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

The Associate will join the PRI’s Sustainable Financial System (SFS) team, which is based in London and the Euro Zone, and will report to the Manager in the team. The Associate will be responsible for carrying out and supporting: market-leading research and analysis, project delivery, and engagement with signatories and financial system participants to drive change in the financial system.

The PRI’s mission statement calls for signatories to play a role in supporting a sustainable financial system by “addressing obstacles to a sustainable financial system that lie within market practices, structures and regulation”. The PRI’s Sustainable Financial System (SFS) programme therefore aims to examine practices, structures and rules of the financial system that prevent system change; and identify priority interventions and effective enablers and levers to achieve that change. The programme also involves delivering a series of projects that result in actions that investors, policy makers and stakeholders can take to address the barriers to change.

Core Responsibilities:

• Contribute to innovative research and analysis on market practice, structural and regulatory barriers to the sustainability of the financial system and how these impact financial system actors.

• Support the identification of priority interventions and effective change levers for the PRI to champion.

• Support the SFS team’s projects and initiatives, including cross-team working with a range of PRI teams (particularly teams within the PRI’s Sustainable Systems, RI Ecosystem, RI Solutions and Investor Initiatives departments), to implement financial system interventions. 

• Prepare briefing notes, meeting summaries, presentations, reports and other materials for internal use, including by the Director of Sustainable Systems, the Executive Team and the PRI’s Board. 

• Support the SFS team's engagement with key external stakeholders, including PRI signatories, by providing project management support such as arranging logistics, preparing briefings and presentations, and carrying out follow up actions. 

• Work with the PRI’s Products, Marketing and RI Ecosystem teams to ensure that the outputs of all work are appropriately disseminated e.g. via emails, policy briefings, reports, webinars and blogs, and ensure the SFS team’s web pages are kept up to date. 

• Demonstrate commitment to the values and organisational ambitions of the PRI by staying abreast of organisational and market developments, integrating research and expertise across internal teams and staff interest groups, and through involvement in PRI team-building initiatives and events.   

Person Specification

• Good understanding of the PRI, investment practice and of policy and regulatory issues relating to sustainable financial markets and the incorporation of ESG factors into investments.

• Previous experience in research, analysis or policy, preferably including projects relating to responsible investment.

• Project management experience, including supporting the design and delivery of projects to tight deadlines, managing conflicting priorities and working with others on a project team.

• Strong communication skills, including the ability to write clear, concise and engaging content in English and comfortable with presenting verbally to an internal or external audience.

• Able to demonstrate a collaborative and consultative approach to working with others, building strong and productive relationships, and a commitment to fostering an inclusive environment.

• Able to demonstrate a growth mindset, actively pursuing continuous professional and personal development.

• Self-starter with ability to work autonomously. Candidates should be comfortable with remote working systems and practices and working alone or as part of a small team.

• Education in economics, finance, public policy or sustainability more broadly is desirable but not essential.

• Must be eligible to work in the UK or the EU and be available to travel occasionally for work.

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.

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.

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.