Job Description
Our client, a leading pan-Africa investment management firm, seeking to hire an experienced ESG lead or specialist with a strong understanding and working knowledge of ESG from a private equity space to manage its ESG desk and oversee the ESG requirements and compliance across all its portfolio investment companies and within the group.
ROLE: ESG LEAD; LOCATION: LAGOS; SALARY: 30M P/A (NEGOTIABLE)
Job Objective: The ESG Lead will be responsible for ensuring compliance with ESG for all portfolio companies as agreed. S/he will be involved in all investments and provide assurance that the company policy on responsible investing is applied to all deals and that the organization is proactive in helping its portfolio investment companies achieve larger and more positive E&S impacts (adding ESG value to transactions, portfolio companies, and financial institutions).
Key Responsibilities:
Pre-Investment:
§ Reviewing, and where required, developing Terms of Reference for external ESG Consultants;
§ Reviewing all Due Diligence (“DD”) Reports to ensure that agreed terms are met and the DD report provides relevant information and meets required standards
§ Assisting the Investment Team with ESG due diligence to assess the level of compliance of potential investments to IFC’s Performance Standards, the Equator Principles and other LP requirements that may apply from time to time
§ Reviewing and advising on ESG related issues during the transition of deals from transactions to portfolio assets.
Within the Group:
Assisting with the formalization and maintenance of the environmental and social management and impact related systems
Developing the firm’s own standard operating procedures for managing ESG in portfolio companies; enforcing the Firm’s ESG SOP requirements with portfolio companies operating below required standards.
§ Maintaining an ongoing 100-day work plan review cycle for achieving ESG objectives and targets
§ Training the deal team and other members of staff in environmental and social issues and other related matters
§ Driving and representing the firm in discussions on Responsible Investment/ ESG principles
§ Supporting the development and improvement of ESG policies and standards
§ Assisting the Investment Team with driving contractual compliance and implementing ESG initiatives
Key Requirements
§ Degree in a relevant discipline including environmental, development studies, or a similar area.
§ 7+ years of proven work experience in a related field (ESG, sustainability, impact/socially responsible investing), preferably within development finance, E&S consulting, banking, private equity or investment.
§ Knowledge of environmental and social issues as they apply to businesses operating in developing countries.
§ Familiarity with the application of IFC Performance Standards to investments across industries – financial services, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, telecoms, real estate etc. is an added advantage.
Interested and qualified candidates should send their CVs to talent@strategichireafrica.com with the subject title, “ESG Lead.”
