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 role is responsible for the PRI’s stewardship activities on climate change. This primarily involves leading the PRI’s work on Climate Action 100+, one of PRI’s flagship projects and the largest collaborative investor initiative to date. It seeks to ensure the world’s largest corporate greenhouse gas emitters take appropriate action on climate change in order to mitigate financial risk and to maximise the long-term value of assets.

The position also extends to overseeing support to other regional climate stewardship initiatives, as well as guiding the development of potential new ones in key markets.

The role involves managing an international team of nine (based across Europe and Asia). It reports into the PRI’s Director of Stewardship, also working closely with the Chief Initiatives Officer on CA100+.

Join a global and motivated Stewardship team that works to deliver substantial real change in our global economy, society and the environment. Stewardship is one of the most powerful mechanisms by which investors and their agents can contribute to the achievement of the PRI’s mission: the creation of a sustainable financial system which benefits the environment and society as a whole. The role is an exciting opportunity to contribute to work that will encourage and enable PRI signatories to fully realise the potential of stewardship to drive real-world outcomes on climate change.

Core Responsibilities

Oversee the delivery of Climate Action 100+, including:

• Guiding the strategic direction, governance and operations of the initiative (via roles on Steering Committee, Network Staff Committee and other relevant staff working groups).

• Overseeing the 58 company engagements coordinated by PRI via the:

  PRI Global Engagement Working Group – 42 companies (mix of regions, ex-Asia).

  AIGCC-PRI Asia Engagement Working Group – 16 companies coordinated by PRI across China, India and Japan.

• Overseeing and/or contribute to relevant strategic projects, including the Net Zero Company Benchmark, as well as Sector and Thematic engagements (in particular on Aviation, Methane and State-Owned Enterprises).

• Leading PRI’s role in managing grant funding, including on budgets and allocations.

• Collaborating with and manage relationships with relevant network conveners, within and beyond CA100+.

• Overseeing the management of signatory relationships, with a focus on retention and growth of investor signatories to CA100+ in key strategic markets. Also to expand the expertise of stewardship practices, best practices and needs.

Manage a global team of PRI staff, including:

• Four Senior Specialists (direct line management) who are responsible for overseeing the regional engagements, particular strategic projects and operations of CA100+.

• Five Specialists (indirect support, mentoring) who coordinate company engagements and support select strategic projects.

• Oversee support to other regional climate stewardship initiatives, such as Climate Engagement Canada and China Climate Engagement Initiative, as well as guiding the development of potential new ones in key markets.

• Collaborate with the other Stewardship and Sustainability Initiatives sub-teams to share insights and best practice across PRI convened initiatives.

• Coordinate and collaborate with other relevant PRI teams to support initiatives, exchange insights and manage signatory relationships. In particular, the Responsible Investment Ecosystem (RIE), Climate & Environment and Sustainable Systems teams.

• Work with relevant PRI staff and teams to align activities with the PRI Strategy 2024-27, as well as the Stewardship initiatives theory of change, ambition and ways of working.

• As this is a global role, some international travel may be required, as well as occasional calls outside of typical office hours.  

 Person Specification

Team and stakeholder management

• Track record in general management of teams and projects, involving co-ordination of multiple stakeholders.

• Proven people management and leadership skills, committed to fostering an inclusive environment.

• A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others, including appropriately involving the right people, with the ability to inspire trust and drive good decision-making.

• Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills, including the ability to forge long-term relationships with relevant stakeholders (e.g. industry leaders, civil society, peer organisations) and drive decision-making in diverse, multi-stakeholder groups.

• Excellent facilitation skills, including the ability to support collaborative activities involving investor coalitions with varying backgrounds. Diplomacy, tact, and ability to build consensus, including with senior individuals.

Strategy and planning

• Ability to lead a programme of work, including planning and managing activities, and driving decision-making processes that balance different needs and perspectives.

• Openness to developing and implementing innovative approaches to addressing complex issues, regularly evaluating success and course-correcting accordingly.

• Ability to understand multiple perspectives and framings of a problem, analysing root causes and identifying potential solutions and relevant risks and opportunities.

• Experience in developing and managing strategy, business plans and resourcing requirements.

• Experience in designing and implementing internal and external communications strategies that encourage participation and buy-in from key stakeholders.

Subject matter expertise

• Demonstrable expertise on stewardship, in particular investor-corporate engagement, through experience, qualifications and/ or higher education.

• Demonstrable expertise on climate change and related issues through experience, qualifications and/ or higher education.

• Ability to communicate with varied stakeholders on stewardship and climate change, empowering them to develop their expertise in engagement and technical understanding.

• Understanding of key networks and initiatives related to investor stewardship on climate change.

• Understanding of the investor role in addressing risks linked to system-level sustainability issues, including a knowledge of fiduciary duties as they apply to system-level sustainability issues, and of concepts including universal ownership and system stewardship.

Written and verbal communication

• Strong written communication and verbal presentation skills with the ability to deliver high quality briefings, reports and presentations with minimal supervision.

• Clear, concise and structured communications, especially in interactions with senior and executive individuals.

• Proficiency in languages other than English is desirable, but not essential.

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 before the closing date in the event of an overwhelming response or a change in business priorities.