Position summary

Tesco is seeking a Sustainability Innovation Manager to identify, assess, and accelerate innovative solutions that support its sustainability ambitions across the Planet Plan, including climate, nature, agriculture, and sustainable diets. The role translates emerging trends, technologies, ingredients, and business models into practical opportunities that create environmental, social, and commercial value, building and managing a pipeline of innovation opportunities.

Why this role matters

Delivering Tesco’s Planet Plan commitments depends on finding and scaling new solutions across the food system. This role develops external partnerships and supports the testing and scaling of innovations that help Tesco meet its sustainability commitments while delivering commercial value.

Key responsibilities

• Scan for innovation by identifying emerging sustainability trends, technologies, and business models relevant to Tesco’s priorities.
• Manage the innovation pipeline by developing and maintaining a sustainability innovation pipeline across short, medium, and long-term horizons.
• Evaluate opportunities by scoping and assessing them against sustainability impact, customer relevance, commercial value, and scalability.
• Lead projects and pilots from concept through to recommendation or launch, leading or supporting proof-of-concepts.
• Build partnerships with external organisations including suppliers, start-ups, universities, and industry bodies.
• Advance sustainable diets by identifying opportunities through novel ingredients, alternative proteins, reformulation, and other food system innovations.
• Make the case by developing compelling business cases and recommendations for investment and scaling, and measuring and communicating the impact of initiatives.

Team and stakeholders

The role works across Tesco’s sustainability priorities and builds relationships with external partners including suppliers, start-ups, universities, and industry bodies, engaging diverse internal and external stakeholders.

Key details

This is a full-time, permanent, hybrid role (36 hours) based in Welwyn Garden City, with around 60% of the week at an office or local site and the rest remote. Benefits include an annual bonus of up to 20% of base salary, 25 days’ holiday plus a personal day, and private medical insurance.

Requirements

• Experience in sustainability, innovation, strategy, product development, or related disciplines within retail, food, FMCG, agriculture, or consumer goods.
• Proven ability to identify emerging trends and translate insights into commercial opportunities and strategic recommendations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, partnership, and relationship management skills across diverse audiences.
• Experience developing business cases, strategic proposals, and recommendations to support decision-making.
• Ability to balance sustainability objectives with commercial priorities and business outcomes.
• Experience across food systems, sustainable agriculture, climate, nature, packaging, or related sustainability agendas.
• Knowledge of sustainable diets, nutrition, ingredient innovation, and future food technologies.
• Experience working with start-ups, innovation ecosystems, academic partners, or external collaborators.
• Understanding of environmental and social sustainability frameworks, metrics, and impact assessment.
• Expertise in horizon scanning, trend analysis, and insight generation.
• Experience managing innovation pipelines, portfolios, projects, and programmes.
• Strong strategic thinking, problem-solving, and prioritisation skills, plus workshop facilitation, data analysis, and excellent communication skills.