Circular Economy Skills Every Position Description Needs
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The global shift to circularity isn’t a niche trend — it’s a workforce transformation. The International Labour Organisation estimates that a circular transition could create 7–8 million net new jobs by 2030, with about 2% of workers needing redeployment or reskilling [Source: ILO].
Meanwhile, demand for CE and green capabilities is outpacing supply:
LinkedIn reports that the share of talent with green skills grew by 12%, while jobs requiring them grew by 22%.
Workers with at least one green skill were 29% more likely to be hired [Source: LinkedIn Green Skills].
In Australia, the shift is accelerating:
Circular procurement is expanding across councils, construction, manufacturing, and retail.
More organisations are embedding circularity into ESG strategies and workforce planning.
Skilled shortages are emerging in repair, reuse, reverse logistics, refurbishment and lifecycle analysis — roles that are essential for CE growth.
But here’s the critical insight: You don’t need a sustainability department to build circular capability. You need position descriptions that encode circular thinking.
“Circular economy skills become culture when they’re written into every role — not tucked inside a single sustainability job.”
Practical framework: Circular Economy Skills for Any Position Description
Below is a clear, PD-friendly structure that any organisation can adopt. Use the headings under capability frameworks like “Ways of Working”, “Collaboration”, “Problem Solving”, “Innovation”, or “Resource Stewardship”.
Pitfalls & “good, better, best” guidance
Common pitfalls include:
Treating CE skills as “extra work” rather than a core capability.
Embedding them only in senior or sustainability roles.
Overly technical jargon that alienates non-specialists.
Lack of examples or micro-behaviours.
Good | Better | Best |
Add CE skills as optional behaviours in some PDs. | Integrate CE capabilities across core capability domains. | Build a whole-of-organisation CE capability framework, offer micro-learning pathways, and align procurement and performance systems. |
How to measure success
Consider the following:
CE Skills Checklist for Position Descriptions
Copy this into your next PD refresh:
♻️Applies circular principles in day-to-day decisions.
♻️Uses systems and lifecycle thinking when planning or purchasing.
♻️Identifies opportunities to repair, reuse, or share resources.
♻️Collaborates across teams to close loops and reduce waste.
♻️Supports circular procurement and raises concerns about linear options.
♻️Applies creativity and continuous improvement to reduce waste.
♻️Models circular behaviours and contributes to shared learning.
Embedding circular economy skills into every position description isn’t just an HR exercise — it’s how organisations build resilience, reduce waste, and stay competitive in a changing economy. When circular capability becomes part of everyone’s role, culture shifts, innovation accelerates, and people feel equipped to contribute to something bigger than their job title. The transition starts small, but the impact compounds quickly.