Are you ready to drive sustainability innovation and impact at FMO? Join our Sustainability Standards and Integration team as a Principal ESG Officer to shape the future of ESG+ interconnectivity. How will you make a difference?

Your role

In the role of Principal Sustainability Standards and Integration-ESG Officer, you will report to the SSI Manager. Also, you will have a reporting duty to the ESG+ Management Team. This is a key position within ESG+ Department in which you should have detailed knowledge in environmental, health, and safety issues, as well as social and human rights impacts.

In this role, you will coordinate the translation and interpretation of new sustainability regulations into everyday ESG tasks. You play a key role in planning and carrying out the essential process of making and applying changes to the ESG pre-screening, due diligence, and monitoring tasks at FMO.

Your core responsibilities include:

Coordinating and providing input into high-complex ESG projects and initiatives linked to:
- Sustainability Regulation, such as EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD), Sustainable Finance Directive Regulation (SFDR), etc.
- Refining our approach to ESG industry sectors and country risk (including fragile states).
- Digitalization of ESG components within the investment lifecycle.
Acting as the primary point of contact inside and outside the organization for expertise in ESG, to discuss difficulties and seek out answers for complex issues.
Providing strategical input to the department and organization wide business plans, aligning with our Strategy 2030.
Offering an up-to-date view on market developments, requirements, and partners within your field of expertise.
Giving presentations and, when needed, training sessions. Representing our company at external meetings and forums that should support the Strategy 2030 and One-FMO.
In some explicit cases, engaging directly with clients in highly complex transactions within the ESG+ department.
Building and maintaining a network actively. Strengthening relationships with partners, clients, and stakeholders. Understanding their environment and the challenges they encounter.

You will also coach team members and share your expertise with deal teams and colleagues involved in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) matters. As a role model for the ESG+ community, you will offer insights on various topics, industries, and regions. And stepping in for MT members when needed, such as during vitality leave or extended holidays.

Our offer

We value our team members and offer a competitive package, including:

Gross yearly salary ranging from EUR 115K-135K, depending on your seniority, years of relevant experience, and background.
Premium free pension.
31 holidays based on a full-time basis working week.
Working remotely abroad for 60 days in a rolling period of 12 months.
Hybrid way of working (50/50).

For more information, please visit our website Secondary Benefits - FMO

Your team

The ESG+ department consist of different E&S teams:

Sustainability Standards & Integration
Agribusiness, Food & Water E&S
Corporate Governance and Financial Institutions E&S
Energy E&S
Private Equity E&S

The Sustainability Standards & Integration is a new team within the ESG+ Department and is committed to delivering impactful value creation and effective performance management across the sustainability and ESG risk and return spectrum. We foster close collaboration with all departments, including Investment, Impact Measurement, Integrated Reporting, Strategy, and Risk, to generate demonstrable and sought-after impact for our clients that goes beyond financial considerations. We dedicate ourselves to develop essential tools, provide comprehensive due diligence guidance, and set up protocols that flawlessly integrate sustainability standards into our operational processes. Our central focus areas cover EU sustainable finance regulations, climate risk assessment, and ensuring alignment with the Paris Agreement at both the client and transaction levels.

Your background

To be successful in this role, you should possess the following qualifications and personal characteristics:

PhD or Master in sustainability, human rights, environmental, climate, engineering, or biodiversity
At least 20 years of relevant work experience in emerging markets activities covering E&S due diligence (including IFC performance standards, UNGPs, Paris alignment and OECD Guidelines) and risk management.
A recognized industry scope of influence
Experience or awareness of Sustainability related regulation, including EU Taxonomy, Climate risk.
Excellent English communication skills (both written and oral) and preferably one or more other foreign language skills.

You should also exhibit the following personal characteristics:

Excellent skills in planning, organizing and prioritizing tasks, even under pressure, and the ability to simplify complex concepts.
Proactively building and leveraging relationships with other departments, clients, and strategic partners, while establishing credibility and influencing a wide range of people.
Taking responsibility and being accountable for your behavior, serving as a role model.
Strong team skills, contributing to team success and fostering a positive and collaborative work environment.
Strong service and client orientation and experience with contracting consultants
The ability to strike a balance between negotiating with complex clients, upholding E&S, Corporate Governance, Human rights standards, and supporting highly technical E&S transactions across various sectors and geographies.
The ability to coach and clearly transfer knowledge to others.

Are you excited about our mission, and do you meet the criteria? We like to hear from you and learn more about you. So please apply!