Program Manager / Senior Program Manager , The Closed Loop Partners Center for the Circular Economy

Closed Loop Partners•New York, NY

2d•$105,000 - $140,000•Onsite

About The Position

At the crossroads of strategy consulting, packaging circularity, material science, and program delivery, this role leads dynamic projects for major corporate clients and technical partners. Ideal candidates bring management consulting or professional services experience, a technical understanding of the packaging and/or recycling sectors and a demonstrated ability to structure, deliver, and implement tangible outputs that drive real-world impact. The Closed Loop Center seeks a Program Manager or Senior Program Manager to support initiatives dedicated to advancing the circular economy. Projects and initiatives vary and include managing multi-stakeholder initiatives to accelerate circularity solutions for QSR, CPG, industrial and retail clients. This is a full-time position. Applicants will be required to start this position by July or August 2026. Outstanding candidates who require a later start date will be considered. To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter. Due to the volume of applications only qualified applicants will be contacted to schedule an interview. Please do not contact Closed Loop Partners staff to request information or a pre-application meeting, or to follow up on your submitted application.

Requirements

Relevant experience within the following fields: Top-tier management consulting, waste management and recycling or packaging.
Program Manager: 3-5 years relevant experience
Senior Program Manager: 4-7 years of relevant experience
Bachelors Degree or higher
Experience in leading high-profile client services projects
Excellent storytelling and communication skills
Ability to learn new subject matter areas quickly across a broad portfolio, including highly technical material topics
Strong critical thinking and analytical skills and ability to evaluate complex, multi-stakeholder challenges
Comfort in ambiguity and creating structure in "white space"
Strong writing and editing skills and experience in drafting concise and effective internal- and external-facing presentations (e.g., Word, PPT, XLS)
Strong organizational skills and excellent attention to detail
Experience in budget management
Passion for sustainability and the circular economy
A dynamic, enthusiastic professional who can take both initiative and direction
A mission-driven team player who enjoys collaboration
US Work Authorization

Nice To Haves

Experience with material sciences, environmental policy, CPG, QSR or retail a plus.
Knowledge of recycling facility operations and material flows
Familiarity with commodity and end‑market dynamics
Understanding of material sciences as they relate to packaging and recyclability
Awareness of downstream processing and end‑use considerations of different packaging types and recycling systems
Understanding of evolving regulatory landscape (e.g., EPR, PCR mandates)
Experience in managing in-field projects
Experience in the retail, QSR, CPG, commodity, or recycling industry
Experience in behavioral insights, consumer research, operations and/or supply chain logistics

Responsibilities

Oversee and project‑manage high‑profile, multi‑stakeholder initiatives across diverse sectors, including packaging, recycling, material science, and broader circularity efforts.
Transform goals into clear, actionable plans through critical thinking, iterative problem‑solving, and structured research planning.
Draft multi-year initiative timelines and budgets; manage daily deadlines and tasks to ensure deliverables are on time, to the highest quality and within budget.
Develop and execute program roadmaps and targets, including planning, resourcing, execution and stakeholder coordination.
Prioritize and coordinate tasks across multiple workstreams, managing complex stakeholder relationships and adapting to evolving needs.
Identify internal and external expertise needed for technically complex projects, leveraging in-house capacity and outsourced support effectively.
Contribute to other Center special projects as needed.
Serve as liaison with key stakeholders including brand owners, industry partners, subject matter experts, policy makers, and consultants, among others.
Facilitate stakeholder meetings and engagements, including setting objectives, managing deliverables, assigning responsibilities and ensuring strong coordination.
Create project communication plans and lead stakeholder presentations and updates.
Plan and facilitate multi-stakeholder workshops and roundtables to advance priorities and foster cross-sector collaboration.
Lead the identification, scoping, and execution of in‑field and technical projects, including packaging and recycling pilots, end‑to-end technical studies, and material validation testing.
Coordinate cross‑functional stakeholders and vendor partners to ensure smooth, on‑time, and high‑quality delivery.
Manage in‑market recycling and packaging circularity programs from design through implementation, including vendor oversight, data collection and analysis, troubleshooting, and reporting to internal and external stakeholders.
Design and execute data collection strategies and technical research programs, developing analysis plans that leverage both quantitative and qualitative methods.
Conduct research with strong quality assurance, synthesize complex findings, and translate insights into actionable recommendations, implementation roadmaps, and compelling visual storytelling.
Contribute to thought leadership initiatives that advance program priorities and share insights with internal teams, partners, and external audiences.
Assess compliance requirements and identify regulatory risks that may affect program design, execution, or long-term viability, recommending mitigation strategies as needed.
Leverage insights from in‑field implementations and research projects to evaluate emerging legislation and policy proposals.
Partner with internal and external policy leads to translate regulatory developments (e.g., EPR laws) into clear program actions.