Location: UK/EU

Basis: Full-time

Level: Head

Salary: c65k (Plus Super Benefits)

 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

The PRI places a high priority on supporting global investors in managing climate-related risks and opportunities.. The PRI convenes investors to take action on climate change towards net zero by 2050 and 1.5C, provides practical guidance and tools and runs cross-cutting dedicated climate programmes.  Current PRI climate programmes include CA100+, TCFD, The Inevitable Policy Response and The Investor Agenda.

The PRI Climate Team drives the PRI’s global climate change work, consisting of a Director, Senior Specialist, Head of Climate and Analyst.  The Senior Specialist and Head of Climate Roles report into the Director role, with the Analyst reporting into the Head of Climate.  The PRI Climate Team works in a cross-cutting way, enabling and supporting work on climate change by other PRI teams including the Stewardship, Policy, Investment Practices and ESG teams.

This Head of Climate role has been created to a) enable the PRI to build climate change capacity across the PRI’s teams and global work b) ensure delivery against key programme objectives.  It will include day-to-day management of the team, oversight of selected climate programmes, including The Investor Agenda, and external signatory outreach across geographic markets.

We face a critical decade for climate change.  A decade that must deliver emissions reductions consistent with 1.5C and net zero by 2050.  Global investors have a key role to play in financing transition.   Global investor momentum for a sustainable recovery from COVID-19 is high.   This global role offers the opportunity to play a leading role in working alongside PRI’s 3,000+ signatories and support them in taking decisive climate action.  The role will also involve supporting PRI’s external partners, internal capacity-building and management of PRI’s flagship climate programmes.

The role therefore requires expertise of climate change and the finance sector, as well as excellent people, line management and project management skills.

Core Responsibilities:

■       Support the Director of Climate Change in delivering against the team’s business plan and budget.  This will include operational management of complex programmes, drawing on internal climate specialists and co-ordinating external partners as appropriate.

■       Build capacity and knowledge of internal PRI teams on climate change

■       Investor outreach on climate change to PRI’s signatories around the world

■       Provide oversight and management of direct reports, supporting their development and managing their performance effectively to help the team fulfil their potential. 

■       Ensure direct reports, specialists and contractors meet agreed deadlines, acting as a point of escalation for performance and quality issues

■       Provide regular reporting to the Director of Climate Change and Chief Responsible Investment Officer as required

Core Competencies:

PRI expects roles at a ‘Head Level’ within the organisation to demonstrate management skills across the following core competencies:

Analytical

• Ensures decision makers have all relevant and available information in a timely manner before decisions are made​

• Evaluates risks, issues and opportunities assessing probability and consequences on both short- and long-term basis​

• Simplifies issues and actions down to key factors and components for ease of use in decision making​

• Can effectively capture and structure ill-defined or vague problems and is comfortable handling uncertainty​

Business Awareness

• Reflects broader understanding of the PRI’s financial, legal and people frameworks in decision making ​

• Understands (and utilises) how the different teams within the PRI contribute to the PRI mission and Signatory value ​

• Understands where the key decision points and points of influence are, advising team members how to act accordingly​

• Prioritises the delivery of PRI objectives within the team ​

• Identifies any conflicts in PRI priorities taking appropriate action where required

Collaborative

• Develops collaborative working relationships breaking down silos and promoting collaborative working by team members​

• Identifies and leads initiatives for building team profile internally and promotes links with other teams ​

• Recognises and acts on non-verbal communication, understanding what is and what is not said in a conversation​

• Proactively develops partnerships that do not currently exist in areas of mutual benefit

Communicative

• Takes a creative and inclusive approach to problem solving that broadens the teams thinking​

• Uses the most effective influencing style to challenge or build consensus (across teams, within teams or upwards)​

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

• Translates complex data that is potentially challenging for the audience and presents it in a way that enables understanding​

Developmental

• Role models continuous, balanced and honest feedback to others​

• Builds a collaborative team environment which values the sharing of forward thinking, creative solutions and innovation​

• Delegates responsibility to more junior team members to develop their capabilities​

• Coaches less experienced team members/ colleagues to help them to be more successful​

• Creates opportunities to develop and train the team to improve their skills and knowledge​

Structured

• Translates project objectives into team work plans​

• Judges how to balance team capacity and where to prioritise effort​

• Embeds project management processes in team, leading by example and clearly defining team roles, responsibilities and expectations​

• Regularly monitors progress within the team, addressing and resolving issues as they arise​

Technical Competencies & Experience: 

■       Proven, significant track record in general management of teams and projects, involving co-ordination of multiple stakeholders and complexity.    

■       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.

■       Ability to communicate on climate change to non-climate specialists, empowering them to bring climate into their work while developing their technical understanding

■       Relevant international work experience on finance and climate change would be advantageous, including understanding of key climate change networks and initiatives.

■       Degree in a field related to finance and/or sustainability. A postgraduate qualifications in a similar field is desirable.

■       Excellent written communication and verbal presentation skills with the ability to deliver high quality briefings, reports and presentations with minimal supervision

■       Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills, committed to fostering an inclusive environment

■       Very good programme management skills, with experience in delivering successfully, including directing others that may not be your direct reports and working well with peers

■       IT/system skills (Microsoft Office, CRM, social media, webcasts, etc.)

■       Must be eligible to work in the UK

■       As this is a global role, regular international travel will be required

■       Language skills, other than English, are desirable