Executive Head of ESG & Sustainable B at Vodafone · Democrati…

Role Purpose

The Executive Head of ESG & Sustainable Business is accountable for defining, leading, and embedding the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Sustainable Business agenda across Vodacom Congo. This role provides strategic leadership at enterprise level, ensuring ESG is fully integrated into business strategy, investment decisions, operations, risk management, and stakeholder engagement. The incumbent positions Vodacom Congo as a purpose-led, responsible and future-fit organization, delivering long-term socio-economic value while protecting the company’s reputation, license to operate, and sustainability commitments in the DRC. The role operates as a trusted advisor to the Deputy CEO, ExCo and Board, shaping decisions that balance growth, impact, and risk.

Key Responsibilities

A. Enterprise ESG & Sustainable Business Strategy

• Define and drive the ESG and Sustainable Business strategy, aligned with Vodacom Group direction and local market priorities.
• Embed ESG principles into commercial strategy, capital allocation, network expansion, supply chain decisions, and operating models.
• Translate ESG commitments into clear priorities, targets, and execution roadmaps, with accountability across the business.
• Act as the executive owner of ESG outcomes, ensuring delivery against agreed commitments.

B. Environmental & Climate Leadership

• Provide executive oversight of climate strategy, including carbon reduction, energy efficiency, renewable energy adoption, and environmental footprint management.
• Lead climate risk and resilience planning, ensuring network and business continuity in the face of environmental and climate-related risks.
• Ensure full compliance with national environmental regulations, Vodacom Group standards, and international best practices.

C. Social Impact & Corporate Citizenship

• Set strategic direction for social impact, inclusion and digital society initiatives, ensuring measurable outcomes aligned to national development priorities.
• Oversee high-impact programmes in digital inclusion, education, youth empowerment, financial inclusion and gender equality.
• Build and govern strategic partnerships with government, NGOs, development partners and the private sector to scale impact.
• Champion Vodacom’s purpose internally, strengthening employee engagement and responsible business culture.

D. Governance, Ethics & Responsible Business

• Provide executive leadership on ESG governance, ethics, human rights, responsible supply chains and anti-corruption frameworks.
• Partner with Legal, Risk, HR, Procurement and Regulatory teams to ensure responsible business practices are embedded enterprise-wide.
• Proactively identify and manage ESG-related risks that could impact reputation, compliance, or business sustainability

E. Reporting, Disclosure & Performance Measurement

• Own the ESG reporting and disclosure agenda, ensuring alignment with international standards (GRI, TCFD, SDGs, SASB) and Group requirements.
• Provide clear, credible and timely reporting to the Deputy CEO, ExCo, Board and external stakeholders.
• Lead engagement with external auditors, ESG rating agencies and assurance partners, driving continuous improvement in ESG ratings and transparency.
• Use ESG data and insights to inform executive decision-making.

F. Stakeholder Engagement & Advocacy

• Act as the senior ESG representative for Vodacom Congo with regulators, government, industry bodies, media and international platforms.
• Influence national and sectoral ESG discussions, strengthening Vodacom’s reputation, credibility and license to operate.
• Lead ESG-related advocacy and partnerships that enhance brand trust and long-term stakeholder value.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Enterprise-level strategic thinking with strong commercial and sustainability acumen
• Proven ability to influence at ExCo, Board and senior stakeholder level
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to drive cross-functional alignment
• Excellent judgment in managing risk, reputation and complex trade-offs
• High-impact communication, storytelling and executive reporting skills
• Deep understanding of ESG frameworks, regulatory trends and sustainability best practices

Qualifications & Experience

• Master’s degree in Sustainability, Business Administration, Public Policy, Environmental Sciences, International Development or related field
• 8–12+ years progressive experience in ESG, sustainability, corporate affairs, development, regulatory or related leadership roles
• Demonstrated experience operating in complex, highly regulated, or multinational environments
• Proven track record of leading enterprise-wide ESG or impact agendas with measurable results
• Experience in telecommunications, infrastructure, or emerging markets is a strong advantage

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Delivery of ESG strategy and sustainable business objectives
• Measurable reduction in environmental footprint and climate risk exposure
• Impact and scalability of social inclusion and purpose-led initiatives
• ESG ratings performance and audit outcomes
• Strengthened stakeholder trust, reputation and regulatory confidence
• Quality, credibility and timeliness of ESG disclosures.