Rayonier

VP, Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability

Rayonier$150K — $200K *
Business Services
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in sustainability, environmental science, business, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
  • At least 12 years of progressive experience in sustainability or corporate responsibility, with executive leadership demonstrated.
  • Expertise with sustainability reporting frameworks like ISSB, GRI, TCFD, and TNFD.
  • Strong knowledge of forest certification standards and carbon market mechanisms.
  • Exceptional strategic thinking and leadership skills, capable of driving organizational alignment.

Responsibilities

  • Translate enterprise sustainability goals into actionable priorities and governance structures.
  • Integrate net-zero strategies and forest certification into core business practices.
  • Monitor and assess global ESG regulations and recommend compliance policies.
  • Craft and maintain the company's sustainability narrative for stakeholders.
  • Oversee forest certification and sustainability leadership for timberland assets.
  • Evaluate and report on key sustainability metrics, including carbon emissions and conservation efforts.
  • Collaborate with various departments to embed ESG into strategic decisions.

Benefits

  • Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
  • 401(k) plan with a 60% match and an additional 3% employer contribution.
  • Flexible work schedules and hybrid work options available.
  • Minimum of three weeks paid vacation plus holidays and personal days.
  • Extensive employee development programs and tuition reimbursement options.
Full Job Description
Are you a strategic leader who excels at embedding environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles into corporate culture? Do you have a passion for shaping a long-term sustainability vision and delivering transparent, compelling corporate narratives? We are seeking a Vice President of Corporate Responsibility & Sustainability to lead our comprehensive ESG strategy. In this role, you will shape and advance the organization’s enterprise-wide sustainability strategy, ensuring tight alignment with overall business objectives while driving long-term value creation. How You Will Contribute Reporting to the SVP, Chief Sustainability Officer, you will drive our success across several critical areas: Strategic Executive Leader: Translate enterprise goals into clear priorities, targets, and governance structures that drive measurable ESG outcomes. Sustainability Champion: Integrate net-zero climate strategies and forest certification standards into our core business strategy, leveraging them as drivers of timberland asset value and long-term differentiation. Governance & Compliance Monitor: Assess emerging global regulations, disclosure requirements, and industry standards, recommending proactive policies to safeguard long-term business resilience. Collaborative Advisor & Storyteller: Steward the company's sustainability narrative to ensure credible messaging across public and investor channels, while acting as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and the Board. Key Accountabilities Forest Certification & Sustainability Leadership • Oversee forest certification, chain of custody, and traceability programs (e.g., SFI, FSC, EUDR), including all internal and external audits. • Support initiatives related to climate change mitigation, biodiversity, conservation, habitat protection, and restoration. • Monitor evolving wood products sustainability standards, including Life Cycle Assessments (LCA), Environmental Product Declarations (EPD), and green building codes. Reporting, Data, & Performance Management • Provide executive oversight into sustainability reporting frameworks (e.g., GRI, IFRS, TNFD), regulatory filings, and external disclosures. • Direct the measurement of key sustainability metrics, including forest carbon removals, natural capital, and Scope 1, 2, and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. • Lead climate-related risk analyses and integrate findings into enterprise risk management (ERM) while continually improving systems to secure favorable third-party ratings (e.g., ISS, Sustainalytics, CDP). Cross-Functional Leadership & External Engagement • Partner with Operations, Legal, HR, Investor Relations, Communications, Safety, and Public Affairs to embed ESG into day-to-day strategic decision-making. • Represent the company as the primary face of sustainability with external stakeholders, including investors, rating organizations, regulators, and community partners. • Build organizational capability and drive accountability for ESG metrics across all business units. What You Bring to the Team Required Qualifications Education: A Bachelor’s degree in sustainability, environmental science, business, communications, corporate responsibility, or a related field. An advanced degree or relevant professional certifications are preferred. Experience: A minimum of twelve (12) years of progressive experience in sustainability, corporate responsibility, environmental strategy, natural capital, or conservation finance, including demonstrated executive-level leadership. Proven experience advising senior executives and Boards of Directors on sustainability risks, opportunities, and disclosures. Technical Skills & Reporting Frameworks: Deep understanding of sustainability reporting frameworks (e.g., ISSB, GRI, TCFD, TNFD, CDP), climate/environmental metrics, regulatory trends, and data assurance practices. Familiarity with forest certification standards (SFI, FSC), working forests, and natural capital or carbon market mechanisms. Strong oversight of systems and processes for collecting, validating, and analyzing complex data. Strategic Mindset & Professional Influence: Exceptional strategic thinking, leadership presence, communication, and influence skills, with the proven ability to drive alignment and accountability across a complex organization. We invite you to apply if you bring a deep background in climate risks, forest certification, and sustainability frameworks, alongside a track record of advising senior executives and Board directors. If you are ready to drive accountability across a complex organization and shape the sustainable future of our enterprise, we want to hear from you. Working Conditions and Physical Requirements: This role is primarily office-based with extended periods of computer use and sitting. This position requires significant domestic and international travel (estimated 50–60%) to support executive engagement, stakeholder meetings, site visits, and external representation. What We Offer • We offer a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life, accident, disability, identity theft protection, and paid parental and caregiver leave. We also offer a health savings account, a dependent care spending account, and an employee assistance plan. We provide wellness reimbursements, employee discount programs, annual health screenings, wellness incentives, wellness seminars, and financial counseling and planning tools. • Our 401(k) retirement savings plan includes company matching contributions (60% match on the first 6% of base and bonus deferrals) as well as a 3% enhanced retirement contribution that does not require an employee contribution. • We recognize the importance of work-life integration and offer flexible work schedules and hybrid work from home options (for most positions), along with a minimum of three weeks paid vacation, five paid personal days, 11 paid holidays and paid sick leave each year. • We provide a comprehensive employee development program which provides career planning tools and resources, mentoring program, leadership development, training programs and an 80% tuition reimbursement.

About Rayonier

Rayonier is a leading timberland real estate investment trust with assets located in some of the most productive softwood timber growing regions in the United States and New Zealand. The company owns, leases or manages approximately 2.6 million acres of timberlands located in the U.S. South, U.S. Pacific Northwest and New Zealand. Rayonier is also a global supplier of high-purity cellulose, a natural polymer commonly found in cell phones, computer screens, filters and pharmaceuticals. The company's performance fibers manufacturing facilities are located in Jesup, Georgia and Fernandina Beach, Florida. Rayonier is committed to responsible forest management practices and has been recognized for its leadership in sustainability by the Dow Jones Sustainability Index North America for 11 consecutive years.
Learn more about Rayonier
Size
406 employees
Market Cap
$4.9 billion
Industry
Net Income
$37 million
Founded
1926
5 Year Trend
+6.3%
Revenue
$859.1 million
NASDAQ

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