Senior Officer - Environmental and Social Research (Banking Standards)

Senior Officer - Environmental and Social Research (Banking Standards) ShareAction London, United Kingdom Banks Hybrid

Company Description ShareAction is an independent charity and an expert on responsible investment. We work to build a world where the financial system serves our planet and its people.We set ambitious standards for how financial institutions, through their investment decisions, can protect our planet and its people and campaign for this approach to become the norm. We convene shareholders to collectively push companies to tackle climate crisis, protect nature, improve workers' rights and shape healthier societies. In the UK and EU, we advocate for financial regulation that has society's best interests at its core.

ShareAction's Banking Standards team works towards holding financial institutions accountable for their impact on climate change. We have a history of campaigning on key aspects of banks' climate strategies-such as their emission reduction targets or fossil fuel policies-and we are gradually expanding our work to include other sustainability themes and banking regulation. We have achieved significant wins, such as contributing to HSBC becoming the world's largest bank to cease financing for new oil and gas fields, Barclays dramatically reducing its oil sands financing, and mobilising investors to call on Societe Generale to set a renewable energy target.

Position What you'll do (key responsibilities)

Working alongside two other researchers, you will assess banks' positions on climate change and other sustainability themes. This involves collecting information from banks' disclosures and external databases, analysing quantitative and qualitative data, and translating insights into actionable steps for banks and investors engaging with banks, among other stakeholders. You will have many opportunities to challenge banks and shape sustainability standards for the banking sector by contributing to:

• Investor briefings and short research notes reviewing climate commitments made by individual banks. For example, see our analysis of Barclays' latest energy policy here
• Banking sector benchmark, ranking European banks on their approach to climate change and other sustainability themes. For example, see our 2022 Banking Survey here
• Thematic reports and internal position papers reviewing how the European banking sector aims to address specific issues and/or the relevant standards banks rely on. For example, see our report on banks' financing of oil & gas expansion here

This role would be perfect for someone with strong analytical skills who enjoys making sense of complex information and translating it into actionable insights. You'll thrive if you're curious about how banks are responding to the climate crisis, eager to get stuck into analysing sustainability data, and excited by the idea of shaping how banks are held to account on their environmental and social impacts. Whether you're helping design our flagship banking benchmark, writing investor briefings, or supporting engagement with financial institutions, you'll be using your critical thinking and communication skills to contribute to real-world change. This is a great opportunity for someone looking to grow their expertise in responsible investment and develop a unique understanding of how research and campaigning can work together to influence some of the world's most powerful financial institutions.

Requirements What you'll bring to the team

• A broad understanding of how the financial sector works and how financial institutions can impact sustainability issues, particularly climate change.
• A keen interest in driving the banking sector to better serve people and the planet
• Excellent analytical skills, attention to detail, and a proven ability to conduct qualitative and quantitative research
• Excellent written and oral communication skills-the ability to adapt writing style for a range of different audiences and to present ideas and concepts effectively and persuasively
• Excellent organisational skills, with a proven ability to manage competing demands while still meeting deadlines
• Comfortable planning or leading sub-areas of research as agreed, with oversight from the Senior Research Manager
• A great team player, willing to support projects for the banking campaign on an ad-hoc basis, such as filing resolutions and drafting AGM questions (if needed)
• A passion for ShareAction's vision and mission

It would also be great - but not essential - if you have:

• Experience using financial databases such as Eikon and Bloomberg, or the ability to pick up new types of technologies or software quickly
• Experience developing and/or managing databases using Excel or other applications
• Knowledge and interest in biodiversity or human rights and how the financial sector can help address these issues
• Experience with CRM systems, ideally Salesforce

While we hope we'll find someone with the majority of these skills and experience, we're keen to hear from you, even if you don't have them all. We appreciate lots of skills are transferable and we welcome opportunities to explore different ways of achieving our goals.

We have a hybrid working policy in place, and the Banking team meets in the office every Tuesday as we find this helps with team bonding and productivity. We expect candidates based in London to come into the office at least once a week every Tuesday and candidates based outside of London to come into the office at least twice a month on a Tuesday.

What we will do for you

We are a fast-paced organisation that has grown substantially over the past few years. We recognise that our people work hard to advocate for responsible investment and drive meaningful engagement with those who have the power to create a brighter future. Every day they bring their expertise, passion and persistence to build a world where the financial system serves our people and planet. We want to ensure we provide the right environment for our colleagues to thrive and we are committed to improving our employee offer where possible.

Currently we are pleased to offer:

• Commitment to flexible working; over 60% of our employees have some sort of flexible working arrangement in place
• Hybrid working; we are committed to supporting our staff to work in a way that suits their lifestyle and meets the requirements of their role
• Internal promotion and development opportunities; we offer a range of ways to improve your skills and focus on what you love, including promotion, secondment, or sideways development opportunities. For some levels of roles, we also offer direct progression.
• Opportunity to help make a difference; we tackle some of the world's biggest social and environmental challenges. We offer opportunities for you to develop your skills and experience in a friendly, flexible and supportive working environment.
• Unionised work environment; our staff have the opportunity to join the union, and are supported by our recognised union, Unite. We regularly consult and negotiate with our employees on workplace matters ranging from working conditions to pay.
• Regular in-person meetings; including all-staff away days, retreats and directorate strategy days to create connected teams.
• 8% non-contributory pension; invested with NEST and their green funds.
• Healthcareplan; with Bupa
• Employee assistance programme;advice and support, lifestyle discounts and short-term counselling
• Death in Service cover of 3x salary
• 25 days' annual leave (increasing with length of service) plus office closure at the end of the year; ensuring everyone gets time to switch off together.
• Enhanced family leave pay; up to 18 weeks' paid at 90% for either parent.
• Enhanced sick pay; starting at 5 weeks' full pay from day 1.
• Season ticket loan and cycle to work scheme.

Other information Please note that we have another similar role available, and interested candidates are encouraged to apply for both.

Contract type: Permanent

Who it reports to: Senior Research Manager

(We normally offer a starting salary at the start of the range)


Deadline for applications: 9am on Monday 9th June

Interview dates: There are two rounds of online interviews for this role. The first round is expected to take place between 18 and 24 June. The second round is expected to take place during the week commencing 7 July or the week commencing 14 July. These are indicative dates, and we will strive to provide as much flexibility as possible.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and we are working hard to provide an environment where all can bring their authentic selves to work. We know that some people won't apply for a role unless they meet all the requirements listed in the job description. If this is the case for you, but you think you would excel in this role, we want to hear from you!

Our hiring process is anonymised, we won't ask for a cover letter and we don't look at CVs until the interview stage. We do this so that we reduce the opportunity for unconscious biases to affect our decision making and so we prioritise skills and expertise over how well you can write a CV.
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