Environmental Compliance Specialist

Magnera's purpose is to better the world with new possibilities made real. For more than 160 years, the originating companies have delivered the material solutions their partners need to thrive. Through economic upheaval, global pandemics and changing end-user needs, they have consistently found ways to solve problems and exceed expectations. By bringing together these legacy companies, the distinct scale and comprehensive portfolio of products will bring customers more materials and choices. With a combined legacy of resilience, Magnera will build personal partnerships that withstand an ever-changing world.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Environmental Compliance Specialist is responsible for providing technical leadership and strategic direction for environmental compliance, sustainability, and environmental management systems throughout the Americas region. Working closely with site EHS leaders, operations teams, engineering, and corporate sustainability resources, this role ensures compliance with environmental regulations, advances sustainability objectives, and supports continuous improvement initiatives that reduce environmental risk and improve business performance.

The successful candidate will partner across functions and locations to strengthen environmental stewardship, enhance compliance programs, support capital projects, and drive a culture of environmental responsibility throughout the organization.

JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead environmental compliance programs across Americas manufacturing sites, ensuring compliance with applicable environmental regulations, permits, corporate standards, and management system requirements.
• Monitor regulatory developments and provide technical guidance to site leadership on environmental compliance risks, emerging requirements, and best practices.
• Develop, implement, and continuously improve environmental management systems, policies, procedures, standards, and compliance programs, including ISO 14001.
• Conduct environmental audits, assessments, and compliance reviews while driving corrective actions, risk reduction, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Support sustainability programs focused on waste reduction, water stewardship, recycling, energy management, greenhouse gas reduction, and overall environmental performance improvement.
• Develop and maintain environmental metrics, dashboards, digital reporting tools, and management system databases to improve visibility, compliance tracking, and decision-making.
• Support environmental digitalization initiatives, including environmental data management systems, compliance software, reporting automation, and performance analytics.
• Provide environmental support for new products, process changes, capital projects, and equipment installations, ensuring environmental impacts and compliance requirements are properly addressed.
• Oversee environmental risk register and company obligations to ensure proper management and risk reduction actions.
• Assist sites with permitting, regulatory reporting, environmental incident investigations, root cause analysis, regulatory agency interactions, and environmental emergency preparedness activities.
• Partner with Operations, Engineering, Quality, Sustainability, Regulatory, and EHS teams to drive environmental excellence through training, employee engagement, management system effectiveness, and continuous improvement.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Environmental Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Environmental Management, Sustainability, or a related technical field required.

• Minimum 5 years of environmental compliance or environmental management system experience in a manufacturing or industrial environment. At least 3 years supporting multi-site operations.

• Certified Hazardous Materials Manager (CHMM), Qualified Environmental Professional (QEP), Certified Professional Environmental Auditor (CPEA), ISO 14001 Lead Auditor and/or other relevant environmental or sustainability certifications a plus

• Strong knowledge of environmental regulations applicable across the Americas. EPR and Operation Clean Sweep knowledge desirable.
• Experience with environmental permitting, waste management, wastewater, air emissions, and chemical compliance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills. Ability to influence change and drive results across multiple facilities and functions.
• Strong project management and continuous improvement capabilities.
• Spanish and Portuguese proficiency a plus.

COMPETENCIES:

Advisory- Develops collaborative and trusting relationships with coworkers. Able to identify team member's needs, problems and issues. Able to advise and provide counsel, make fitting recommendations, and directs strategic choices.

Change Leader- Ability to facilitate the process of change, while helping others to adapt to its effects. Able to explain the need for change by communicating gaps as well as the benefits while being sensitive to evolution of the people and culture.

Impact/Influence- Able to convince others without relying on authority- can get buy in. Adopts strategies appropriate to their stakeholders by listening to their concerns and ideas. Is persuasive.

Decision Making- Can assess the scope, urgency and level of risk associated with a situation. Includes the ability to take measures in a timely manner to solve problems involving various levels of complexity & ambiguity.  Chooses the best solution based on analysis, experience and judgement

Action Based- Can focus on the essential to efficiently produce or exceed expected results. Able to react when performance does not achieve results by soliciting competent people to correct the situation, while being aware of short and long term impacts.