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.

Responsible investment continues growing fast both globally and in China. PRI’s signatories have grown to over 3,600 world word and around 60 in China involving leading Chinese asset owners and asset managers.

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 climate change, 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 Signatory Relations Manager China (Beijing) will join PRI’s growing team in China and be working towards enhancing Responsible Investment awareness, onboarding and supporting PRI’s fast growing signatory base in China including by providing signatories with tools to implement it in their investment process.  The role primarily involves contributing to PRI’s investors recruitment and signatory coverage and will be also working collaboratively and closely with colleagues in the China team involving areas and projects on Policy, Climate, Stewardship, and SDGs. The role also involves close coordination with colleagues in the signatory relations team in London and PRI’s HK office.

The role will support and report to PRI’s Head of China.

There will be scope for regular domestic and occasional international travel primarily for signatory meetings, industry events and internal meetings.

ESG investing as well as the PRI’s signatories in China have been growing fast. The Signatory Relations Manager China (Beijing) will join PRI’s fast growing team in China and be working towards enhancing Responsible Investment awareness, onboarding and supporting PRI’s fast growing signatory base in China including by providing signatories with tools to implement it in their investment process. 

The role has the opportunity to engage with highly motivated, culturally diverse professionals, and the most influential signatories and leaders across the financial markets and economies on a wide range of cutting edge issues, such as climate change, income inequality through the lens of sustainable finance. The role primarily involves contributing to PRI’s investors recruitment and signatory coverage and will be also working closely with colleagues in PRI’s office in China, HK, London as well across the globe to deliver and make impact on areas of Responsible Investment related policies, Climate, TCFD, Stewardship, and SDGs in particular.

The role has the opportunity to travel domestically and internationally including London and other countries. PRI is a highly engaging place to work on truly transformative issues with a supportive culture that encourage continuous learning and flexible working polices.

Core Responsibilities:

Awareness: Raising awareness on responsible investment among local asset owners, investment managers, service providers and other PRI stakeholders.

Signatory relationships: developing engagement with Chinese investors through new signatory on-boarding, signatory review meetings, reporting and assessment sessions, drafting monthly and quarterly newsletters, ad-hoc support and PRI organised events. 

Investors outreach: targeting for recruitment to the PRI signatories, including asset owners, key asset managers and service providers.

Stakeholders relationships: Strengthen relationships with key stakeholders in the country to support the development of responsible investment locally.

Close collaboration with PRI London signatory relations, content, reporting and policy teams to :

Ensure quality and promote the Chinese versions of the PRI guides, reports and tools which are identified as most suitable to Chinese signatories.  

Deliver mutually agreed solutions supporting PRI’s agenda, through e.g. events and other initiatives.

Foster the implementation of PRI strategic projects by Chinese signatories;

Enhance the understanding of key Chinese market issues and players amongst PRI colleagues.

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

Research and analysis: Research about responsible investment related areas and analyse PRI data when needed.

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:

Demonstrable experience in the asset management, and/or financial sector, and/or responsible investment (ideally over 5 years).

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

Good understanding of investment practices in public and/or private markets.

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

Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills. The ability to foster an inclusive working environment.

Extensive network in Responsible Investment and/or ESG related fields.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Chinese and English, and good translation skills.

Demonstrable experience in public speaking, giving presentations and leading meetings with investment executives.

Good research and analysis skills.

Attention to detail.

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

Master’s degree in one or more relevant fields and/or a recognised investment qualification (e.g. CFA) preferable.

Ability to work in a multicultural and challenging environment.

Good skills of relevant IT (e.g. Excel, Word, PowerPoint and/or Salesforce).