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Sustainability SME


Contract duration: 12 months

Pay: £759-900/day (PAYE/Umbrella)

Location: London (4 days onsite)


We are seeking an experienced leader to provide maternity leave cover for the Global Head of Sustainability within this financial services/asset management organisation. This role will lead sustainability strategy, ensuring alignment with commercial objectives and enterprise priorities, while overseeing governance, regulatory disclosures, and stakeholder engagement. The successful candidate will chair the Sustainability Council and act as a key connector across business, legal, compliance, risk, policy, and sustainability teams.


Key Responsibilities


Sustainability Strategy, Governance and Stakeholder Leadership

• Lead sustainability strategy, ensuring alignment with enterprise priorities and commercial objectives.

• Chair the Sustainability Council to drive coordination and consistency across the business.

• Serve as a senior advisor to the Chief Sustainability Officer and collaborate with the Sustainability Hub to align messaging, disclosures, and strategic priorities.


Regulatory Reporting, Compliance and Advocacy

• Oversee sustainability-related disclosures, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.

• Monitor and communicate emerging sustainability regulations and disclosure expectations.

• Lead coordination on engagement on sustainability-related policy and regulatory consultations with Public Policy and Government Affairs.


Commercial and Business Advisory Support

• Provide strategic advice to senior leadership on sustainability, regulatory, and market developments.

• Support product and client-facing teams with sustainability expertise


Framework Development and Integration

• Navigate organisational change by supporting the integration of sustainability considerations into business processes and operating frameworks.

• Help embed new regulatory requirements and market developments into business-as-usual activities.


Leadership and Team Development

• Foster strong partnerships across Compliance, Legal, Risk, and other functions.

• Promote a coordinated, business-wide approach to sustainability.


Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate will be a commercially minded sustainability leader with strong regulatory, policy, and governance experience, and the ability to operate effectively within a complex global organisation.


Preferred Experience and Qualifications

• Significant experience in sustainability, sustainable finance, ESG, regulatory policy, and/or financial services strategy.

• Strong understanding of the asset management industry.

• Experience delivering sustainability disclosures and regulatory implementation programmes.

• Deep knowledge of sustainability regulation and reporting developments affecting investment businesses.

• Proven ability to advise senior stakeholders and influence across a matrixed organisation.

• Experience leading governance forums, councils, committees, or cross-functional working groups.

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and leadership skills.

• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to balance strategic, regulatory, and business priorities.

• Legal, regulatory, or policy experience is advantageous.