Manager, Sustainability at Standard Bank Group

Job Purpose 

The purpose of the role is to support the Chief Risk Officer in delivering sustainability objectives across the Enterprise. The role will focus on the following:

• Design and develop strategies to ensure that the Banks business practices, products and services are compliant with sustainability principles and set regulations
• Drive implementation of sustainable initiatives within the enterprise and follow up on action plans relating to sustainable business performance monitoring and improvement.
• Facilitate closure of opportunities and communicate risks of the current and future initiatives relating to sustainability.

Key Responsibilities 

Business Planning and Strategy

• Lead and develop the banks sustainability strategy; climate, transformation, societal, environmental and oversee the overall process of executing against the strategic objective
• Determining the Banks opportunity and plans towards supporting a  circular economy.
• Mainstreaming sustainability in the bank’s governance framework including Board
• Provide technical advice during Sustainability and Social Impact programme development to ensure alignment with the Bank's strategic vision, developing appropriate system indicators, processes and tools to realize value creation for all stakeholders.
• Support in the building of sustainable partnership and adherence to responsible banking principles
• Establishing internal process for calculating the Banks Carbon Footprint both direct and indirect and support in building plans for reducing it
• Coordinate and support the cascading of the strategy and planned activities across the Bank
• Develop, track and monitor the Banks Climate Risk Appetite Statement
• Assess and analyze policies and processes to identify areas in and processes to which improvements can be made in accordance with the Banks’s commitment to sustainability.
• Participate in the development of the report to society and/or sustainability report
• Lead sustainability conversations within the New and Amended Client Solution process
• Develop and implement the Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) Functional Framework and Toolbox - covering strategy, policy, process, procedures, standards, guidelines, training, objectives, metrics and governance - to ensure consistency of implementation and the alignment to regulatory and legislative requirements.
• Lead the integration and management of the Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) as well as the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategies by planning, organizing, coordinating, directing and executing all activities relating to SEE and ESG across Enterprise.

Monitoring and reporting

• Provide up to date and accurate reporting to relevant forums relating to Sustainability and Societal Impact to keep all relevant stakeholders informed and enable effective decision making.
• Support the Business units in defining KPIs, data and reporting requirements as relates to sustainability  
• Support the Banks sustainability performance review process by tracking and analysing readiness and performance against the set targets and strategic goals on sustainability
• Support the business unit planning process to ensure full alignment of sustainability activities
• Undertake in-depth analytics, identifying relationships/patterns in data sets to develop insights and make recommendations to decision makers within the Bank
• Co-ordinate and participate in sustainability Governance forums (SEE committee, Foundation Manco, Credit Committees, NACS, ALC ) 
• Participate in business forums, which require representation under the mandate of the Head of Risk, when required.

Culture

• Lead risk sustainability engagements with key stakeholders in the bank (Credit, Engineering, Finance, Procurement, People & Culture, Business Units.)
• Drive and support implementation of goals and objectives by monitoring and tracking actions for improvement
• Build and maintain effective relationships with the relevant regulators and stakeholders on all areas of responsibility as it pertains to Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) as well as the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices.
• Accountable for the establishment of Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) as well as the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) practices and building of skills in country to ensure the appropriate skills and capabilities across  the enterprise
• Drive a culture of transparency, accountability and consistency by using risk knowledge to support responsible decision-making within the dedicated portfolio.
• Provide guidance and advice in managing Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risks and problems and key opportunities that have been identified across the Enterprise
• Set, maintain and monitor adherence to the Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) risk appetite standards for the Risk Management Function.
• Comply with statutory and regulatory laws. Set, advise and monitor adherence to, minimum standards for Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) within the Risk Management Function. Research and perform against best practice standards.
• Accountable for providing thought leadership to the Bank and Board on the specialized areas of Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).
• Lead and drive the cultural and mindset change across the enterprise to ensure compliance with Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) requirements and develop SEE best practices across the Enterprise

Continuous Improvement and Data

• Undertake ad hoc and thematic research on Sustainability, analyse and interpret the results making inferences and recommendations as required
• Analyse and identify  sustainability metrics for continuous improvements
• Conduct post Implementation benefits review of projects and initiatives
• Adopt the data security standards as determined by the Group Data Office.
• Localize the data model and provide additional risk function data requirements to support sustainable decision-making across the Enterprise.
• Lead the development of the framework and initiatives pertaining to social impact data across the Enterprise to be able to report internally and externally on the Banks  Societal impact with credibility.

License to Operate

• Develop the strategy and framework for aligning with the UN Principles for Responsible Banking, contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals of the Bank
• Provide regular reporting to the Group, Business Line and Boards to ensure oversight of all aspects relating to Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG).
• Lead and drive initiatives relating to Sustainability and the Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) programmes utilizing a result based/ outcome-based analysis.
• Collaborate with the Client Segments and Solutions across the  Bank to develop the Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) targets and metrics aligned to the Banks  

Technology & Organization Design

• Lead and influence decisions on SEE and ESG technologies and domain expertise to develop the relevant technology requirements.
• Drive and control the adoption of technology to ensure the use of the appropriate technology and correct behavioral principles for use of technology. Monitor adherence to relevant technology policies and standards.
• Drive digital solutions to enable the implementation of Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) programmes and initiatives across the Bank.
• Contribute to the design and drive the implementation of the Risk Management Function's specific Operating Model, capabilities, policies, processes, standards, regulations, core technologies / digital platforms and functional structures as relates to SEE and ESG.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Type of Qualification: First Degree
• Field of Study: Environmental Sciences

Experience Required
Corporate Citizenship

• Risk & Corporate Affairs
• 8-10 years
• The role requires a specialist in the relatively new field of Sustainability, Social, Environmental and Economic (SEE) and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG). Proven track record of being a specialist in the field and providing expert advice and guidance to senior leaders would be required. The job does not require Risk Management experience, however Sustainability reporting, ESG reporting, exposure to E&S Risk Management and transaction screening, exposure to TCFD and climate reporting

Additional Information

Behavioral Competencies:

• Adopting Practical Approaches
• Articulating Information
• Checking Details
• Developing Expertise
• Documenting Facts
• Exploring Possibilities
• Generating Ideas
• Interacting with People
• Interpreting Data
• Managing Tasks
• Team Working
• Upholding Standards

Technical Competencies:

• Data Management (Administration)
• Environmental Management
• Project Management (Project Mgmt)
• Quality Management
• Verbal Communication
• Write Effective Communications