ESG ASSOCIATE – Claremont/Newlands, Western Cape, SA

Highly Competitive Package on Offer!

Our Client, a highly reputable and established Private Equity firm is currently in search of hands-on, innovative and highly organised ESG Associate who thrives in a high-growth non-bureaucratic environment.

You have a strong passion for ESG and Responsible Investment within the technology, energy, sustainability and resource efficiency markets!

Further to this, you are entrepreneurial in nature and have a solutions orientated, “can do” persona. One would describe you as a resourceful, analytical and collaborative self-starter who has strong teamwork ethic.

Main Purpose of the Role

The ESG Associate will be responsible for implementing Group E&S policies and procedures, management, monitoring and reporting, alongside other members of the ESG and Impact team, under the guidance of the Head of ESG and Impact. The candidate will ensure that these duties, responsibilities, and procedures are implemented and monitored for each investment and/or portfolio company across the entire investment cycle in collaboration with the deal team, to ensure that all funds remain fully compliant with its bespoke ESGMS and investor requirements.

ESGMS Implementation:

• Implementation, coordination and monitoring of the Group’s ESGMS and underlying E&S policies.
• Review, update and continuous improvement of key E&S policies as aligned with IFC Performance Standards and investor requirements.
• Industry engagement and technical research and development with key focus on IFC PS 5 – 8 related topics, i.e., community risk, labour and working conditions, biodiversity, and climate.
• Communication of E&S compliance and performance (internally and externally).
• ESG training and skills development (internally and externally).

ESG and Impact screening and assessment:

• Performing of the E&S screening and assessments for all investments, portfolio companies, and/or projects, and assigning applicable E&S risk ratings (categorisation) during the initial stages of the investment (pre-investment).
• Planning the scope of work for, and organisation of, the E&S due diligence (ESDD), ensuring availability of adequate budget and resources.
• Preparing request for proposals (RFPs) for ESG advisors (consultants).
• Evaluation of E&S compliance of a Portfolio Investment with E&S Requirements during the due diligence phase.
• Tracking progress and monitoring of E&S action plans (ESAPs) and/or corrective action plans (CAPs) in collaboration with the Portfolio Company, with specific focus on category B+/1 (medium-high risk) and category B/2 (medium risk) investments.
• Ongoing monitoring and management of E&S risks/issues associated with Portfolio Companies during the value creation phase (post-investment).

E&S risk monitoring and reporting:

• Participating in E&S committee meetings, taking minutes, and following up with actions.
• Obtaining quality ESG- and impact information from Portfolio Companies, when required.
• Oversight of Portfolio Companies’ performance against on-going compliance with the E&S Requirements.
• Supervising the grievance mechanism process by assessing any grievances received in relation to any Portfolio Company and/or its business activities.

Qualification, Skills and Experience required:

• Bachelor’s degree in related field (preferably environmental / social management, sustainability studies, finance, economics, or equivalent).
• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in responsible investment or sustainability, impact investing, E&S impact measurement or development finance, preferably in a financial institution or consulting.
• Proven experience and knowledge of the renewable energy and climate sector, specifically best-in-class ESG methodologies using aligned with World Bank Group and proven experience across IFC Performance Standards and climate-related guidelines and taxonomy, gender, and TCFD.
• Knowledge and experience with impact metrics and indicators, tracking and reporting, although this will be in a supervisory and quality control capacity of the Head of ESG and Impact.
• Knowledge of impact investing industry terminology and tools (e.g., https://www.unpri.org/).
• Good knowledge of and interest in fund-level technical criteria (energy efficiency, climate finance, GHG and carbon reporting) and ESG management systems, and an ability to apply them in a global context.
• Understanding of technical reporting frameworks (e.g., https://impacttoolkit.thegiin.org/).
• Experience and/or interest in Sub-Saharan African markets.
• Advanced Excel, strong PowerPoint, and Word skills.
• Ability to prioritise, multi-task, and deliver to deadlines.
• Creative problem-solving skills and strategic/analytical thinking.
• Fluency in English with excellent written and verbal communication skills (other languages, especially French or Portuguese are an advantage).

Technical skills:

• Proven management and analytical skills. 
• Advanced, proven ESG and impact investing and reporting skills. 
• Skills in presentation and input into quarterly and annual impact reports, investment documentation and presentations, and other supporting documentation and analysis.
• Extraction, data management, data visualisation, data modelling, data science, business analysis, project management.

Travel

• Willing to travel within the Sub-Sahara African Region.

To apply to this role, please forward an updated and detailed copy of your CV together with a short motivational paragraph of how your CV aligns to this role to: Nicole Spamers: nspamers@elev8recruitment.co.za AND Andrea Jones: ajones@elev8recruitment.co.za

Please Note:  Should you not be contacted within 3 weeks of applying, please deem your application as unsuccessful.

Contact information

Nicole Spamers