We are at a pivotal moment: the climate and biodiversity crises are deepening, and inequalities are even more marked in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global investment system has an oversized impact on many of these global challenges. We want to make sure that impact is positive. At ShareAction we work with investors, policymakers and individuals to unleash the positive potential of the investment system. We aim to build a world where our financial system serves our planet and its people.

Team

In 2020, ShareAction undertook research to understand what it would take to move the investment system to address biodiversity loss. In the biodiversity team we are now building an ambitious programme of work which will establish standards and leading practices for responsible investors on addressing biodiversity impacts and hold major investors accountable against them. At the same time, we’ll work collaboratively with investors, using their influence to challenge companies, such as agrochemicals producers, to halt and reverse nature loss. This is a small but growing team that aims to have huge impact.

The destruction of our natural world is one of the most pressing crises we face today. Some 75 per cent of land, and 66 per cent of marine environments have already been severely altered by human activities. Tackling this will require urgent and transformative action by all actors, but the financial sector has a major role to play.

We are seeking to appoint a Senior Engagement Officer to help us build and maintain effective working relationships with the key stakeholders in our biodiversity programme, particularly investors. They will work closely with team members responsible for research and campaigns to encourage investors to use their influence with companies to halt and reverse our imminent nature crisis.

• Building on our existing investor networks, you will identify individuals and organisations in the asset management and asset owner community to engage on biodiversity and build relationships with them
• With support from the Head of Biodiversity, you will develop and oversee an annual workplan of engagement activity with these stakeholders
• You will organise calls, meetings and other events with these stakeholders and make sure that these are tracked in our database
• You will conduct ad hoc research on current and leading investor policies and practices on biodiversity, in collaboration with our Financial Sector Research team
• You will take part in follow up conversations about biodiversity with organisations assessed as part of ShareAction’s banking and asset managers surveys
• You will provide input to team efforts to develop new areas of work, including contributing to funding bids, when required
• You will play a role in wider team and cross ShareAction activity related to biodiversity to foster collaboration

What you’ll do:

• Building on our existing investor networks, you will identify individuals and organisations in the asset management and asset owner community to engage on biodiversity and build relationships with them
• With support from the Head of Biodiversity, you will develop and oversee an annual workplan of engagement activity with these stakeholders
• You will organise calls, meetings and other events with these stakeholders and make sure that these are tracked in our database
• You will conduct ad hoc research on current and leading investor policies and practices on biodiversity, in collaboration with our Financial Sector Research team
• You will take part in follow up conversations about biodiversity with organisations assessed as part of ShareAction’s banking and asset managers surveys
• You will provide input to team efforts to develop new areas of work, including contributing to funding bids, when required
• You will play a role in wider team and cross ShareAction activity related to biodiversity to foster collaboration

What you’ll bring to the team:

• You will be energised and excited by identifying, building and maintaining relationships with external stakeholders
• You will have excellent written and verbal communications and be able to tailor your message to a range of different audiences
• You’ll be able to demonstrate your knowledge of or willingness to learn about biodiversity loss and the nature crisis
• You’ll ideally have some understanding of the finance industry, in particular the role of asset owners, asset managers and banks
• You will be a natural collaborator and team-player making sure you get the best out of those you work with
• You will appreciate the importance of good record-keeping and ensuring coordination across teams where there are shared contacts and may be common or conflicting interests
• You will be able to manage a range of competing priorities and deadlines

What we will do for you

• We will provide you with training on all our systems and any other developmental training you might need
• There are already meetings set up with other teams you will be able to join to facilitate collaboration but you will have a chance to input into these and suggest changes
• There are other options to collaborate across the organisation such as joining our D&I working groups or social committee
• ShareAction teams enjoy hybrid working, splitting their time between home and our office in London Bridge
• There is currently no mandatory requirement for time spent in the office, but the Biodiversity Team aims to meet together in the office at least once per month

Location: Hybrid - London/Home

Contract type: Permanent, Full time (but with some flexibility possible)

Salary: £27,500 - £30,000 per annum, pro rata. Plus 8 per cent pension (non-contributory) and benefits including a healthcare scheme

Closing date: Monday 19 September at 9am

Interviews: there will likely be two rounds of interviews from the week of the 26 September

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 percent 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 have a London office and we 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.

ShareAction’s London office is based in vibrant Bermondsey and a short walk from London Bridge underground and national rail. Remote working will remain the norm for many ShareAction staff as we continue to face the Covid-19 pandemic, with office space available as described in London for those who wish to use it.

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.