Research Associate in Sustainable Finance, SGFIN (26723)

National University of Singapore; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative research institute seeks a dynamic individual to join their team in sustainable finance. This role offers the opportunity to shape impactful research projects, analyze corporate sustainability metrics, and collaborate with industry stakeholders. The ideal candidate will possess strong quantitative skills and project management experience, enabling them to navigate complex research landscapes effectively. Join this forward-thinking organization to contribute to meaningful sustainability outcomes within the financial sector and beyond, while developing your research portfolio in a supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's preferred; PhD required for Research Fellow.
• Strong understanding of sustainable finance and corporate financial statements.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop research projects in sustainable finance.
• Manage and coordinate project deliverables and stakeholder expectations.
• Conduct qualitative and quantitative analyses for research.

Skills

Quantitative analytical skills

Project management skills

Problem-solving skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in finance, accounting, or related field

Master's degree in finance or related field

PhD in finance or related field (for Research Fellow)

Tools

Statistical software packages

Job description

The Role

The Sustainable and Green Finance Institute (SGFIN) is a new university-level research institute in the National University of Singapore (NUS), jointly supported by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) and NUS. SGFIN aspires to develop deep research capabilities in sustainable and green finance, provide thought leadership in the sustainability space, and shape sustainability outcomes across the financial sector and the economy at large.

This role is ideally suited for those wishing to work in academic or industry research in the financial sector, particularly in the area of sustainable, responsible, and green investing and valuation. The responsibilities of the role will include designing and developing a framework to distill various information regarding corporate sustainability efforts and performance into various metrics that can be analyzed further to support decision making in the corporate, financial, and societal spheres.

There are no teaching obligations for this position, and the candidate will have the opportunity to develop their research portfolio.

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will be expected to assume the following responsibilities:

• Design research projects in close collaboration with the Institute’s Directors (Prof. Sumit Agarwal / A.Prof Johan Sulaeman / A.Prof Weina Zhang) and Research Affiliates

• Take ownership and responsibility for the successful delivery of research projects, ensuring they are completed within the required deadline and allocated budget, and meeting/exceeding project specifications and targets

• Participate in pre-project activities such as identifying required resources to ensure project completion including staffing and organizational needs of the project team, and preparing high-level project plans with project timeline and resource requirements

• Development of research hypotheses

• Plan and perform the collection and organization of corporate financial and sustainability disclosures

• Plan and perform the collection and organization of information regarding government policies and regulations in the sustainability space

• Perform qualitative and quantitative analyses of existing frameworks, to extend existing frameworks to develop a more comprehensive framework

• Monitor progress of research projects and provide necessary interventions to ensure smooth completion of each project

• Manage and coordinate project deliverables, ensuring their quality

• Manage the collaborations with research and industry stakeholders, including providing periodic progress updates and deliverables for grant funding body or project sponsors

• Manage industry partners’ expectation by understanding their needs and providing realistic expectations and scope of each project

• Preparation of results for industry communications, presentations, and academic articles for journal publications

• For Research Fellow position: guide, mentor, and supervise research analysts and associates on the project team

• Work closely with the rest of the SGFIN team to support SGFIN’s activities and objectives

Requirements

• Academic background in the following subjects is preferred: finance, accounting, economics, business, sustainable/green finance, sustainability management, or related disciplines. A bachelor’s degree is required, a master’s degree in one of these subjects is preferred, with a PhD degree required for the Research Fellow position.

• Basic understanding of financial sector (banks and other financial institutions), financial markets, corporate financial statements, and credit risk analysis, is required.

• A thorough knowledge of the research field of sustainable economics or finance is highly preferred.

• Quantitative analytical and/or financial econometric skills, including knowledge of advanced statistical software packages, are highly desired, along with experience with empirical research methods, including developing, conducting and supporting research and data analysis of research projects.

• Proactive in problem solving.

• Good time management and planning skills with a commitment to delivery.

• Strong project management skills, with ability to manage several projects concurrently.

• Strong delivery management experience, with proven track records in managing and steering projects towards smooth execution and on time delivery.

• Adaptive to change with a positive work attitude.

• Enthusiastic team player who is self-driven, committed, and willing to take initiative.

• Strong interpersonal and leadership skills, effective in coordinating stakeholders, fostering teamwork, and leading high performance project team.

• Excellent verbal and interpersonal communication skills, along with strong written communication skills.

More Information

Location: Kent Ridge Campus

Organization: Sustainable and Green Finance Institute

Department : Sustainable and Green Finance Institute

Employee Referral Eligible: No

Job requisition ID : 26723