Head of Sustainability

Aegon; United States; On-site; USD 350,000 - 380,000; Full time

Job summary

Aegon is seeking a Head of Sustainability to lead the global corporate sustainability function, advising the Executive Committee, Board, and business unit leaders. You will define the sustainability strategy, strengthen governance, and build credibility with investors, regulators, customers, and NGOs.

Responsibilities include leading the three-year strategy cycle, ensuring regulatory compliance in US and EU contexts, and overseeing reporting under major standards.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, sustainability, or related field.
• 15+ years in sustainability, corporate strategy, or corporate affairs.
• 3+ years in financial services or regulated industries.
• Experience leading global programs and cross-border initiatives.
• Proven ability to balance global priorities with US regulatory needs.
• Knowledge of sustainability standards and reporting.
• Relevant certification in sustainability/climate/IR.

Responsibilities

• Lead global sustainability strategy and three-year cycle.
• Oversee governance and reporting to the Board.
• Align sustainability with global strategy and regulatory expectations.
• Ensure US and EU regulatory compliance and disclosures.
• Oversee annual reporting under ESRS, SASB, SEC, CDP.
• Manage data governance, controls, and external assurance.
• Advise the Board and senior executives; engage investors and regulators.
• Collaborate across functions to implement climate risk integration.
• Oversee sustainability signatories like UNGC and PRI.

Skills

Executive leadership

Stakeholder management

Sustainability reporting

Regulatory knowledge

Climate strategy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, sustainability, or related field

Tools

MS Office

Job description

This role leads the global Corporate Sustainability function, advising Executive Committee, Board, and business unit leaders. It defines the sustainability strategy, strengthens governance, and builds credibility with investors, regulators, customers, nongovernmental organizations, and other stakeholders. The role evaluates the current sustainability framework and defines the future agenda, including sustainability commitments, climate strategy, responsible investment priorities, regulatory compliance, and evolving stakeholder expectations.

Head of Sustainability

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the global sustainability strategy and three-year strategy cycle, including establishing the company’s 2030 sustainability priorities in partnership with relevant functions and conducting an annual review of the global sustainability landscape and regulatory developments.
• Lead sustainability governance and oversight, including the Group wide sustainability oversight body, and provide clear reporting to the Board of Directors.
• Align the sustainability agenda with the Group’s global strategy, including climate related commitments, responsible investment ambitions, and evolving regulatory expectations in the United States and European Union.
• Ensure ongoing compliance with applicable United States regulations and the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, including the double materiality assessment, the sustainability statement, required disclosures, and related limited assurance from the external auditor.
• Oversee annual reporting and disclosure activities under relevant frameworks, including European Sustainability Reporting Standards, National Association of Insurance Commissioners Climate Risk Disclosure, Securities and Exchange Commission requirements, Carbon Disclosure Project climate disclosures, and other applicable standards.
• Maintain sustainability data governance, internal controls, audit readiness, and assurance processes for nonfinancial sustainability metrics, including coordination of external assurance activities.
• Oversee measurement, validation, and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions, including Scope 1, Scope 2, operational Scope 3, and financed emissions data where applicable.
• Serve as a strategic advisor and thought partner to the Board of Directors, Chief Legal & Corporate Affairs Officer, Executive Committee, and business unit chief executive officers, building internal commitment and external credibility.
• Ensure the global Environmental and Responsible Investment policies reflect emerging leading practices and regulatory expectations. Partner with Investments and Investor Relations to maintain responsible investment guidelines, screening approaches, engagement practices, and exclusion policies.
• Monitor emerging sustainability regulation, voluntary standards, climate commitments, and reporting frameworks across United States federal and state contexts while maintaining
• appropriate awareness of relevant global standard setters.
• Oversee sustainability memberships and signatory commitments, including the United Nations Global Compact, Principles for Sustainable Insurance, Principles for Responsible Investment, and Net Zero Asset Owner Alliance.
• Oversee the completeness and quality of submissions to sustainability benchmarks and rating agencies, including MSCI, Sustainalytics, Institutional Shareholder Services, S&P Global, and Carbon Disclosure Project.
• Strengthen internal engagement on sustainability and prepare for investor meetings and nongovernmental organization engagements. Serve as a senior spokesperson with investors, regulators, suppliers, clients, and other key stakeholder groups.
• Collaborate across Finance, Investments, business operations, Risk, Legal, Compliance, Corporate Affairs, and Government and Policy Affairs to support execution, policy alignment, climate risk integration, and public statements.
• Oversee sustainability data management tools, reporting process improvements, benchmark submissions, rating agency responses, and related governance processes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, public policy, finance, environmental science, sustainability, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in sustainability, corporate strategy, corporate affairs, or related field.
• 3+ years of experience in financial services, insurance, asset management, or related regulated industry.
• Experience operating in a global organization and leading, cross-border sustainability programs, with demonstrated ability to adapt global and EU-centric requirements into a U.S. business, regulatory, and stakeholder context.
• Proven ability to balance global sustainability priorities with U.S. regulatory, commercial, governance, and reputational requirements.
• Strong understanding of sustainability regulation and standards.
• Relevant sustainability, climate, responsible investment, or reporting certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in business, public policy, environmental science, finance, sustainability, or related field.
• Experience with sustainability benchmarks, rating agencies, and submissions such as Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI), Sustainalytics, Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS), S&P Global, and Carbon Disclosure Project.
• Experience managing sustainability memberships and signatory commitments, including the United Nations Global Compact, Principles for Sustainable Insurance, Principles for Responsible Investment, and Net-Zero Asset Owner Alliance.

Key Competencies

• Executive presence and organizational savvy, with experience engaging with boards of directors, senior executives, investors, regulators, suppliers, clients, nongovernmental organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Ability to translate sustainability, regulatory, climate, and financial data into clear narratives, executive materials, and actionable business strategies.
• Strong communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency with sustainability reporting systems, data management tools, Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.
• Self-starter with a proactive, results-oriented approach and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Working Environment

Location: New York City, New York (Office)

• Work outside of regular business hours may be required to support board meetings, annual general meetings, governance calendars, filings, and other time sensitive requirements.
• Working Conditions are designated at the job level; however, the company reserves the right to adjust working conditions on an individual employee basis as needed to support business requirements.

Travel Requirements Estimate: Occasional

• Travel to support board meetings & annual general meetings as needed.

Compensation

The Salary for this position generally ranges between $350,000 and $380,000 annually. Please note that the salary range is a good faith estimate for this position and actual starting pay is determined by several factors including qualifications, experience, geography, work location and operational needs. Salary may vary above and below the stated amounts, as permitted by applicable law.

Additionally, this position is typically eligible for an Annual Bonus based on the Company Bonus Plan/Individual Performance and is at the Company’s discretion.

Applicants must possess legal authorization to work for our company in the U.S. without the need for immigration sponsorship or otherwise serving as an employer of record for immigration employment purposes. At this time, this role is not eligible for immigration-related employment authorization sponsorship.

This job description is not a contract of employment nor for any specific job responsibilities. The Company may change, add to, remove, or revoke the terms of this job description at its discretion. Managers may assign other duties and responsibilities as needed. In the event an employee or applicant requests or requires an accommodation to perform job functions, the applicable HR Business Partner should be contacted to evaluate the accommodation request.