Associate Director: ESG Advisory

About Anthesis

Anthesis is the sustainability activator. Proud to be a B Corp, we seek to make a significant contribution to a world which is more resilient and productive. We do this by working with cities, corporates, investors and other organisations to drive sustainable performance. We develop financially driven sustainability strategies, underpinned by technical expertise and delivered by innovative collaborative teams across the world.

At Anthesis Group, we are truly committed to putting people and our planet at the heart of all we do.

Summary of Role

Our EMEA-wide ESG Advisory and Mandatory Reporting team specialises in providing ESG & sustainability strategy and reporting consulting services including materiality assessments, strategy development, data collection and management, reporting and training. Over the past two years the team has seen a significant increase in demand for support with mandatory disclosures (SFDR, CSRD, EU Taxonomy, TCFD), regulatory advisory and reporting services.

To sustain the growth in activity in our service area from domestic and global clients, we are seeking a highly motivated Associate Director to meet our clients’ needs in this exciting area of ESG advisory and reporting. Associate Directors in the team balance their time between developing their relationships with, and delivering for impact-driven clients, evolving and selling new service lines in the team, and contributing to the professional development of team members.

The role is based in one of Anthesis’ Bristol, London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Harrogate or Oxford offices, but the dynamic nature of our work may necessitate you to work from other Anthesis and/or clients’ offices from time-to-time. Additionally, given the international nature of the Anthesis business and the needs of our clients, this may lead to participation in overseas work. At Anthesis we promote a flat and open culture so as not to constrain our talented staff in hierarchical management structures.

Alongside being a key member of the ESG Advisory & Mandatory Reporting team, we particularly want this person to further bolster our audit and assurance expertise within the team. It is becoming increasingly critical for us to speak the same language as CFO’s and finance professionals, as the focus of ESG reporting and strategy shifts to align with wider financial reporting.

Key Responsibilities:

Responsibilities fall into three major areas:

Client & Project Delivery – 50% of time

• Project direction:
• Lead teams in delivering on-site and remote reporting, strategy, materiality and double materiality support, and on-going programme management services.
• Collaborating with global Anthesis sustainability experts and technical consultants, not only to deliver great projects but also to support in developing new service areas and innovative products for our clients.
• Staying abreast of the everchanging sustainable finance and regulatory disclosure landscape, and providing technical consulting advice on such changes.
• Engaging with, and presenting to a wide a range of stakeholders including C-suite audience
• Project quality oversight:
• Ensure project deliverables are delivered at the expected quality and meet the expectations of assurance providers.
• Consulting on ESG reporting frameworks including ISSB, GRI, ESRS and alignment with mainstream business processes. This includes identifying, managing, and implementing robust, auditable, digital-first approaches to data management where required.
• Support with the upskilling of our teams on audit and assurance requirements for mandatory reporting standards.

Business Development – 20-30% of time

• Key Account Development:
• Helping to guide and support deeper and longer-term partnerships with valuable and impactful clients over time.
• New client origination:
• Lead in developing, selling, and delivering existing and new products and services, including leading pitches with clients.

Organisational & Personal Development – 10-20% of time

• Line management responsibilities within the team
• Strategic & Organisational Initiatives:
• Contributing to important internal initiatives, proposition development and innovation.
• Recruitmet:
• Contributing to growing the team through recruitment
• Training & Personal Development:
• Using the ACE (Anthesis Centre of Excellence) learning and development platform, and guided by your line manager.

Key Requirements

The ideal applicant will have 8+ years’ experience in financial reporting, audit or ESG assurance, and a keen grasp of the technical requirements of the role including the CSRD and/or ISSB:

• A degree/relevant qualification in a related field (finance, sustainability, environmental management, geography etc.), or equivalent practical experience reflective of the role being applied for.
• Experience in advising on and completing workstreams where key sustainability frameworks have been used (GRI, ESRS, SASB, ISSB, SFDR)
• Experience in managing or auditing data collection processes on material priorities, and distilling datapoints into key insights for different stakeholder groups.
• A passion for sustainability and an interest in being at the forefront of sustainability and sustainable finance.
• Confidence in talking to CFOs and financial professionals in client organisations.
• Effective time management and organisational skills (organised, methodical and analytical).
• Ability to respond positively to pressure and take a flexible approach to the dynamic, fast moving sustainability reporting sector.
• Ability to work individually and collaboratively within teams on a global basis.
• Proactive, with the ability and confidence to use initiative, and an interest in a range of different project types and client sectors.

Personal Qualities:

• Collaborative: a ‘we’ not ‘I’ focused team player, who enjoys collaborating with colleagues and clients with diverse backgrounds and personalities, and contributing to shared success.
• Flexible: high levels of adaptability, with the capacity to adjust to new situations and challenges swiftly and effectively. Comfortable with conditions of ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Resilient: confident to cope with a demanding and sometimes high-pressure working environment, and with an ability to bounce back strongly from inevitable setbacks.
• Organised: disciplined, conscientious, reliable and responsive in the face of a sometimes complex and fast-moving workflow.
• Ethical: honest, open and trustworthy, with the highest standards of integrity in conduct towards colleagues, clients and collaborators.
• Proactive: the drive and confidence to anticipate and raise issues, and take the initiative where necessary, in a ‘high-permission’ team culture.
• Communicative: a clear and persuasive communicator, with the ability to distil and convey complex ideas effectively, both verbally and in writing, and the ability to adapt communication style to difference audiences and settings.

Your Benefits

• Work within a highly motivated team in an innovative and rapidly growing global company
• Opportunity to have a direct impact and be a key part of the growth and development of the business and the team
• Work solely on projects that have an impact on the sustainability and climate change goals/challenges for clients
• Opportunity to work with, collaborate with and learn from sustainability SME’s who are passionate about the work they do and the impact Anthesis can have
• Exposure to a wide range of clients and projects on a global basis
• Competitive salary in line with, experience and skills
• Competitive benefits including flexible working, 25 days holiday and two volunteering days off and the day off for your Birthday!
• An opportunity to participate in the Anthesis Employee Participation Plan (EPP), an industry-pioneering employee incentive plan that allows all employees to be rewarded for the growth in the equity value of Anthesis.
• Cooperative, supportive and open working atmosphere.