Overview

At abrdn, our purpose is to enable our clients to be better investors.

Clients worldwide trust us to find future-fit investment opportunities to deliver the outcomes they want. Our technology and insight help empower them to make better decisions, while the powerful partnerships we build help to enhance the expertise that we offer. And by enabling clients to invest responsibly, it helps us to build a better world.

Our Concession Infrastructure team invest in three key areas:

  • Critical Public Services: healthcare, defence, education, justice, government accommodation, social, affordable and university housing, buildings’ energy efficiency improvement, water management, waste management
  • Mobility: roads and toll roads, bridges, electrical vehicles charging infrastructure, light-rail and rail, electrical buses fleets;
  • Decarbonisation: fibre networks and telecommunications, and energy transition assets that supports the shift from fossil-based energy production

 

Role Purpose

 

The Sustainability Analyst will contribute to the Concession Infrastructure team’s sustainability strategy by growing ESG practices and product capabilities and helping to deliver the team’s approach to ESG measurement, reporting and assessment in line with their sustainability framework. They support the team’s sustainability efforts both internally and externally and help clients and others understand philosophy and approach to sustainable investing and team capabilities.

 

Additionally they help support the Sustainable Investing team to deliver an integrated sustainability strategy and demonstrate progress against strategic objectives and performance indicators via data collection, performance reporting and sustainability assessment.

 

Key Outcomes / Responsibilities:

  • Assist with the on-going development of the concession Infrastructure’s ESG strategy and objectives ensuring full implementation globally, including assisting in the development and launch of new sustainable funds.
  • Provide support and expert advice to the global investment teams ensuring that investment transactions, asset management and development decisions are made in line with house, desk, and fund level ESG requirements.
  • Work with the global investment teams in setting and agreeing fund and asset level ESG targets and objectives, in line with sustainability strategy and agreed client outcomes.
  • Contribution to investor engagement, for example, presentations, board meetings, RFPs and questionnaires
  • Contribute to the team’s GRESB submission process with specific focus on improving scores year on year
  • Take ownership for specific ESG initiatives and project manage these to move from implementation to integration in a timely manner.
  • Support with the research of relevant and upcoming ESG topics to ensure abrdn is at the forefront of industry trends.
  • Support with the integration of the house climate change approach including the application of a net-zero carbon framework at desk and fund level.
  • On-going development and implementation of processes and systems to facilitate the consistent, timely and accurate recording, management and reporting of ESG data.
  • Work with internal teams to ensure the timely and accurate compilation of client ESG reports in line with relevant standards, mandatory greenhouse gas reporting, TCFD, SFDR and the EU taxonomy, as required.
  • Collaborate with other abrdn ESG representatives from the wider abrdn group to share knowledge and ideas.
  • Ensure effective relationship management with external ESG service providers
  • Specific Concessions Infrastructure tasks where support will be required include:
    • Successfully progress the implementation of the existing ESG framework and management system that has been created for concessions, and apply to all funds.
    • Drive ESG data collection via the business ESG cloud-based platform.
    • Assist with the improvement of ESG/sustainability performance of existing portfolio.
    • Lead in the production of ESG reports in line with regulatory requirements such as TCFD and SFDR as well as fund level reporting.
    • Contribute to ESG due diligence for potential new fund investments either directly or working with/managing external ESG advisors and engagement of external advisors.
    • Contribute to sustainability marketing materials for the team.

 

Candidate Experience/Skills

  • Experience in an ESG/sustainability role.
  • Preferably experience in an Infrastructure or Real Asset environment.
  • Awareness and understanding of ESG related regulations, directives, guidelines and industry standards globally
  • Understanding & knowledge of industry-led performance measurement processes including validation, scoring & benchmarking
  • Strong project management skills
  • Understanding of infrastructure investments and their climate change impacts, and in particular a general awareness of net zero concepts, pathways and market developments
  • Ability to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels.
  • Self-reliant, innovative, results orientated, pro-active can-do approach.
  • Strong written, oral, interpersonal, and presentation skills and the ability to forge relationships quickly and effectively.

 

Our benefits

There’s more to working life than coming home with a good salary. We have an environment where you can learn, get involved and be supported.

When you join us, your reward will be one of the best around. This includes 40 days’ annual leave, a 16% employer pension contribution, a discretionary performance based bonus (where applicable), private healthcare and a range of flexible benefits – including gym discounts, season ticket loans and access to an employee discount portal. You can read more about our benefits here.

 

Our business

Enabling our clients to be better investors drives everything we do. Our business is structured around three distinct areas – our vectors of growth – focused on our clients’ changing needs. You can find out more about what we do here.