Specialist, Sovereign Engagement (Australia & COP 31) - 2 Year Fixed Term Contract

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

This position will work on an emerging PRI global initiative, help develop a new area of stewardship practice and support investors to directly engage with Australian governments and related entities on climate change.

The successful candidate will coordinate the Australia activities within the PRI Collaborative Sovereign Engagement on Climate Change, with support from the PRI’s Global Policy Sustainable Systems and Regional Ecosystem Teams. As part of these responsibilities the successful candidate will also assist participating investors’ engagement with COP31 if Australia secures hosting duties.

This role has strong public policy and climate change components but sits in the PRI’s Stewardship Initiatives Team which is part of the broader Investor Initiatives & Collaboration Team. The Stewardship Initiatives Team is responsible for coordinating and facilitating collaborative stewardship initiatives (such as the initiative covered by this role) on environmental, social and governance issues.

Participating investors are engaging as sovereign bond holders and through other portfolio exposure and are collaborating to assist Australian governments to take all possible steps to mitigate climate change in line with the Paris Agreement. Active engagement in the market has been underway since mid-2022 and now involves 27 participating investors from Asia, Australia, Europe and North America, responsible for USD$9.5 trillion in assets under management.

The Australian engagement has to date served as a pilot for PRI’s collaborative sovereign engagement work. PRI is now establishing a global multi-market initiative of which the Australian engagement will be a part.

This role reports to the Head of Stewardship, Sovereign Engagement, based in Sydney.

Core Responsibilities

• Coordinate the Australia engagement of the Collaborative Sovereign Engagement on Climate Change.
• In collaboration with relevant PRI colleagues and the initiative’s Australian Advisory Committee and Investor Working Group, develop and facilitate the implementation of a robust engagement strategy, including annual goals and workplans.
• In partnership with participating investors and relevant teams at PRI, develop and execute a collaborative sovereign engagement strategy for the COP31 summit if it is held in Australia.
• Assist the Head of Stewardship, Sovereign Engagement and Director, Stewardship in evaluating the progress and impact of engagement activities and identifying improvements to sovereign engagement practice to support the global program.
• Convene and facilitate regular Australian Advisory Committee and Investor Working Group meetings to track the progress of engagements, discuss issues, share information and agree on next steps.
• Conduct and/or disseminate relevant research, guidance, and other analysis for investors to use in sovereign engagements both within and beyond the Australia engagement.
• Build relationships with investors to maintain and expand expertise of engagement best practice and needs.
• Work closely with the other members of the PRI Stewardship Initiatives Team to ensure that the ambition of the Active Ownership 2.0 strategy is implemented throughout all work.
• Build and maintain relationships with stakeholders in the Australian financial system and climate policy spaces to inform investors’ expectations and create channels of communication between the investor group and relevant stakeholders.
• Speak at events, both digital and in person, on the PRI Australia sovereign engagement on climate, on stewardship and the PRI’s work more generally.
• Maintain excellent overall knowledge on stewardship, sovereign engagement, climate and nature issues, and public policy on climate change, nature and economics.
• As this role works with global stakeholders and across the breadth of the Australian market, occasional international travel (approx. 1-2 times per year) and domestic travel (approx. 2-3 times per year) may be required as well as frequent (approx. 1-2 days per week) calls/meetings outside of normal working hours.

Person Specification

• A demonstrated knowledge of Australian climate change policy and the relationship with investor interests and practice.
• Experience working for or with institutional investors on climate change, ESG, policy engagement and/or stewardship, or experience working for or with governments on climate change and stakeholder management.
• A relevant high education qualification in public policy, climate change and environmental issues, finance, sustainable investor and/or economics.
• A track record of developing and delivering against a strategy to achieve or influence a macro-level outcome.
• Excellent networking, relationship management and interpersonal skills and experience of building strong and productive relationships.
• Experience coordinating diverse groups working towards a common activity and aim.
• Excellent written and spoken English language skills.
• You must have the right to work in Australia without requiring a VISA or sponsorship

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience with sovereign debt and fixed income asset classes.
• Knowledge and experience with UNFCCC negotiations and annual Conference of the Parties meetings.
• Experience with developing and reporting against project impact and other metrics.
• A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others & committed to fostering an inclusive working environment.
• A growth mindset, actively pursuing continuous professional and personal development.

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.

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.

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