Associate, Sustainable Investment

NZ Super Fund; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

NZ Super Fund is seeking a collaborative professional to help integrate sustainable investment considerations across the Fund’s activities and asset classes. The role bridges SI expertise with investment decision‑making, driving strategic initiatives in data, analysis and implementation.

You will work with investment colleagues to develop frameworks, tools and approaches for sustainable investing, contributing to climate, reporting and portfolio monitoring.

Qualifications

• Experience researching or analysing environmental, social and governance themes.
• Ability to translate analysis into investment insights and recommendations.
• Strong written and verbal communication with cross‑team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Undertake sustainable investment research across ESG themes and translate insights into investment context.
• Support due diligence and analysis of opportunities with an investment lens.
• Analyse portfolio data to inform decisions and monitor sustainability initiatives.
• Contribute to stewardship activities, including engagement, voting and exclusions.

Skills

Sustainable investment

Data analysis

Research ability

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

Analytical thinking

Job description

We are the Kaitiaki / Guardians of New Zealand Superannuation. We are proud of our Te Whāinga / Our purpose: Sustainable investment delivering strong returns for all New Zealanders. We invest government contributions to the NZ Super Fund, a global investment fund helping to ensure the country can pay for the growing cost of universal superannuation (New Zealand Superannuation) in the future. We also oversee the Elevate Fund, which invests in small, fast‑growing New Zealand companies.

At the Guardians there’s an energy, passion and a shared commitment to excellence: in 2024 the NZ Super Fund was named the world’s best‑performing sovereign wealth fund. The work is complex, innovative and intellectually stimulating. Sustainable finance, including a commitment to being net zero by 2050, is core to our Mātāpono / way of working.

The Role

Reporting to the Director, Sustainable Investment, you will play a role in integrating sustainable investment considerations across the Fund’s investment activities and asset classes.

This is a highly collaborative role, working across the wider investment function to build strong relationships, connect SI expertise with investment decision‑making, and contribute to translating strategic priorities into practical implementation.

You will also help drive several of the team’s key strategic initiatives, bringing together investment perspectives, sustainability expertise. Data analysis, communication and implementation. You will also have the opportunity to learn from high‑calibre investment and sustainable investment professionals, while bringing your own expertise and perspective to complex and rewarding work.

Key Responsibilities

• Undertake sustainable investment research and analysis across environmental, social and governance themes, helping material risks into investment‑relevant insights
• Support due diligence and analysis of investment opportunities across asset classes, including assessing sustainability risks, opportunities and considerations with an investment lens
• Analyse portfolio and sustainability data to support investment decision‑making, monitoring and strategic initiatives
• Contribute to the team’s stewardship activities, including company monitoring, engagement, voting and exclusions
• Support delivery of the team’s strategic Sustainable Investment initiatives, working across research, analysis, data and implementation
• Contribute to the development and application of Sustainable Investment frameworks, tools and approaches across the Fund
• Support the team’s core Sustainable Investment programme, including climate, reporting, portfolio monitoring and other BAU activities
• Work collaboratively with investment colleagues, contributing analysis and communicating findings clearly to a range of audiences
• Build knowledge of global and emerging sustainable investment research and practice, bringing relevant ideas and developments into the team
• A genuine interest in sustainable investment and the role sustainability considerations can play in long‑term investment outcomes
• Experience or demonstrated expertise in a relevant environmental, social, investment, finance, economics, data or sustainability discipline
• Strong research and analytical capability, with intellectual curiosity and an ability to get quickly across complex and unfamiliar topics
• Strong data skills, with the ability to analyse information, identify insights and communicate what matters
• Sound commercial judgement and an interest in developing a deeper understanding of institutional investment and different asset classes
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with an ability to turn analysis into clear, concise and useful insights
• Comfortable working across a varied portfolio of work, managing competing priorities and contributing both independently and collaboratively
• A constructive, collegial approach and the confidence to build relationships across different teams and disciplines
• Knowledge of Te Ao Māori and Te Reo Māori would be beneficial