Senior Specialist, Sustainability Initiatives 18 Month Fixed Term Contract, (with possible exte[...]

Senior Specialist, Sustainability Initiatives 18 Month Fixed Term Contract, (with possible extension)

3 April 2025

• LOCATION: Hybrid · London, City of, UK
  Please note, where PRI has an office there is an expectation to work a minimum of 2 days per week.
• BASIS: Full-Time (18-Month Fixed Term Contract)
• CLOSING DATE: 8:00pm, 27th Apr 2025 BST

About the PRI

The PRI is the world’s leading proponent of responsible investment. It works to understand the investment implications of environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors and to support its international network of investor signatories in incorporating these factors into their investment and ownership decisions.

The PRI’s three distinct capabilities relate to the core elements of the PRI’s approach to achieving a sustainable financial system.

• Translate RI (Responsible Investment) thought leadership into insights and practical support that is tailored to what signatories need to progress their RI practice
• Convene our vast network to create opportunities for collaborative action
• Harness our global scale to influence policymakers and regulators to effect system change

Job Description

This is an exciting opportunity to join PRI’s Sustainability Initiatives Team, supporting and helping to facilitate investor action through a new peer learning and capacity building-focused initiative on nature with an emerging market focus, as well as a climate private markets focused initiative.

The role reports to PRI’s Head of Sustainability Initiatives and will work closely with team members across PRI, with PRI investor signatories and with external partners and stakeholders on driving forward a meaningful approach to climate and nature.

Core Responsibilities

Lead delivery of two investor initiatives on climate and nature

• Lead the delivery of a new peer learning and capacity building-focused initiative on nature with an emerging market focus, including delivering a series of virtual and in-person workshops and facilitating best practice sharing among investors.
• Oversee and manage the successful implementation of key deliverables and workplans for a climate-focused private markets initiatives, overseeing the day-to-day management of workstreams
• Lead the governance and strategy development of both initiatives through supporting general governance and project management functions.
• Support the Head of Sustainability Initiatives in delivering against the team’s business plan and budget.

Provide technical support and expertise to two investor initiatives on climate and nature

Serve as a key technical expert/subject matter expert on the nature agenda and ideally private market experience, with particular focus on reporting, disclosure and guidance to support investor signatories integrate nature into decision-making.

Facilitate knowledge sharing (externally and internally) on how private markets investors can address sustainability issues, with a focus on climate and nature.

Stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration

• Build and maintain trusted relationships with signatories involved in the sustainability initiatives, as well as prospective signatories both globally and in key strategic markets.
• Engage regularly with key stakeholders relevant to the sustainability initiatives (e.g. industry leaders, civil society, peer organisations), to inform investors’ expectations and create communication channels.
• Support and manage the coordination of asset class initiatives, including facilitating peer learning and best practice sharing among investors, and building trusted working relationships, consensus and trust with signatories and stakeholders.
• Provide strategic oversight and coordination across PRI teams, ensuring effective collaboration and integration of sustainability initiatives into PRI’s broader activities.

Person Specification

Technical and programme management

• Excellent analytical and critical thinking skills, with the ability to identify risks, trends, and strategic opportunities and solve problems in a structured and rigorous way.
• Excellent programme management skills, with experience in delivering projects successfully, including effectively managing workstreams.
• Expertise in sustainability issues, particularly climate and nature, with an emphasis on how they affect investors across asset classes, including private markets.
• Excellent networking, influencing and interpersonal skills with the ability to build strong and constructive relationships in different circumstances (remote/in-person or internal/external) with a clear understanding of what drives people and how to achieve optimal outcomes.
• A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others & committed to fostering an inclusive environment.
• Excellent written communication and verbal presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear, actionable insights.
• Comfortable working with ambiguity and adapting to rapidly changing priorities.
• Demonstrated subject matter expertise on nature and/or climate and strong understanding of the responsible investment industry through experience, qualifications and/or higher education.
• A depth and breadth of specialist knowledge on how sustainability issues affect investors in different asset classes, especially private markets (private equity, private debt, real assets). Adds value by sharing specialist knowledge and insights in a professional and objective manner.
• Good understanding of the investor role in addressing risks and opportunities linked to system-level sustainability issues.
• Language skills (desirable) in addition to English, in particular Spanish and Portuguese.

We particularly welcome candidates from under-represented groups, including Black, Asian, and other People of Colour, those with visible or non-visible disabilities, LGBTQ+ candidates and those who are neurodivergent.

The PRI is committed to offering flexibility to our employees, both formal (e.g. part-time work) and informal (e.g. a shift in hours to accommodate caring responsibilities). Please talk to us about how we could make this role flexible for you.

N.B. We reserve the right to close a vacancy in the event of an overwhelming response or a change in business priorities.