Associate

Green Finance Institute; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The Green Finance Institute in London is seeking an Associate to scale unsecured green home finance in the UK, working at the intersection of finance, policy and industry to develop and scale green lending solutions.

You will build relationships with retail lenders from major banks to community lenders, shape policies with government and regulators, and lead cross-functional collaboration to unlock investment in greener homes.

Qualifications

• A keen interest in green/innovative finance to catalyse place-based climate action and a dedication to making a tangible positive impact.
• Experience in or closely with the finance sector, with an understanding of financial products, institutions, and markets. Experience in consumer lending is valuable.
• Strong political and policy awareness, understanding how government priorities and regulatory frameworks shape financial markets and decisions.
• Strong commercial judgement, ability to understand financial business models and develop practical solutions.
• Exceptional influencing, communication, and interpersonal skills for diverse stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills, able to handle multiple workstreams and meet deadlines.
• Sound judgement and professionalism handling complex or sensitive issues.
• Self-motivated, adaptable and proactive in a fast-paced, small-team environment.

Responsibilities

• Support scale-up of unsecured green home finance and consumer credit solutions in the UK.
• Build and manage relationships with banks, lenders, credit unions and fintechs.
• Identify opportunities for new products and partnerships and help scale them.
• Shape policy and financing programmes with government and regulators.
• Support place-based green home finance and local investment initiatives.
• Monitor policy developments and advise on market implications.
• Facilitate industry engagement through workshops and roundtables.
• Represent GFI at industry events and contribute to written outputs with Communications.
• Identify risks and develop mitigation strategies.

Skills

Green finance

Policy awareness

Commercial judgement

Stakeholder engagement

Project management

Communication skills

Public sector experience

Regulatory understanding

Job description

Contract: 1 year fixed-term contract with opportunity to extend

About the Green Finance Institute (GFI)

Established in 2019, the Green Finance Institute (GFI) is an independent advisor to governments and investors. It is at the forefront of shaping how finance can be used to facilitate a real economy transition, by designing, testing, and scaling financial solutions that enable capital to flow where it can deliver the greatest impact in the real economy.

The GFI delivers positive outcomes for climate and nature by aligning policy, capital and pipeline development. As a commercially focused philanthropic organisation working with governments and partnering with financial institutions, corporates, NGOs, policymakers, academics and civil society experts, the GFI has mobilised over £80bn in committed capital to date.

The GFI is headquartered in London and has a presence in eight countries including Belgium, Brazil, Denmark, Indonesia, the Philippines, Scotland, South Africa and Spain, and its missions work across the built environment, carbon dioxide removals, industrial decarbonisation, energy, transportation and nature.

We are seeking an enthusiastic and commercially minded Associate to support the Green Finance Institute's work to scale innovative financial solutions for greener, more resilient homes, with an initial focus on the UK market for unsecured green home finance, including green personal loans, embedded finance and other innovative consumer lending solutions .

The transition to green and resilient homes represents a significant investment opportunity globally. In the UK alone, 29 million homes represent the leakiest housing stock in Europe and 20% of UK emissions. The UK Committee on Climate Change has estimated that £373 billion needs to be invested in UK building upgrades by 2050. GFI’s work also seeks to unlock the trillions that needs to be invested globally.

The Green Finance Institute’s Built Environment Programme (BEP) is GFI’s global sector team working to decarbonise the built environment, developing and scaling innovative financial solutions that enable investment in greener, more resilient buildings. Building on the work of its UK Coalition for the Energy Efficiency of Buildings (CEEB), the Built Environment Programme works collaboratively with financial services, industry, government, and other key stakeholders to continue to address barriers to investment, shape enabling policy, and develop scalable and innovative financial solutions.

A range of financial solutions will be critical to enabling households to invest in energy efficiency improvements that reduce bills, including Green Mortgages, Unsecured Green Home Finance, and Property Linked Finance - collectively the Green Home Finance Landscape. Developed through GFI's UK work, this Landscape provides a framework for identifying and scaling the financial solutions needed to ensure households can access suitable finance for home upgrades, with lessons and applications relevant to international markets.

