Investor Engagement Manager - Pensions

ShareAction London United Kingdom Networks
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Company Description

ShareAction and the global system of finance

The global investment system has an oversized impact on many of the existential challenges we face today. Investors, as holders of capital and owners of the companies they invest in, have an influence on corporate practice. They influence which companies find it easier or harder to access finance and can influence the companies they’re invested in. Through their investment decisions and company engagement, investors can support a transition to a more sustainable, healthier way of living - this is known as responsible investment.

ShareAction’s vision is a world where the financial system better serves our planet and its people. Our mission is to define the highest standards of responsible investment and to drive change until these standards are adopted worldwide. We work towards our mission by:

  • Building networks and coalitions of allies to drive change from within and outside the financial system

  • Advocating for change in the investment industry using our research and rankings

  • Campaigning with allies to strengthen investor stewardship and improve corporate practice

  • Pushing for public policy reform to transform the financial system

Position

The UK pensions sector is £2.6trn. That’s enough to pay for everything produced in the country for a whole year. And globally, pensions account for half of all the money in the world. The world around us is therefore shaped by the way that pension schemes allocate money and engage with the companies that they invest in. This makes the pensions industry central to our work to transform the financial system.

We are looking to appoint an Investor Engagement Manager - Pensions to support an exciting new community of pension schemes who are becoming better responsible investors, together. This role will also support the delivery of ShareAction’s separate but complementary new pensions sector strategy.

Our pensions build the world around us, by being invested in the companies and projects that shape society and the environment, and by using the influence that this investment provides to direct company decision-making. As long-term asset owners, pension schemes grapple with how to ensure long-term prosperity for their members (current and future retirees) - and ultimately the wider population and the planet – by managing the risks and opportunities from challenges as varied as climate change, biodiversity loss, decent work and nutrition. To find out more, see our Pension Power Platform.

ShareAction is supporting the development of the Occupational Pensions Stewardship Council (OPSC). The Council is coordinated by the Department for Work and Pensions (supported by the Financial Reporting Council) and is a unique forum of asset owners participating in collaborative working to improve their stewardship. ShareAction supports this work as part of our wider commitment to fostering high standards of responsible investment, strengthening the voice of pensions trustees and their ability to engage with their asset managers and other key service providers, alone or collectively. We believe that peer-led networks of asset owners can effectively support each other to become ever more responsible investors.

You will work with the wider secretariat to support the Council, facilitating member meetings and communications, and provide logistical support to deliver events, including an annual celebration of the Council and member achievements. You will be a highly professional, reliable project manager with a strong interest in network-building and proven experience in building trusted relationships. This will be an exciting and evolving role, supporting the heart of UK pensions stewardship.

This role will be subject to a personal confidentiality agreement, which protects information related to OPSC planning, operations and both current and prospective member organisations.

Key responsibilities

The main responsibility of the role is to support and develop the work of the OPSC secretariat:

  • Provide internal coordination for the OPSC secretariat, a unique cross-sector collaboration which currently includes staff working at DWP, Nest and ShareAction.

  • Develop the volume, range and level of stewardship done by occupational pension schemes, and OPSC members in particular, in the UK and (in future) across the continent. Research and test the best ways to do this.

  • Engage members and prospective members through 1:1 meetings either in person or virtually, via the online OPSC mailing list / web forum, and through supporting the development of webinars, training and events, briefings, and member collaborations.

  • Support OPSC members with ad hoc requests for information, coordinating with secretariat colleagues for efficiency.

  • Organise events and communications for OPSC members and external parties, including the core biannual Council meetings, Engagement Group meetings, and the annual celebration event. Work with secretariat colleagues to communicate about the OPSC and other projects through a variety of media.   

  • Engage and collaborate with other networks and signatory bodies on UK pensions, asset ownership and stewardship matters (eg the PRI, Pensions Roundtable, Charities Responsible Investment Network, Responsible Investment Network – Universities).

  • Manage key relationships with network members, prospects, supporters and other partners, and our funder/s.

The role will also help to implement ShareAction’s overarching UK pensions strategy:

This strategy positions UK pension schemes as critical allies in the movement for responsible investment and focusses on identifying practical ways to support schemes to achieve high responsible investment standards within this sector and from their service providers (asset managers, consultants).

  • Develop and maintain up-to-date knowledge of UK pensions, sustainable finance policy and best practice, including government, industry and civil society work in the UK and internationally.
  • Manage the pacing of work and outputs, and operational matters such as monitoring and evaluation, fundraising and financial reporting, with guidance and support from the Head of Networks. Take a lead on drafting ideas, funding bids, and delivery plans.

You will be supported by the Head of Networks, as well as external secretariat colleagues and Council members (who lead many aspects of OPSC’s work).

Requirements

We are looking for a passionate, determined individual, with the following experience and skills:

ESSENTIAL

  • Strategic thinker and doer - experience in project management, especially supporting others or leading the development and delivery of engagement strategies and implementation plans

  • Facilitation skills – proven ability to support both delivery staff and senior leaders to develop their thinking and approach in a collaborative and enabling way

  • Professionalism – experience working on complex politically delicate topics and/or across different teams and organisations

  • Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal. Able to communicate to a range of audiences and at very senior level and to build trust and inspire stakeholders

  • Leadership skills - Able to work independently and make decisions and progress within an evolving and ambiguous context

  • Relationship development and management – able to quickly build effective working relationships and nurture these over time

  • Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

DESIRABLE

  • Working knowledge of the investment system and how it influences and interacts with the real economy

  • Working knowledge of occupational pensions and/or government policy and regulatory processes

  • Experience of working with Microsoft Office 365, particularly SharePoint

  • Experience of working with CRM systems, ideally Salesforce

  • Basic knowledge of data protection regulations / GDPR

Other information

Please note that this role is subject to final confirmation of funding, which we hope will be provided in the coming weeks.

Hours: Full-time, but with some flexibility possible

Contract type: Permanent

Salary: £31,135 - £40,488 plus 8 per cent pension (non-contributory) and benefits including a healthcare scheme

Deadline for applications: Monday 29 November (5pm)

Interviews: 1st round interviews Monday 6 Dec/Tues 7 December. 2nd round interviews Thurs 9 December.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcomes applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and so if you are not 100% sure that you meet all the requirements but believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and use the application questions to tell us about your experience and what you hope to bring to this role.

We also actively encourage staff to work in ways that best suit their needs and our flexible working policy outlines many of the options available- such as part-time and term-time working, job sharing, home working and working compressed hours. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.

Please note that to be considered for this post you must be legally eligible to work in the UK. Due to current restrictions we are unable to hire anyone that isn’t already living in the UK.
Due to our size we are unable to sponsor visas.