EMEA Finance Sustainability Lead

City of London

Contract – 6 months

Up to £800 per day PAYE

cer Financial are working alongside an international bank based in the City of London. They are seeking an EMEA Finance Sustainability Lead to work with them on a 6-month contract.

They are looking for someone to help EMEA Finance Control move in to run the bank state for Sustainability, this role will provide direction on and deliver:

1.)          Reporting, disclosure, and accounting strategy

2.)          Control framework

3.)          Operating Model

The role is responsible to build capabilities on Sustainability-related reporting and accounting for EMEA region. The position will be the main point of contact for all key stakeholders related to any deliverables related to sustainability matters in Finance

The responsibilities of an EMEA Finance Sustainability Lead will include:

• Shape a delivery framework for Sustainability in Finance & Control, deliver and maintain a 3-year Financial reporting and disclosure strategy that positions the bank’s EMEA as a leader in ESG reporting within the bank’s Group and aligns with external trends, double materiality principles, recommendations from advisors and upcoming regulatory requirements, e.g. CSRD/ESRS, UK SDR
• Create best-in-class reporting based on experience, peer benchmarking, research, frameworks and internal and external engagement
• Ensure compliance to Accounting standards for sustainability-related products
• Engage with senior leaders and Board members on sharing reporting strategy and approach
• Undertake research and engagement on stakeholder sustainability reporting expectations and associated ratings and incorporate learnings into reporting and disclosure strategy
• Assess and share benchmark gaps and insights from financial reporting and disclosures
• Lead the EMEA Sustainability Programme Reporting & Disclosure workstream; managing highly matrixed project team across multiple business units, engage with key subject matter experts in environment, social, and governance topics to deliver on expectations and scope in sustainability-related reporting, including the identification and support of any key areas of identified risk
• Work closely with Head of Sustainability Strategy EMEA on defining a finance framework
• Lead engagement with the bank’s Group from finance perspective as a connect point from finance EMEA
• Engage with auditors who will require access to one source of data and information on a regular basis
• Document and maintain the reporting methodology, data sources, and controls/control weaknesses in place for key metrics reported externally
• Act as a key stakeholder of the ESG Data and Platforms workstream, to ensure the tool’s requirements and implementation approach meet the needs of reporting expectations
• Provide monthly updates to the Steering Committee (or other relevant governance bodies) to update progress on ESG financial and regulatory reporting and disclosures executing guidance and decisions being made
• Conduct monthly profitability analysis for ESG and sustainability products along with establishment of KPIs in close coordination with MD ESG and sustainability.
• Provide oversight on accounting analysis conducted by finance control team and provide update to wider EMEA corporate sustainability head.

The successful EMEA Finance Sustainability Lead will include:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Post-graduate qualification in Finance, Accountancy or Risk related discipline
• Knowledge of Sustainability-related disclosure and Accounting frameworks
• Extensive relevant industry experience
• Strong history of managing stakeholders at various levels up to and including Board level
• Experience of leading at a senior level, devising and delivering strategies
• Deep knowledge and exposure to banking and capital markets products and losses
• Proven ability to drive productivity improvements through enhanced processes, policies and systems
• Strong external network for market intelligence
• Culturally aware
• Strong influencing skills
• Literate in Finance and Accounting Standards and practices

If you are interested in this role, call us on or email Stephen Coffey  scoffey@cerfinancial.co.uk / 0207 626 6065.