Location London
Job-type Interim
Salary £800 - £1,100 Per Day
Reference 17348

Are you a Sustainability and ESG leader looking for an interim opportunity where you can make a significant impact in a globally operating FTSE listed business, with Sustainability at the forefront of their agenda?

Acre is delighted to be working with one of the world's leaders in financial, payment and additional services for carriers, paving the way for future innovation in freighting, and supporting them in recruiting an Interim VP for Sustainability and ESG.

Our client has made sustainability the core part of their purpose to create sustainable financial and technological solutions for the benefit of their industry, society, and environment.

This is a 6-month contract, with a hybrid working at home, London, and some international travel.

This role directs sustainability governance in the group leading the ESG Executive Committee, as well s serving as the leading subject matter expert in advising and supporting the Board and ExCo on the ESG agenda.

This role will be responsible for raising the profile and performance of the business, directing, and coordinating delivery against its commitments and demonstrating the company's credentials as a sustainability leader in its sector and as an FTSE-listed company.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategy and Governance:

  • Alongside the ESG Non-Executive Director and CEO, you will direct and develop the agenda for the ESG Executive Committee and Board engagement and updates

  • Direct and manage internal sustainability forums including the Operational ESG Committee

  • Table and direct sustainability discussions at the Executive Committee; serving as the subject matter expert and advisor on matters across strategic decision making

  • Lead and facilitate external engagement, including conferences, government, NGOs and other strategic external relationships and partnerships on sustainability topics

  • Design the next phase and evolution of the Sustainability framework and commitments whilst delivering against its current commitments and targets

  • Embed sustainability part of the current and future business model including advising on sustainability in the context of future structural changes or change management programmes

  • Deliver an ambitious, new climate action strategy and commitments; supporting the business units to deliver their climate action plans whilst also helping the Group shape its approach towards a net zero future

  • Work in partnership with the Chief People Officer to direct the company's overall charity and volunteering strategy

Strategy Integration:

  • Work with Group strategy to integrate sustainability into the Group strategy and cascade to business unit and functional leaders

  • Ensure sustainability is integrated into decision-making processes including Product Development, Product Roadmap, Risk Management, M&A, Joint Ventures, and procurement

  • Ensure sustainability risks are updated and escalated into group-wide enterprise risk management and reporting

  • Support compliance and procurement on due diligence and contractual matters as they relate to ESG-related matters as part of supplier and customer due diligence and engagement on human rights, ethics, and environmental issues

  • Direct and advise on the company's approach for monitoring sustainability performance through its scorecard and explicitly into the objective setting, performance management and remuneration

  • Responsible for sustainability-related risk assessments and training, including human rights

Leadership:

  • Serve as the subject matter expert on sustainability with a particular focus on supporting the Board, executive committee, and BU leaders on implementation

  • Design and deliver communication and engagement strategy as well as non financial reporting

  • Provide industry, peer, and competitive intelligence on sustainability to the leadership, including how market changes should shape the business strategy.

  • Forge partnerships with external stakeholders to support small and medium-sized businesses in the energy transition

  • Lead and manage a centralised sustainability team

Communications and Engagement:

  • Act as a spokesperson for sustainability on a range of platforms, such as Conferences, panels, media interviews and podcasts.

  • Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to position our client as an industry leader in sustainability

  • Help shape the next generation of sustainability narrative with investor relations, corporate affairs and marketing

  • Develop ways of collaborating with key players externally and establishing partnerships

  • Identify and manage partnerships in close coordination with business teams

  • Develop relationships with investors and raters on ESG performance and reporting

ESG Reporting and Assurance

  • Deliver regular progress reports to the Board and Executive Committee

  • Monitor non-financial business performance and convert into cutting-edge reporting

  • Lead the design and delivery of sustainability reporting and assurance processes as part of the annual report process, including independent assurance of carbon emissions.

  • Direct the company's approach to securing sustainability-related certifications and assurance more broadly.

  • Responsible for producing the human rights and modern slavery statement annually

  • Oversee the company's participation in sustainability-related indices such as CDP.

What skills do you need?

ESG-specific Skills and Experience:

  • The leadership of in-house sustainability team or function in a global organisation

  • Has a strong understanding of the complex sustainability topics

  • A practical leader who can anticipate future ESG trends and be able to translate insights and big ideas into practical, actionable plans

  • Strong understanding of climate and environmental issues as well as broad knowledge of sustainability issues

  • Profile as independently minded, sustainability thought leader, that has acted as a spokesperson on sustainability issues

  • Sound commercial acumen and has a track record of credibly establishing the business case for sustainability with commercial and business development teams.

  • A strong network with sustainability influencers and leaders would be an advantage

  • A deep understanding of the changing regulatory reporting requirements related to ESG as well as delivery of sustainability reporting in accordance with sustainability frameworks

Skills and Experience

  • An independent, self-starter and collaborator who can build strong, trusted relationships and influence others without the need for direct reporting lines

  • Exceptional influencing and listening skills with a proven ability to influence multiple stakeholders globally and at the most senior levels of the organisation

  • Flexible and adaptable enough to work in environments undergoing change

  • A Strong communicator who can simplify complex topics into layman's language.

  • Enjoys working in a fast-paced, agile, lean, no-nonsense, and entrepreneurial working environment,

  • Proven experience building trust and relationships with colleagues from different cultures around the world

  • Excellent communication, influencing and reporting skills, particularly at an executive level

  • An individual who acts as a catalyst for change and continuous improvement

  • Experience building relationships and coalitions to help drive change internally and externally

  • Brings a range of management styles and adapts these for specific situations to get quality results

  • Introduces improvements based on fact and data-based analysis and benchmarking

  • Promotes collaboration and removes obstacles to teamwork across an organisation

Interested? Please apply for the role now, and any questions, reach out to Elliot Fisher at elliot.fisher@acre.com