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.

PRI Governance

The PRI Association, a company limited by guarantee, is governed by the PRI Association Board (the PRI Board) as set out in the Articles of Association of PRI Association. The PRI Board is collectively responsible for the long-term success of the PRI, in particular: establishing the PRI’s mission, vision and values; setting the strategy, risk appetite and structure; delegating the implementation of the strategy to the PRI Association Executive (the executive); monitoring the executive’s performance against the strategy; exercising accountability to signatories; being responsible to relevant stakeholders. The board is supported by five committees: Finance, audit, and risk; Governance; Human resources and remuneration; Policy; and Signatory status.

The Role

The role will assist the Director of Planning and Operations in supporting an effective and high-performing PRI Board, including:   

■ Advice on governance  to the PRI Board, committees, and the leadership team.

■ Coordination of the Signatory General Meeting (the PRI equivalent of an AGM).

■ Reporting about the role and actions of the PRI Board and its committees, including the annual board report.

■ Onboarding of new directors and UN partners.

■ Annual and mid-term directors’ elections processes.

■ Annual board and chair review.

■ Supporting the work of the board and committees.

■ Coordination of Board and committee papers, including sense-checking and proof-reading.  

■ Minute-taking for board and committee meetings.

■ Regular review of governance related policies, rules, and procedures.

■ Maintenance of the board and committee portal.

■ Coordination of the annual calendar (meetings and agendas) for the PRI Board and committees.

The role will be within the Planning and Operations team but will require the individual to work with teams and individuals across the organisation.

Core Competencies:

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

·Uses market insights and knowledge to suggest and drive strategic initiatives which will enhance signatory servicing.

Collaborative

•Builds consensus and trust with all that engage with

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

•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

■ Governance experience within a mission led or not-for-profit desirable but not mandatory.

■ Partly or fully qualified Chartered Company Secretary desirable but not mandatory.

■ Experience in providing advice to boards and senior executives.

■ Good written communication skills (including minute-taking)

■ Verbal presentation skills.

■ Project management skills.

■ Problem solving skills and a ‘can do’ attitude, able to take ownership of challenges and see them through to resolution.

■ A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others, the ability to foster an inclusive working environment.