Sappi Southern Africa is seeking a dedicated Social Impact Lead to develop, implement, and deliver a comprehensive, multi-faceted Social Impact programme. This will encompass shared value initiatives, community partnerships, sustainability, and diversity & inclusion. You will be responsible for driving Sappi Southern Africa's social impact framework, and ensuring the robust measurement and evaluation of our shared value programmes.

This role reports to the Head of Corporate Affairs South Africa. Please note, this position does not involve direct line management responsibilities.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage, strengthen, and expand the programme infrastructure across Sappi Southern Africa, including employee and community engagement opportunities.
• Collaborate with all business areas to develop a Social Impact strategy that effectively drives and measures the impact of our activities.
• Assist in developing, managing, and adapting social responsibility policies aligned with the Social Impact strategy.
• Lead the implementation and successful delivery of a comprehensive, multi-faceted Social Impact programme, including shared value initiatives, community partnerships, sustainability, and diversity & inclusion.
• Work closely with regional, functional, and business unit leaders to develop and implement market-specific and project-specific Social Impact initiatives and plans.
• Enhance and promote the Sappi brand and reputation as a preferred employer, community supporter, business partner, and service provider.
• Develop, deliver, and communicate a consistent brand narrative, supported by relevant metrics, that promotes Sappi’s culture of social and community impact, diversity, and inclusion.
• Collaborate with the Internal Communications Lead to reinforce and support the company’s social impact initiatives.
• Collaborate with the External Communications Lead to promote Sappi’s commitment to social impact, and contribute to the development of advocacy messaging.
• Work with beneficiaries, stakeholders, and service delivery leads to evaluate programme efficiency and effectiveness and identify areas for improvement.
• Strategically contribute to the development of fundable programmes and delivery models.
• Manage Social Impact projects, lead the development and implementation of effective project plans, and oversee project progress to ensure desired outcomes are achieved.
• Develop an evaluation methodology and ensure an ethical data collection and reporting approach.
• Monitor performance to identify areas for improvement, implement optimised performance improvement plans, and contribute to stakeholder relationship management.
• Cultivate and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Conduct market research to identify emerging trends and implement relevant plans in social impact, sustainability, and stakeholder relations.
• Manage and report on the Corporate Social Investment (CSI) budget in line with business expectations.
• Programme Management: Efficiently manage all CSI partners and beneficiaries through annual programme evaluations, in line with budget and CSI strategy.
• Strategic development and implementation of additional programmes to support the established community model.
• Monitor and track support requests, vet and approve appropriate requests, and maintain an accurate and up-to-date database of Social Impact and donation requests (including rejections and approvals).
• Compile consolidated cost reports and monthly and quarterly reviews.
• Prepare South African Corporate Social Responsibility funding reports for Management and the Sappi Ltd Board, and prepare year-end donation schedules for tax purposes.
• Provide monthly and quarterly reporting.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Bachelor’s degree in Communication/Journalism or a related field.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in social impact or corporate social investment.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of experience in developing and measuring social impact with limited budgets and resources.
• Strong understanding of social impact frameworks within the not-for-profit sector.
• Proven ability to build, manage, and maintain excellent working relationships at all organisational levels, and foster a collaborative work environment.
• Sophisticated ability to communicate social impact and apply it to advocacy, partnerships, and philanthropy needs.