a place where brilliant people are better together. If you want your ideas to be heard and to contribute to a culture of inclusion and authenticity, bring us your voice! Visit us at tmsw.com.
WHY WE THINK YOU WILL LOVE THIS ROLE
Packaging Advocacy Senior Manager will sit within our Global Sustainability team.
The Sustainability team supports delivery of client Sustainability strategic objectives, focused on product and supply chain, through operations, reporting and legislation tracking. To do so, our team collaborates with key stakeholders across various internal and client cross-functional teams, Suppliers, Consultants and external organizations.
Our global Sustainability team sits across 3 geographic regions, supporting global, regional and market activities.
The Canadian market is seeking advocacy support to interpret a complex legislative landscape, and transition from a reactive model to one that sets out proactive sustainability strategies aligned with local business needs. As well as following an advocacy-based approach, the market is seeking direct support to manage an external engagement program.
The key purpose of this role will be advising on the development of forward-looking plans, programs, and partnerships to ensure seamless compliance across the entire value chain. By sustaining high-level relationships with trade associations, suppliers, environmental NGOs, and other key stakeholders this role would drive success in navigating complex regulatory environments.
The following sets out the primary activities to be fulfilled by an Advocacy lead, managed by tms. It will guide the development of market-specific positions and advocacy strategies that support the local business needs and context, as well as support alignment with Global strategic direction.
The Canadian market is seeking advocacy support
WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE ORGANIZATION
Network development

• Support managing external engagement with key stakeholder groups (academic thought leaders, trade associations, environmental NGOs etc.), attending key events and representing the clients' interests.
• Support supplier council advocacy committee group as needed. Participation in, and formation of, coalitions to influence policy decisions and shape the regulatory landscape.
• Forging of strong relationships with external partners to build support for key compliance and policy initiatives.
• Ongoing communication and transparency with internal/external strategic partners, providing clear visibility into regulatory compliance timelines and initiatives.

Regulatory insights and impact analysis

• Maintaining regulatory subject matter expertise relevant to the Canadian market.
• Communication and direction of legislation landscape1 , its relevance and commercial impact to internal partner groups. Preparation and presentation of policy briefs to the client.
• Monitoring, analysis and tracking2 of emerging policy developments, assessing impact on the client's market level business strategy and operations and preparing information to support advocacy narratives.

Policy position development

• Development and recommendation of strategic policy positions that align client objectives with evolving regulations and ensuring buy-in from McDonald's internal partners (Impact and Policy teams) and key external partner groups.
• Participation in strategic trade associations, shaping policy consensus and guiding favorable regulatory outcomes.
• Support/lead (where appropriate) consultation submissions on matters related to packaging e.g. Health Canada's Food Packaging Program Review.

Advisory activity

• Fostering and sharing a rounded understanding of government operations and how this can be leveraged to support policy positions.
• Support advising partners on complex regulatory matters across the value chain, ensuring proactive compliance strategies in partnership with McDonald's counsel.
• Collaboration with subject matter experts to support design of impactful communication strategies and advocacy campaigns that amplify policy positions among thought leadership circles and consumers.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO HAVE

• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• 7 to 10 years' work experience in an advocacy or public affairs capacity or related field, with a profound understanding of relevant public policy objectives, regulation and political/regulatory decision-making process.
• Knowledge of industry issues related to environment and sustainability. Experience within the packaging sector in a sustainability capacity would be a distinct advantage.
• Knowledge of a wide range of packaging policies, including extended producer responsibility (EPR), post-consumer recycled (PCR) content mandates, labeling, and compostable packaging.
• Extensive knowledge of legislative and regulatory processes and political dynamics
• Strong research, analytical, and critical thinking capabilities.
• Excellent planning, execution, and time management abilities.
• High standard of verbal and written communication skills (English).
• Ability to engage with a broad range of industry and third-party partners to generate consensus, influence outcomes, and build relationships.
• Experience in collaborating with organizations to develop effective regulatory compliance programs.
• Ability to work in and adapt to a fast-paced environment with quickly changing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Proven ability to build relationships and foster collaboration across functional areas, as well as cultivating and maintaining key partnerships.

And we'd love you to...

• Passion and keen interest in sustainability, and associated developments relevant to the Canadian market.

Any of the following would be a plus

• French would be considered a significant asset.