Responsible Investment Lead

Job Description Summary

Responsible Investment Lead

Permanent

Location: Edinburgh or London (We believe in the power of in-person collaboration, and our hybrid model requires colleagues to be in the office a minimum of 40% of their time)

Salary: £63,440 - £105,600 (depending on the experience you can bring)

Closing date:23rd April 2025

We're Aegon. We're a company of ambitious, positive problem-solvers who get things done. We're a team, not a group of individuals. Collaboration is our life force and we believe it's our duty to leave things better than we find them.

We help people live their best lives. We help them with the big stuff, for the moments that matter: Pensions, Savings, Investments. At Aegon, we strive in creating a diverse organisation that plays a meaningful role in driving greater equity, inclusion and belonging.

We are now looking for a Responsible Investment Lead to join our Investment Proposition department based in Edinburgh or London. This role offers an exciting opportunity to lead and shape Aegon’s responsible investment and climate strategies, contributing to our company’s commitment to sustainability and responsible investment practices.

As Responsible Investment Lead you will develop and implement responsible investment (RI) and climate strategies, manage insights on responsible investment and climate, and contribute to RI strategy and implementation. This role involves leading the development and maintenance of Aegon’s climate roadmap, including TCFD reporting for clients and portfolios, and coordinating RI and climate reporting.

Within this role you will also manage the UK Stewardship Code submission, oversee the Aegon UK Stewardship Policy and process, and engage with external asset managers on voting and engagement activities. Acting as an internal and external expert on responsible investment and climate, you will represent Aegon at events, committees, and working groups. Additionally, the role includes tracking and analysing trends in investor engagement and voting, and overseeing line management responsibilities, including:

1. Lead the analysis of climate risk in the portfolio with internal stakeholders.
2. Facilitate the development of climate governance, strategy, risk management, and measurement against climate goals.
3. Develop insights and drive implementation of initiatives supporting enhancements to investment propositions and help deliver good customer outcomes.
4. Review market and competitor practices to gain insights, support Investment Proposition developments to ensure we remain competitive and deliver good customer outcomes.
5. Develop and review reporting practices, including new areas like social risk and nature-related financial disclosures.
6. Lead the development and review of Aegon’s Stewardship practices, including the UK Stewardship Policy and voting policies. Design voting and engagement strategy aligned with Aegon’s customer interests.
7. Support distribution colleagues with RI, climate, and stewardship conversations to achieve trading targets. Attend client governance meetings, engage with trustees and senior stakeholders.

We’d love to hear from you if you have:

1. Extensive experience in responsible investment, climate-related areas, and investor engagement within financial services.
2. Confident presentation capabilities and excellent written and verbal communication skills.
3. Strong analytical skills and the ability to manage, engage, and influence a broad range of senior stakeholders, both internal and external.
4. Experience in project or programme delivery.
5. Extensive knowledge of climate risk, investor climate action, disclosure requirements (TCFD), international frameworks (SBTI, TPI), and responsible investment trends and drivers.
6. Familiarity with sustainability and climate data, measurement, ratings, research market, corporate sustainability trends, and shareholder action.
7. Understanding of UK climate and responsible investment regulations (FCA, DWP, PRA) and the UK pension market (contract and trust-based schemes).
8. Knowledge of investor engagement, voting practices, and market trends.
9. Proven experience in shaping and leading the delivery of new initiatives, projects, or processes.

What’s in it for you?

1. A non-contributory pension between 8%-12%
2. A discretionary bonus, depending on personal and company performance
3. 34 days leave per year (including bank holidays, pro-rated for part-time)

We also offer private medical cover, life assurance, critical illness cover, enhanced parental leave and a variety of lifestyle benefits to help our staff live their best lives, including retail discount vouchers, cycle2work scheme, subsidised restaurant and online GP appointments.

We serve a diverse, ever-changing world. It's tough, but we work tirelessly to leave things better than we find them. If that sounds like the sort of place you'd like to work, hit the "Apply" button.

The legal bits

We’ll need you to confirm you have the right to work in the UK. If we offer you a job and you accept, there are some checks we need to complete before you can start with us. This will include a credit and criminal record check, as well as providing satisfactory references.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their age, disability, race, religion/belief, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity.