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 acts in the long-term interests of its signatories, of the financial markets and economies in which they operate and ultimately of the environment and society as a whole. The PRI is truly independent. It encourages investors to use responsible investment to enhance returns and better manage risks but does not operate for its own profit; it engages with global policymakers but is not associated with any government; it is supported by, but not part of, the United Nations.

Working at the PRI provides an opportunity to engage with highly motivated, culturally diverse professionals on a wide range of cutting edge issues, such as income inequality through the lens of sustainable finance. The PRI provides scope for development at all levels with opportunities for project leadership and management working alongside some of the most influential signatories and leaders across financial markets and economies.  In combination with a supportive culture that encourages continuous learning and flexible working policies, PRI is a highly engaging place to work on truly transformative issues.

Job Description

This role will help support the delivery and execution of a key programme across PRI relating to asset owners. Empowering asset owners is a central area of impact and focus in PRI’s 10 year blueprint. Reporting to the Director of Investor Practices, this role will play a crucial role in designing, writing and managing the development of resources and content for asset owners. This role will work closely with the Director of Empowering Asset Owners to deliver a programme that supports PRI’s growing number of asset owner signatories globally. For PRI, the universe of asset owners includes insurers, pension funds, endowments & charities and sovereign wealth funds. Enabling them to fulfil their commitments to the 6 Principles. This programme will provide a regular cadence of clear, easily understood and actionable content to support the global asset owner community. The successful candidate will play a key role in the delivery of a busy programme of work over the next 3 years with extensive contact with signatories. Senior specialist’s should be able to lead and deliver programmes with a high degree of independence and have experience of working across teams to deliver objectives.

Core Responsibilities:

■ Working closely with the IP Director and the Director of Empowering Asset Owners, they will help develop, lead and deliver resources and content for a range of asset owners across topics ranging from ESG integration, climate change and human rights.

■ Working alongside the appropriate Directors to help manage the running of the Technical Asset Owner Advisory committee alongside any associated working groups.

■ Helping to deliver the empowering asset owner programme across PRI.

■ Be able to work in a collaborative environment with internal teams and external partner groups.

■ Have a flexible mindset, openness to work on a range of challenging and evolving projects and a record of bringing new ideas.

■ Enthusiasm and ‘can do’ attitude which is combined with willingness to undertake a range of tasks.

■ Keep abreast of market-wide developments, building on existing career experience.

Strategy

■ Understand PRI’s 3 year strategy and specifically the areas of impact relating to empowering asset owners.

Research

■ Helping to oversee manage and deliver tools, guides and content that helps support asset owners implement RI strategies and meet PRI’s principles I & II.

■ Building on PRI’s reputation for excellent guides & tools, the candidate will help improve research across the Content team and ensure output is suitable for asset owners.

■ Bring innovative and different ideas to development and dissemination of PRI’s content.

Team and Collaboration

■ Work with individuals and other teams across the organisation to develop and deliver programmes, guides, tools and events.

Core Competencies:

PRI expects roles at a ‘Senior Specialist level’ within the organisation to demonstrate skills across the following core competencies:

Analytical

Looks for opportunities to add value by sharing specialist knowledge and insights

Broadens the view to consider all possible options even if they initially seem unlikely solutions

Can effectively capture and structure ill-defined or vague problems and is comfortable handling uncertainty (in own work and that of team members)

Considers examples outside of the PRI in offering alternative solutions or guidance

Business Awareness

Demonstrates an understanding of the business, including its finances, mission and its culture

Identifies and utilises key relationships (both internal and external) for successful execution of project or piece of work

Knows when and how to challenge senior managers

Applies industry knowledge and understanding of external influences, coupled with an appreciation of PRI mission and strategy to inform decisions

Collaborative

Demonstrates ability to build good working relationships at all levels

Drives collaboration within projects or work programmes to deliver high quality outputs

Aligns expectations with senior managers to reach agreement

Promotes knowledge sharing across the organisation

Flexes style and approach based on colleagues’ level of understanding and preferences

Communicative

Independently delivers well-structured, logical outputs that deliver maximum impact with minimum editing

Presents advice or recommendations within the context of the recipient’s area of focus to gain buy-in

Improves the knowledge of senior managers by making complex specialist principles easy to understand

Appreciates the impact of their communication on others, modifying behaviour and communication style to work in different situations

Developmental

Shares specialist knowledge openly with others, creating opportunities for others to learn, grow and succeed

Builds an environment within the PRI which values forward thinking, creative solutions and innovation

Is active in specialist networks as a means of furthering own knowledge and applying at the PRI

Uses good questioning skills in a way that causes others to think about their approach

Structured

Prioritises where contributes own time based on the value it would deliver

Uses project management and oversight of individual work processes to improve organisational performance

Continuously monitors external developments to incorporate into own work activities

Translates project objectives into own work plans

Technical Competencies & Experience:

■ Evidence of experience working on, managing and delivering multiple projects related to ESG issues and/or capital markets.

■ Experience in or knowledge of the integration of responsible investment into investment processes and approaches.

■ Evidence of working with or in asset owners or advisors to asset owners will be an advantage. The candidate might come from an asset manager, asset owner, investment bank, investment consultancy or similar organisation.

■ Evidence of utilising data sets to inform decisions, guidance and research.

■ A proven track record of writing, contributing to and producing public analysis and reports on relevant topics to an audience of financial professionals and/or asset owners. Excellent written communication and verbal presentation skills

■ Well-developed people skills and experience with an ability to successfully work with diverse, multi-stakeholder groups with a collaborative and consultative mindset, with then ability to work in an incluisve working environmnt.

■ Experience in building a social media presence, undertaking public presentations and hosting webinars is desirable.

■ Appropriate professional qualifications in asset management, sustainability or responsible investment an advantage an advantage.

■ Language skills, other than English, are desirable.