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.

The PRI US Relationship Manger role would provide the right candidate with some very attractive and unique career opportunities including: the chance to engage with the world’s largest and most influential investors, often at a very senior level (CIO, board of Trustees).  The ability to manage influential accounts (due to lean staffing at PRI).

The chance to develop expertise in one of the most high-growth areas of finance – responsible investment – at the world’s preeminent organization for it – where the term Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing originated and with a prestigious UN affiliation. 

The opportunity to have real world positive impact on some of the world’s most challenging and seemingly intractable issues like climate change, economic inequality and human rights abuses through the powerful lever of the capital markets – by driving increased adoption of ESG integration and responsible stewardship practices.

The chance to collaborate with the world’s standard setters such as the CFA institute and CAIA to bring ESG into mainstream investment practice and the chance to work with a global team of incredibly knowledgeable and dedicated professionals in a highly collaborative environment. 

Job description

The Relationship Manager, US will be part of the US Signatory Relations (SR) team, currently composed of four members and reporting to the Head of US. The Relationship Manager, US will be working towards enhancing Responsible Investment awareness and providing investors with the tools to implement it in their investment process in the US market. The role involves contributing to PRI’s recruitment and signatory coverage.  In addition, they will provide support to the Head of US. There will be scope for regular domestic and occasional international travel primarily for signatory meetings, industry events and internal meetings. The successful candidate will work closely with other PRI colleagues in the UK.

Core Responsibilities:

• Provide regular reporting to the Head of US as required

• Raising awareness about the materiality of ESG issues for investment processes among asset owners, investment managers and service providers. 

• Enhance US signatory implementation and satisfaction, through successful new signatory on-boarding, signatory review meetings, reporting and assessment sessions, development sessions and other PRI-supported events.  Strengthen relationships with key targeted stakeholders in the US, to support the development of responsible investment locally.

• Target for recruitment to the PRI public and corporate pension plans, sovereign wealth funds, insurers, endowments/foundations, as well as key asset managers and consultants. 

• Assist on strategic and/or ad hoc projects that are consistent with overall Signatory Relations team or PRI objectives as needed.

• Represent PRI at relevant events to help raise the organisation’s profile in the US and help showcase relevant recent research, initiatives and guides.

• Aid overall team effectiveness by contributing to Signatory Relations monthly team meetings, for example with respect to asset owner recruitment and coverage.

• Develop strong working relationships with PRI’s other teams on US market-related issues, especially Reporting & Assessment, Investment Practices and Policy & Research.

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

Core Competencies:

Analytical

•Proactively offers impartial specialist knowledge, insights or input

•Uses business/ specialist knowledge and analysis to identify issues, applying fact-based insight to develop and evaluate solutions or solve issues

•Maintains a professional and impartial stance in assessing all information which feeds into decision making

•Balances rigour with pragmatism in conducting analyses that are fit for purpose

•Effectively reviews and quality-checks all analyses

Business Awareness

•Focuses on maximising Signatory or operational value and driving PRI outcomes

•Actively keeps up-to-date with developments both within the organisation and within area of specialism

•Balances the internal needs of the PRI and that of Signatory Organisations to deliver outputs

•Understands how own area of specialism drives value to the PRI and meets its mission

Collaborative

•Builds consensus and trust with all that engage with

•Is responsive to feedback proactively following up to ensure any issues are resolved

•Where requested, engages with colleagues to gain a broader understanding of issues and seeks to respond to or resolve them

•Provides specialist knowledge and insights to colleagues where requested

Communicative

•Translates specialist information or provides technical expertise in a clear and understandable format

•Clarifies matters by absorbing and understanding relevant information and feeding them back in concise terms

•Uses effective listening and questioning to enhance understanding of complex issues

•Engages the recipient using their language, tailoring communication style for the audience

Developmental

•Actively seeks opportunities to enhance specialist knowledge/ experience

•Constantly reviews own work with the aim of improving outputs

•Applies knowledge or experience to question practices and suggest alternatives

•Actively seeks and shares feedback wherever possible, as a means of improvement

•Uses best practice identified through external networks or evolutions in the field of specialism

Structured

•Has a strong sense of execution and delivery, working to agreed deadlines, involving relevant colleagues and allowing enough time for review and quality assurance

•Regularly monitors and reports on progress of work, providing regular updates as appropriate

•Takes a methodical approach to how specialist or technical knowledge is acquired and, distributed (where necessary)

•Captures knowledge at the end of each project/ process/activity, to use and share

Technical Competencies & Experience:

• Experience in the asset management and/or financial sector, preferably within the Asset Owner community.

• Strong interest in responsible investment, sustainability, environmental, social and governance issues, and their overall impact on long term investment outcomes and society.

• Business development and relationship management skills, preferably within the financial sector, or within other service-based industries, such as management consulting.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; demonstrable experience in leading meetings and pitches to investment executives at all levels and their trustees/Boards.

• A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others

• Good team player, with experience working internationally and a strong partnership ethos; willingness to work both independently and closely with London-based colleagues to deliver mutually agreed solutions supporting PRI’s agenda.

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualification; Master’s degree in one or more relevant fields and/or a recognised investment qualification preferable.

• At least intermediate knowledge of relevant IT (e.g. Excel, Word, PowerPoint and/or Salesforce). 

• Language skills, other than English, are desirable

• Eligible to work in USA

• (please note candidates will be chosen for first round interviews based on a blind assessment of responses to 3 questions that are in the Be Applied link)