This role will initially focus on accelerating the growth of the UK’s unsecured green home finance market, working with retail lenders of all sizes, from major high street banks and specialist lenders to credit unions and community lenders. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of finance, policy and industry, helping lenders develop and scale green personal loans, embedded finance, point-of-sale finance and other consumer lending solutions.

The role will also contribute to scaling place-based green finance, working to strengthen access to local lending, support local investment and explore how devolution, public finance institutions and innovative financing mechanisms can unlock investment in home upgrades. This will include identifying opportunities for market innovation, addressing commercial and regulatory barriers, and working with government and industry to shape policies and programmes that support greater access to green home finance.

As part of GFI's global Built Environment Programme, the successful candidate will also have opportunities to engage with international colleagues, share lessons from UK market development and contribute to the adaptation and scaling of successful financial solutions in other markets.

We are seeking a highly motivated individual with a strong financial background, political awareness, and commercial judgement, who can build productive relationships across the public and private sectors. The role sits in a fast-paced environment and offers significant opportunities to shape market development and deliver tangible impact.

This role would suit a proactive self-starter who enjoys taking ownership, developing partnerships and turning ideas into practical delivery. You will have the opportunity to expand the breadth and depth of your responsibilities over time, supported by an annual review process. A passion for sustainability is crucial.

The position is initially offered as a 1-year fixed contract.

Responsibilities

• Support the GFI's work to scale unsecured green home finance, including green personal loans, embedded finance, point-of-sale lending and other innovative consumer credit solutions , initially in the UK.
• Build and manage relationships with retail lenders of all sizes, including major banks, specialist lenders, credit unions and community lenders, alongside fintechs, energy companies and other market participants.
• Work directly with financial institutions and industry partners to identify opportunities for new products, commercial partnerships and routes to market, supporting the development and scaling of green lending propositions.
• Work with government, regulators and industry to shape policies and financing programmes that support the growth of unsecured green home finance, drawing on market insights and lender experience to inform practical policy solutions.
• Support the scaling of place-based green home finance, working with credit unions, community lenders, local authorities and other partners to increase access to affordable finance and unlock local investment.
• Monitor developments in government policy, regulation and the consumer lending market, assessing implications for financial institutions and identifying opportunities to influence market development.
• Convene and lead engagement with industry stakeholders, including workshops, roundtables and bilateral discussions, to build market momentum and accelerate delivery.
• Represent the GFI at relevant industry and policy events, and contribute to high-quality written outputs in collaboration with the Communications team, as required.
• Identify risks and issues that could affect delivery and proactively support the development of mitigation strategies.

You need to have:

• A keen interest in green/innovative finance to catalise place-based climate action and a dedication to making a tangible positive impact.
• Prior experience working in or closely with the finance sector, with an understanding of how financial products, institutions, and markets operate. Experience in consumer lending would be particularly valuable.
• Strong political and policy awareness, with an understanding of how government priorities, regulatory frameworks and public policy shape financial markets and commercial decision-making.
• Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to understand financial business models, identify market opportunities and develop practical solutions to barriers to growth.
• Exceptional influencing, communication, and interpersonal skills with an ability to build trusted relationships and anticipate the needs and perspectives of a wide range of stakeholders.
• Strong project management skills - capable of handling multiple workstreams, meet deadlines, logically tackle problems, and set priorities.
• Sound judgement and professionalism, with the ability to handle complex, sensitive, or ambiguous issues with discretion and confidence.
• A self-motivated approach, bringing energy, positivity, and initiative to the team.
• Adaptable, must be comfortable working in a small team and part of a fast-paced, agile environment.
• Experience in unsecured consumer lending, including an understanding of the UK consumer lending regulatory environment, including relevant FCA requirements and consumer protections.
• Experience working with or in: a bank, specialist lender, credit union or community lender.
• Experience engaging with government departments, regulators or public finance institutions to inform policy development or programme delivery.
• An interest in place-based investment, financial inclusion and the role of local financial institutions and public finance in supporting the transition to greener homes.
• An understanding of UK policy-making processes and delivery landscape, particularly in relation to housing, energy, or environmental policy, and an understanding of how government priorities, processes, and sensitivities shape delivery.