ESG Solutions Director, S&P Global Sustainable1Solutions at S&P Global

Overview:

We have an exciting opportunity to join Sustainable1, the S&P Global team that promotes the sustainability solutions across data, analytics, reporting, indices, ratings, commodity benchmarking.

Based in South Africa you will be responsible for sustainability solutions success in Africa and supporting the wider region. You strive to be the thought leader for sustainability solutions and want to work with clients across investment management, banking, corporates, academics, regulators, and exchanges. You will be part of a very specialized, highly talented global team. S&P Global provides industry leading solutions for ESG and Climate Change analysis. The team aims to create powerful, positive societal change and help the world transition to a more sustainable, low carbon economy. You are a self starter with a desire to see the business grow and generate strong revenue growth.
 
Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute on a plan to increase adoption of S&P Global ESG/Climate solutions across the region. 
• Collaborate with S&P Global divisions, Market Intelligence, Index, Ratings, Commodity Insights, Mobility, to deliver excellent client service and strong growth in sustainability solutions.
• Develop and maintain Strategic Account Sustainability Plans, which are designed to summarize priority opportunities emerging from the evolving ESG/Climate context, client priorities and the portfolio of S&P Global sustainability solutions.  
• Represent the business at client meetings, effectively diagnosing their needs and conveying our  value proposition, assisting with the integration of ESG/Climate data and research in their processes, support them in use of ESG/Climate data, tools, reports and indices, by answering technical questions.
• Organise and represent S&P Global Sustainable1 at events, webinars and conferences, helping raise the visibility of S&P Global's industry leading Sustainability solutions
• Educate internal teams and clients on the benefits of disclosure and integration of sustainability solutions in their processes, answer technical questions on ESG/Climate data and reports, sustainability indices, ratings and energy transition solutions.
• Work with our marketing team to create and deliver regionally relevant thought leadership (white papers, speaking at events and presentations).
• Write proposals; plan and prepare presentations

Basic Qualifications:

• Extensive work experience
• Understanding of ESG and the local and global sustainability trends, industry, industry groups, and regulation
• Technical knowledge of ESG factors, such as Carbon Emissions, Physical Risk, ESG Scores
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including confidence presenting to large groups and at public forums
• Ability to write compelling, articulate proposals for innovative solutions.
• Excellent business acumen, good negotiation skills and persuasiveness
• Personable, and enjoy networking and meeting new people
• Self-motivated, self-starter and results oriented, with a positive, "can do" attitude
• An insatiable appetite to learn product methodologies and the willingness to be a subject matter expert on key solutions
• A sharp intellect, commercial acumen, creative approach to problem solving in a new and innovative industry and an entrepreneurial attitude are important.
• Motivated by solution selling, strategic relationship building and meeting commercial objectives 
• Team player
• Fluent written and spoken English, other local languages are bonus

Preferred Qualifications:

• Understand how financial markets operate, with experience in banking. 
• Understand how financial institutions evaluate and incorporate ESG and climate issues in their decision-making and the organizations involved (e.g. NGFS, PCAF, TCFD, UNPRI)
• Understand some of the following: portfolio carbon foot printing and accounting across asset classes, ESG risk and opportunity analysis by investors, TCFD reporting, use of environmental data for financial products (funds and indices), sustainability solutions for banking clients, green bonds.
• Experience working on or servicing a responsible investment/ESG or sustainability team
• Experience speaking and presenting to large groups of people and executive audiences
• Ability to travel extensively to offsite meetings