Head of Sustainability Platform

M&G FA Limited; Greater London; On-site; GBP 160,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension up to 18%

Share Save plan

38 days annual leave

Time off when needed

Parental leave program

Private healthcare

Life insurance

Job summary

The Head of Sustainability Platform at M&G owns the strategy, delivery and operation of the technology and data capabilities that support the organisation’s sustainability ambitions, investment activities, client commitments, and regulatory reporting.

Leading a globally distributed, cross-functional team, you will craft a coherent roadmap, ensure secure, scalable platforms, and drive value through effective governance, automation and analytics.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in sustainability or ESG tech within asset management or financial services.
• End-to-end ownership of a business-critical technology capability spanning strategy, investment, delivery and benefits.
• Experience leading globally distributed, cross-functional teams and managing strategic partners.
• Strong commercial and financial leadership covering budgets, investment cases, suppliers.
• Strategic judgement, communication and influencing skills.

Responsibilities

• Set Sustainability Technology strategy, target architecture and multi-year roadmap.
• Embed Sustainability capabilities within enterprise architecture for reuse of data, tech and operations.
• Oversee cross-platform delivery planning with identified dependencies and achievable roadmaps.
• Monitor delivery performance with measures for quality, predictability, adoption and cost.
• Build scalable data and technology capability for investment decision-making and reporting.
• Rationalise technology estate by consolidating platforms and reducing technical debt.
• Governance of solution design and data governance with Architecture teams.
• Use automation, analytics and AI to improve research, data operations and user experience.
• Manage budgets, investment cases, suppliers and overall value delivery.
• Lead a multidisciplinary global team and continuously improve ways of working and engagement.

Skills

Sustainability leadership

End-to-end ownership

Global team leadership

Budget & vendor management

Strategic judgement

Sustainability data

ESG disclosure

Data governance

Cloud and integration

Job description

At M&G, our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. With a heritage dating back more than 175 years, we have a long history of innovation in savings and investments, combining asset management and insurance expertise to offer a wide range of solutions. Our two distinct operating segments, Asset Management and Life, work together to provide access to balanced, long-term investment and savings solutions. Through telling it like it is, owning it now and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent. We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and offer workplace adjustments to ensure you have the support you need to succeed in your role.

The Role:

The Head of Sustainability Platform owns the strategy, delivery and operation of the technology and data capabilities that support the organisation’s sustainability ambitions, investment activities, client commitments, corporate reporting and regulatory obligations. As the principal technology partner to Sustainability, the role leads a globally distributed, cross-functional team and is accountable for a coherent roadmap, effective delivery and a secure, resilient, scalable and cost-effective sustainability technology ecosystem.

Key Accountabilities:

Set the Sustainability Technology strategy, target architecture and multi-year roadmap, aligning stakeholders, priorities and investment to measurable business, client, regulatory and control outcomes.

Ensure Sustainability capabilities are embedded within the wider enterprise architecture, reusing and extending common data, technology and operational capabilities rather than creating standalone solutions.

Own cross-platform delivery planning, ensuring dependencies are identified and resolved early, required teams commit to delivery, and the integrated roadmap is achievable.

Own delivery and platform performance, using clear measures to improve quality, predictability, adoption, cost, control effectiveness, security and operational resilience.

Build a scalable sustainability data and technology capability that enables investment decision-making, stewardship, product development and corporate and regulatory reporting.

Simplify and rationalise the technology estate through consolidation onto common platforms, reuse of enterprise data products and integration capabilities, and active reduction of technical debt.

Own solution design quality and governance across the Sustainability platform, partnering with Enterprise, Solution and Data Architects to secure timely review and approval through the relevant architecture, design and data governance forums.

Use automation, analytics and AI to improve research, data operations, reporting, controls and user experience within appropriate governance.

Manage budgets, investment cases, suppliers and commercial performance to deliver service quality and value for money.

Lead the multidisciplinary global team, continuously improving ways of working, domain capability, accountability, engagement and stakeholder confidence.

Use clear measures of team effectiveness and stakeholder sentiment to improve ways of working, domain capability, engagement, adoption and stakeholder confidence.

Key Skills, Competencies and Experience:

Leadership and Experience Essential senior leadership experience in sustainability or ESG technology within asset management or financial services. End-to-end ownership of a business-critical technology capability spanning strategy, investment, delivery, live service and benefits realisation. Leadership of globally distributed, multidisciplinary teams, matrix resources, strategic partners and organisational change. Commercial and financial leadership covering technology budgets, investment cases, suppliers and specialist data and technology vendors. Strategic judgement, communication and influencing skills, with the ability to align senior stakeholders and translate complexity into clear decisions. Sustainability, Data and Technology Expertise Expert knowledge of how sustainability is embedded across investment, risk, stewardship, product management, client servicing and corporate reporting. Deep understanding of sustainability and ESG data, methodologies, models, calculations, vendor content and associated governance and controls. Knowledge of climate, nature and stewardship capabilities and the sustainability disclosure and regulatory landscape relevant to asset managers. Ability to challenge business requirements, data models, architectures, solution designs, methodologies, controls and operating-model implications. Understanding of data governance, cloud, integration, workflow, automation, analytics, AI, cybersecurity, privacy, resilience and technology risk in regulated financial services.

Work Level:

Manager/Expert

Location: London

What we offer:

• A valuable pension scheme of up to 18% (13% made up of employer contributions and 5% employee contributions).
• Access to our Share Save and Share Incentive Plan, alongside financial wellbeing and support services to help give you real confidence to put your money to work.
• Enjoy 38 days annual leave (including bank holidays), with the opportunity to purchase up to five extra days.
• Our Time Off When You Need It policy gives you the flexibility - to balance work and personal commitments.
• Our market-leading Inspiring Families policy includes comprehensive support and paid parental leave covering maternity, adoption, surrogacy, and paternity leave - because supporting families is an important part of our inclusive culture.
• Health & Protection cover includes Private Healthcare, Critical Illness cover and Life Assurance for you, with additional family options - for peace of mind.
• To explore more about life at M&G and our full benefits offering, visit Life at M&G

At M&G we strive to have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture, underpinned by our policies and employee-led networks that offer networking, support and development opportunities for the diverse communities our colleagues represent. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds – across gender, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation and more – including neurodivergent individuals, career returners and those with military service experience.

M&G is proud to be Level 3: Disability Confident Leader under the UK Government Disability Confident employer scheme, and we welcome applications from candidates with disabilities and long-term health conditions. If you would like to participate in the initiative, you will have the opportunity to indicate this on your application. We are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment process. All candidates have the opportunity to request reasonable adjustments when applying. If you need any additional support at any stage, please contact us at: [e-mail]

M&G is a leading international savings and investments business, managing money for around 4.6 million individual clients and more than 900 institutional clients in 38 offices worldwide. As at 31 December 2024, we had £345.9 billion of assets under management and administration. Our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. With a heritage dating back more than 175 years, we have a long history of innovation in savings and investments, combining asset management and insurance expertise to offer a wide range of solutions. Our two distinct operating segments, Asset Management and Life, work together to provide access to balanced, long-term investment and savings solutions.