The opportunity to shape a system

The UK generates approximately 11 million tonnes of packaging waste each year, just under half of all household waste; yet household recycling rates have stagnated in the recent period. Significant volumes of packaging still end up in landfill or incineration annually.

The UK's packaging Extended Producer Responsibility (pEPR) scheme, which began its phased rollout in April 2025, fundamentally shifts the full £1.5bn cost of collecting, sorting, recycling and disposing of household packaging waste to the producers who place that packaging on the market. In April of this year, UK Packaging PRO was appointed as the newly established organisation to support delivery of key elements of the scheme through delegated functions. Mission-led and operating across the UK, the organisation is accountable to PackUK, the body appointed by ministers across all four nations and hosted by Defra, to oversee pEPR.

Created with the support of businesses accountable for over half the UK’s pEPR fees, UK Packaging PRO sits at the intersection of policy, industry delivery and environmental ambition. Its purpose is to influence and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the packaging value chain, working closely with brands, retailers, packaging suppliers, local authorities and the waste and resources sector, increasing collection of better materials and recycled content in packaging. As it now seeks to appoint its first-ever CEO, this is a rare moment to shape an organisation from the start, with the governance, capability and credibility required to operate in a complex and highly scrutinised landscape. This is an opportunity to deliver significant national impact and help shape the future effectiveness of the UK’s packaging system. 

Reporting to the Chair, the CEO will lead the PRO’s strategy, mobilisation and delivery against targets through functions delegated by PackUK, ensuring the organisation is producer-led, governance-compliant, collaborative across the value chain, cost-conscious and financially sustainable. The CEO will be accountable for appointing the leadership team, setting up key functions, and creating a scalable, mission-led organisation capable of managing the complex, multi-stakeholder demands in the public eye. In the first instance that’s an organisation that is capable of meeting conditions of appointment and delivering delegated functions and outcomes effectively. You will be expected to build a team that can truly change the packaging ecosystem in the UK. 

The successful candidate will bring senior leadership experience at CEO, Managing Director or divisional CEO level within complex, delivery-focused or regulated and high-scrutiny environments, with a good understanding of consumer goods, packaging and resource management value chains. You will bring strong business acumen and operational credentials with a track record of mobilisation and delivery at pace, demonstrating ability to lead the scale up of a new organisation. With clear commercial and financial capability and excellent stakeholder leadership, skills, you will bring high integrity, governance discipline and calm decision-making under pressure. Experience in obligated sectors or their supply chains would be essential; experience within packaging, recycling, resource management or circular economy sectors would be desirable.

The successful candidate will combine strategic leadership with pragmatism, collaboration and the ability to build trust across diverse stakeholder groups.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to UK Packaging PRO on this appointment. For further information about the role, including details about how to apply, please visit roles.saxbam.com using reference XBVRA. Alternatively email belinda.beck@saxbam.com. Applications should be received by May 26^th at 9am.