EPR & Product Stewardship Specialist

Bass Pro Shops•Springfield, MO

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The EPR & Product Stewardship Specialist will report directly to the Senior Associate General Counsel. As Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programs rapidly expand across jurisdictions, you will serve as the primary execution resource for EPR, product stewardship, and environmental product/packaging compliance across the United States and Canada, with secondary support for ESG and sustainability compliance initiatives. The position requires hands-on management of regulatory filings, data collection, consultant oversight, and cross-functional coordination to maintain compliance and audit readiness across packaging, electronics/batteries, vehicle/boat components, bottle bills, plastics/PFAS, recycling labeling, and other emerging product stewardship programs. This role will also support the development of compliance policies, procedures, and internal training materials. This position will be based in Springfield, Missouri.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in environmental science, sustainability, business administration, or a related field required.
3 to 5 years of experience in regulatory compliance, environmental compliance, or a related field, preferably in retail, consumer products, or manufacturing.
Hands-on experience preparing regulatory compliance reports and filings, preferably across multiple jurisdictions.
Working knowledge of, or demonstrated ability to quickly develop expertise in, packaging EPR programs, deposit systems, electronics/battery stewardship, plastics/PFAS regulatory trends, and environmental labeling rules in the U.S. and/or Canada.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to translate regulatory requirements into clear business guidance and training materials.
Ability to manage complex data sets across multiple regulatory programs and jurisdictions simultaneously.
Strong organizational and project management skills; ability to prioritize across competing deadlines.
Self-motivated and able to work independently with minimal supervision.
Excellent interpersonal skills; comfortable working cross-functionally with merchandising, operations, packaging/engineering, finance, IT, and EHS teams.
Ability to manage consultant relationships and hold external partners accountable to deliverables and timelines.
Detail-oriented with a commitment to accuracy in filings and regulatory documentation.
Ability to comprehend complex and evolving regulations and apply them to practical business scenarios.

Nice To Haves

Experience with product stewardship or EPR programs is a plus.
Regulatory compliance background preferred.
Experience developing policies, procedures, and operational guidance documents.
Experience managing third-party consultants or external service providers.
Comfort working with ERP/PLM/PIM data, supplier attestations, and building audit-ready documentation.
Relevant certifications (e.g., CHMM) or coursework in environmental law or regulatory affairs.

Responsibilities

Execute or coordinate execution of EPR registrations, reporting, and filings across U.S. state packaging EPR programs and Canadian provincial programs; maintain or coordinate maintenance of Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) relationships.
Coordinate or support other departments in coordinating electronics and battery stewardship and vehicle/boat component programs (e.g., lead-acid batteries, tires) in the U.S. and Canada.
Own emerging product stewardship program responsibilities as new regulations develop, including registration, takeback/recycling coordination, data capture, and reporting.
Implement and coordinate product stewardship obligations, including labeling requirements and handling logistics with Stores/Ops.
Support governance of environmental labeling and claims (recyclable/compostable marks, chasing-arrows, "plastic free," "biobased," etc.) in coordination with Legal and Marketing; maintain a substantiation library.
Monitor plastics and PFAS-in-packaging/products regulatory developments and translate requirements into practical design and labeling guidance for packaging and product development teams.
Build and maintain data flows from PLM/ERP/PIM systems, supplier declarations, and 3PLs; implement EPR tooling, controls, and audit trails.
Prepare or coordinate preparation of annual fee budgets and quarterly forecasts by state/province; reconcile actuals and prepare variance narratives.
Maintain audit-ready evidence files and furnish documentation within established SLAs.
Manage third-party consultants, including statements of work, deliverables, timelines, and knowledge transfer.
Coordinate with external advisors to support regulatory filings, data validation, and program implementation.
Assist in developing compliance policies, procedures, and playbooks for EPR, product stewardship, and environmental labeling.
Assist in developing training materials for internal business partners on product stewardship, EPR, and environmental compliance topics.
Support circularity and takeback pilots with Operations and vendors.
Coordinate ESG and climate disclosure readiness activities with Finance, including monitoring SEC, California, and Canadian regulatory developments.
Monitor legislative and regulatory developments in EPR, product stewardship, PFAS, packaging, and sustainability; proactively identify compliance risks and communicate impacts to the Senior Associate General Counsel and internal business partners.