Senior Specialist, Policy

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 UK Senior Policy Specialist will work across regional EMEA market and Global Policy teams to develop a policy engagement strategy towards UK policymakers, government departments, regulators, standard setters, and the wider policy ecosystem, based on thorough consultation of PRI local signatories. The UK Senior Specialist will contribute to PRI policy objectives and implement the regional policy strategy in order to pursue and deliver real-world sustainability outcomes consistent with PRI’s Mission.

The UK Senior Policy Specialist will be responsible for developing PRI policy positions on specific files and issues, translating the PRI’s global policy positions on sustainable finance, stewardship and engagement, fiduciary duties and real economy into tailored positions for the UK market. This incorporates convening policy-makers, signatories and stakeholders, developing evidence-based policy research and driving meaningful policy outreach within the market, working closely with the UK and Ireland market team and the wider Europe policy team.

This is a great time to be joining the PRI as it is experiencing growth in both its presence and membership around the world at a time when responsible investment has entered the mainstream and policy alignment is seen as a crucial enabler. The majority of investors now recognise the importance of incorporating ESG factors into their investment and ownership activities. Our aim over the next 10 years is to bring responsible investors together to work towards sustainable markets that contribute to a more prosperous world for all – working at the PRI, as a UN supported organisation, is a direct contribution to this mission.

Core Responsibilities:

• The UK Senior Policy Specialist works alongside the UK Policy Specialist and reports to the Head of Europe Policy (based in Paris). The candidate will also work closely with colleagues in the wider EMEA market team, especially UK Market team and the Global Policy team.

Team Contribution:

• Advise and assist the Europe Policy Head in the development and implementation of the UK policy strategy, providing regular reporting as required.
• Support more junior members of the team by providing guidance and advice on individual workstreams.
• Contribute to wider policy team projects (signatory advisory groups, newsletters, regulatory database, events, other ad-hoc administrative support etc.).

Thought Leadership:

• Develop policy positions for UK policy-makers (Position papers, consultation responses, policy reports, letters) consistent with the implementation of PRI’s Mission Statement, the Six Principles and ensuring consistency with other PRI positions where relevant.
• Monitor and research key developments relevant to sustainable finance, stewardship, fiduciaries duties and pension regulation in the UK.
• Identify new areas of research and advocacy to support PRI’s work on sustainable finance and real economy policies.

Policy Engagement:

• Lead the local engagement strategy with key policy-makers in full autonomy.
• Strengthen and expand relationships with key targeted stakeholders in the region to drive the development of policies that will better support and enable responsible investment.
• Submit and present policy positions to UK regulators and government as relevant as well as European/International institutions and supranational organisations.
• Build relationships with strategic UK signatories important to the successful development of policy positions that reflect the membership views, especially members of the UK Regional Policy Reference Group (UK RPRG) and via PRI Collaboration Platform.
• Engage signatories through workshops, bilateral interviews, survey to build thought leadership pieces and policy consultation responses, calibrating and integrating signatories’ feedback.

Communication Enabler:

• Prepare and deliver content development and communication (blog, webinar, media engagement, newsletter etc.).
• Prepare briefing notes, key messages and presentations for PRI executives on PRI UK policy activities including for the CEO, team Directors and team Heads as relevant.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Develop and maintain good working relationships with key policy makers, UK signatories and stakeholders (e.g. other investor networks, NGOs) to foster joint engagement as needed.

Person Specification and Selection Criteria:

• Ability to operate autonomously, with little guidance and confidence to take responsibility and engage with policymakers and signatories.
• Excellent knowledge of UK policy process and in particular of UK sustainable finance agenda and responsible investment issues (ESG disclosure and data, SDR, Pension and fiduciary duties, corporate governance and Stewardship Code etc.).
• Working knowledge of the PRI, investment practice, the structure and operation of the investment chain and issues relating to sustainable finance and responsible investment.
• Significant experience in policy analysis, formulating policy positions and conducting research on projects relevant to the finance industry.
• Demonstrable experience engaging with investors, policymakers, and/or key stakeholders at a senior level.
• Outstanding research and policy analysis skills with the ability to formulate and develop policy positions, while being able to navigate and reconcile conflicting points of views.
• Capacity to identify and solve problems in a structured and rigorous way.
• Outstanding communication and analytical skills demonstrated through professional experience, with professional writing standard, editing skills and verbal presentation skills.
• Comfort presenting to groups, speaking in public and facilitating workshops and an ability to adapt communication style to different audiences and to build consensus.
• A collaborative and consultative approach to working with others and committed to fostering an inclusive environment.
• Demonstrated knowledge of/or interest in sustainable finance and real economy issues, and their implications for public policy, with a philosophical commitment to sustainable investment and the mission of the PRI.

Additional Selection Criteria:

• Demonstrable experience developing advocacy strategies, preferably with proven experience working with/at UK policymakers and regulators, trade association, public affairs consultancy or relevant non-profits.
• Comfort with remote working systems and practices, and working as part of a small team.
• Education in economics, public policy, finance, international affairs or similar preferred.
• Proficiency in at least one other European language, in addition to English.

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.