Head, Sustainability Initiatives

This is an exciting opportunity to join PRI's Sustainability Initiatives Team, responsible for leading and overseeing a portfolio of investor initiatives in which PRI signatories participate. This includes established thematic and asset class initiatives (the Net-Zero Financial Service Providers Alliance, the Net-Zero Investment Consultants Initiative, and the private markets focused initiative Climat International) and the launch of a new peer learning and capacity building-focused initiative on nature with an emerging market focus. The role will manage a small team working across this portfolio of investor initiatives, and report into PRI's Director of Sustainability Initiatives. We are looking for an experienced senior manager with a passion for sustainability, to lead on this work in a fast-paced work environment. The successful candidate will work closely with team members across PRI, with PRI investor and financial service provider signatories, and with external partners and stakeholders on driving forward a meaningful approach to climate, nature and social implementation by investors.Core Responsibilities Lead the strategic direction of PRI's sustainability initiatives portfolio:

• Guide the strategic direction of the portfolio of sustainability initiatives and alignment with PRI strategy and priorities, providing a clear vision for impact and implementation.
• Identify and manage current and future needs, risks and opportunities for the initiatives, drawing on relevant expertise internally and externally as and where needed.
• Ensure robust governance and operations of the portfolio of sustainability initiatives.
Oversee signatory and stakeholder engagement (internal and external):
• Engage regularly with signatories involved in the sustainability initiatives and prospective signatories globally and in key strategic markets.
• Engage regularly with key stakeholders relevant to the sustainability initiatives (e.g. industry leaders, civil society, peer organisations).
• Coordinate and collaborate with other colleagues and teams across PRI to support initiatives and alignment with PRI's strategy, exchange insights and manage signatory relationships share insights and best practices.
Oversee and manage delivery plans and budgets for the sustainability initiatives portfolio and team:
• Oversee implementation of workplans for each of the initiatives in the portfolio.
• Support the Director of Sustainability Initiatives in delivering against the team's business plan and budget.
• Provide regular reporting to the PRI Leadership team and Board as and when required.
• Provide leadership and management for a small team of PRI colleagues responsible for delivering and supporting the day-to-day operations of the portfolio of sustainability initiatives (4 team members, 2 of which are to be recruited).
• As this is a global role, some international travel may be required, as well as occasional calls outside of typical office hours.
  
  Strategic thinking: Ability to see the big picture and identify current and future needs, risks and opportunities for the initiatives in the portfolio and how to deliver.
• Stakeholder engagement & communication: Excellent relationship management and interpersonal skills, including the ability to forge long-term relationships with relevant stakeholders and drive decision-making in diverse, multi-stakeholder groups; and excellent facilitation skills, including the ability to support collaborative activities involving investor coalitions with varying backgrounds. Ability to convey and communicate with varied stakeholders on key sustainability issues, and deliver high quality briefings and reports and presentations to a senior audience.
• Programme management & governance: Experience and skills in programme management and delivery, including financial management and timely delivery. Ability to propose, negotiate and agree governance approaches and reforms to strengthen effectiveness of initiatives, with a strong level of understanding of main legal arrangements that affect initiatives. Ideally some experience in fund raising.
• Subject matter expertise: Strong understanding of the responsible investment industry and/or one or more of the sustainability issues addressed through the initiatives (climate, nature, social issues) through experience, qualifications and/or higher education. Good understanding of the investor role in addressing risks and opportunities linked to system-level sustainability issues.
• Leadership and people management: Ability to lead a team through change and uncertainty, including ability to problem solve, and understanding of an organisation's strategic priorities and culture. Well-developed people management skills and experience of leading a team. Demonstrate a commitment to developing others and a growth mindset, actively pursuing continuous profession and personal development. Motivational and supportive of direct reports, able to identify development needs of team members and coach in role.
• Language skills (desirable) in addition to English.
  
  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
  
  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.
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.