Location: London

Basis: Full time

Level: Senior Specialist

Salary: £50-65k p.a. depending on experience

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

Over the last 5 years the PRI has built an active community of over 400 Limited Partners (LPs) and over 400 General Partner (GPs) signatories. We have delivered new tools, raised the standards of ESG integration in private equity and built an active community of global private equity signatories.

This role will be to take that group to the next level - building on the hard work that has already been delivered. The role will be working closely with the Director of Investment Practices to build and deliver a strategy. The successful candidate will be able to adapt and develop a programme that would include both research or tools and building a network. The successful candidate will be able to build a profile within that industry in helping the PRI deliver on its short term plans and long term ambitions. It is a great job for someone who has an interest in entering the Private Equity (PE) space or is looking for a different career path.

Core Responsibilities:

■ Provide coaching and mentoring to more junior members of the team, including sharing technical knowledge and expertise where appropriate

■ Work with external parties to create content that helps signatories meet the PRI Principles.

■ Support the Director of Investor Practices in delivering against the team’s business plan and budget.

■ Provide regular reporting to the Director of and, where appropriate, Chief Responsible Investment Officer.

Core Competencies:

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

Analytical

•Looks for opportunities to add value by sharing specialist knowledge and insights

•Broadens the view to consider all possible options even if they initially seem unlikely solutions

•Can effectively capture and structure ill-defined or vague problems and is comfortable handling uncertainty (in own work and that of team members)

Considers examples outside of the PRI in offering alternative solutions or guidance

Business Awareness

•Demonstrates an understanding of the business, including its finances, mission and its culture

•Identifies and utilises key relationships (both internal and external) for successful execution of project or piece of work

•Knows when and how to challenge senior managers

•Applies industry knowledge and understanding of external influences, coupled with an appreciation of PRI mission and strategy to inform decisions

Collaborative

•Demonstrates ability to build good working relationships at all levels

•Drives collaboration within projects or work programmes to deliver high quality outputs

•Aligns expectations with senior managers to reach agreement

•Promotes knowledge sharing across the organisation

•Flexes style and approach based on colleagues’ level of understanding and preferences

Communicative

•Independently delivers well-structured, logical outputs that deliver maximum impact with minimum editing

•Presents advice or recommendations within the context of the recipient’s area of focus to gain buy-in

•Improves the knowledge of senior managers by making complex specialist principles easy to understand

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

Developmental

•Shares specialist knowledge openly with others, creating opportunities for others to learn, grow and succeed

•Builds an environment within the PRI which values forward thinking, creative solutions and innovation

•Is active in specialist networks as a means of furthering own knowledge and applying at the PRI

•Uses good questioning skills in a way that causes others to think about their approach

Structured

•Prioritises where contributes own time based on the value it would deliver

•Uses project management and oversight of individual work processes to improve organisational performance

•Continuously monitors external developments to incorporate into own work activities

•Translates project objectives into own work plans

Technical Competencies & Experience:

■ Experience from a broad range of relative and comparable career backgrounds will be considered.

■ Experience working within the Private Equity space or experience of working with LPs or GPs within another service provider.

■ Demonstratable excellent written, communication and verbal presentation skills internally and externally at all levels.

■ Experience of talking confidently within the externally and specifically the PE industry

■ A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others.

■ Building a network has been an important part of this role previously – we are looking for a candidate who is able to build strong long term relationships with leading PE signatories and other PE trade bodies.

■ The Investment Practices programme will increasingly rely on working with internal or external experts therefore a track record in programme management skills.

■ Experience in delivering successful programmes that might include directing and mentoring others that may not be your direct reports

■ As this is a global role, international travel may be required.

■ Language skills, other than English, are desirable