Principal, Invest EU

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading international financial institution in Greater London seeks an experienced Principal for its Environment and Sustainability Department. This role involves ensuring compliance with EU environmental and social policies for various projects, managing risks, and providing specialist input. Candidates should have a degree in environmental or social sciences, proven project management experience, and the ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams. Excellent analytical, interpersonal, and time management skills are essential. The position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to sustainable development initiatives.

Qualifications

• Proven track record appraising complex environmental and social risks and impacts.
• Excellent knowledge of environmental and social thematic policy and safeguard areas.
• Experience mentoring and coaching less experienced staff.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work within multi-disciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Provide specialist input to projects and initiatives, including complex projects.
• Coordinate project and consultant teams and contribute analytical reviews.
• Represent ESD in meetings and events as delegated.
• Contribute to improving internal processes and data management.

Skills

Project management

Environmental policy knowledge

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Coaching skills

Negotiation skills

Education

Degree in environmental and/or social sciences, economics, or engineering

Job description

Purpose of Job

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Principal to join our Environment and Sustainability Department Monitoring Team. In this role, you will play a key role in ensuring EBRD projects funded by InvestEU and the Recovery and Resilience Facility (RRF) deliver the Bank’s Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) commitments and comply with EU policy and regulatory requirements. The role requires a solid understanding of the environmental and social policy frameworks of International Finance Institutions (IFIs) as well as key EU legislation. In addition to conducting in-house due diligence, monitoring, and overseeing external consultants, you will ensure adherence to EU Sustainability Proofing methodologies and frameworks, lead discussions with EU institutions, and update donors.

The Principal will work with Associate Directors, Heads of Sector and Directors in the relevant ESD team to deliver the Bank’s commitments under its Environmental and Social Policy, covering environmental and social appraisal and monitoring of the Bank's portfolio of projects and activities in various sectors; oversight and verification of the Bank's approaches, assessments, monitoring, reporting and verification of environmental, social, green and other commitments relevant to ESDs mandate. The Principal will contribute specialist input to the appraisal and monitoring of a range of projects and sectors, including complex and high-risk projects.

The Principal, InvestEU position entails ensuring that projects under InvestEU and the RRF align with EU environmental and social policies & requirements through thorough Environmental and Social Proofing. This includes planning, formulating, and managing due diligence approaches in line with ESD Assurance processes, ensuring projects meet EU environmental and social policy & regulatory requirements, and coordinating with various teams. The Principal is required to have a good understanding of key EU legislation such as the Industrial Emission Directive (IED), EU EIA Directive, EU Habitats Directives, Battery Directives, SFDR, CSRD, REACH, RoSH, WEEE etc. In addition to conducting in-house due diligence and monitoring and overseeing external consultants, the role requires ensuring adherence to EU Sustainability Proofing methodologies, and leading discussions with EU institutions. The Principal will need to have a good understanding of the EU development consent process and approval by Competent Authorities. The Principal will manage all necessary E&S documentation for EU approvals, provide early-stage support on technical cooperation and project preparation, monitor implementation, and update donors.

Background

ESD works closely and interacts daily with the banking teams and other departments as relevant to drive the shared agenda of sound environment and sustainable development.

ESD is a team of specialists responsible for the environmental and social appraisal, assessment and monitoring of Bank's portfolio of projects and activities in various sectors. ESD is responsible for, and the custodians of, the Environmental and Social Policy (ESP). Main interaction is with the Banking teams during project development and implementation, where an active participation is expected from ESD in assessing gaps against applicable policy provisions, identifying, and developing solutions and opportunities, and thereby ensuring compliance as well as increased environmental and social transition impact, delivering sound environment and sustainable development.

Within its mandate, ESD :

• conducts oversight and verification of the Bank's approaches and assessments,
• interacts frequently with the Board, banking and external stakeholders,
• is responsible for data collection and data management,
• is responsible for standards and minimum requirements,
• oversees and assesses environmental and sustainability-related risk,
• is responsible for monitoring, reporting, verification,
• is responsible for the ESP and related policy management and policy development, methodologies, and guidance.

Facts / Scale

The Principal is expected to manage and facilitate specialist input to projects, TCs, tasks and initiatives, including complex and high-risk projects and TCs. They may work individually or with the support of Analysts or Associates. The Principal will typically work under the guidance of an Associate Director Head.

Accountabilities & Responsibilities

• Provide specialist input to projects, Technical Cooperation’s (TCs), tasks and initiatives, including complex and high-risk projects and TCs. They may work individually or with assigned support of Analysts or Associates.
• When acting as facilitator on an aspect of work, the Principal will have full responsibility for managing delivery of a particular sub – project, project, task, or activities. These activities may include contributing to assessment of ESP compliance, E&S risks impacts and opportunities; climate and nature risks, Paris Alignment, and green finance attribution; monitoring, verification and reporting; and assurance.
• Coordinate project and consultant teams, conduct and / or contribute analytical, scientific, and technical reviews and appraisals, develop methodologies, monitor outputs / outcomes, contribute specialist input, manage data, review, and develop internal and external publications, negotiate E&S contract terms.
• Undertake work travel independently, as required
• As delegated by the Director or Associate Director Head, represent ESD internally and externally at various fora, including project, client, lender and stakeholder meetings and other events. This representation may be supported by more senior staff, as required.
• Take responsibility for specific thematic policy and / or safeguard area as assigned by the Director or Associate Director Head.
• Support internal and external capacity building initiatives and mentor and coach staff on environmental, social and green finance matters.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of internal processes and procedures, including the streamlining, collection, management, and automation of data.
• Preparation of internal and external reports, on the Bank’s reporting approach, and methodologies.
• Work in line with Bank’s Behavioural Competencies and Corporate Behaviours.

Knowledge, Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Degree in environmental and / or social sciences / economics, engineering, or related field or comparable professional experience.
• Proven track‑record appraising complex environmental and social risks and impacts of a range of projects and / or sectors.
• Knowledge of international good practice environmental, social and climate standards / guidelines (e.g. European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Environmental and Social Requirements, International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards, Equator Principles, Paris Agreement alignment, Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), Task Force on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), International Sustainability Standards Board (SSB), the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), sector guidelines, etc).
• Knowledge and experience applying financing instruments, approaches, and processes as well as IFI, or similar, policies and procedures.
• Excellent knowledge of environmental and social thematic policy and safeguard areas and the risks and impacts of various sectors.
• In‑depth understanding of scientific, economic, and political dimensions of environmental and social issues. Ability to apply those to the assessment of EBRD investment projects.
• Familiarity with the countries in which the Bank operates / plans to operate.
• Track record in project management, leading / contributing to multi‑disciplinary teams and delivering a solution‑orientated and risk‑assessment based approach.
• Strong interpersonal skills and an ability to work independently or lead or be part of a team.
• Effective time management and organisational skills and ability to multi‑task and delegate tasks.
• Excellent written and spoken English. Familiarity with a language of the EBRD countries of operations would be advantageous and, for a resident office appointment, local language fluency will be required.
• Demonstrated experience communicating complex policy and technical issues to a wide range of stakeholders verbally and in writing; ability to build consensus and reach agreement in complex, multi‑stakeholder environments.
• Substantial analytical and quantitative skills.
• Experience mentoring and coaching less experienced staff.
• Ability to transfer previous external experience into the EBRD context.
• Proactive in anticipating problems and tackling those to avoid escalation.
• Demonstrable experience in negotiations, persuasion, and influence skills in internal and external engagement activities to deliver the team’s and Bank’s objectives, based on effective communication skills.