Job Summary

As the Head of Climate Research, you are passionate about the intersection of climate science, economics, and finance. You are excited to leverage this expertise to illuminate the connection between climate-related impacts and financial risk and return, corporate and investment strategy, and the integrity of financial systems. You understand the role that corporate disclosure plays in driving capital markets, and are excited to take on the challenge of developing standards that enable the transition to a low-carbon economy.

You are eager to take on the challenge of defining our climate research strategy, including leading efforts to ensure our industry-specific disclosure standards reflect the most current economic and climate research. You can synthesize multiple sources of information into clear, impactful, evidenced-based recommendations to inform decisions by SASB’s standards board. As a Lead Analyst on the team, you provide technical expertise and leadership for the Research Team members, leading our climate-related standards development activities.

You bring with you a strong set of existing relationship with key, through-leading climate-focused institutions, and you are motivated to identify and establish new relationships with key stakeholders to provide valuable input when forming our climate research strategy.

You are an effective communicator who can speak credibly on behalf of our research and standards development process, inspiring confidence in a wide range of stakeholder groups – including companies, investors, academics, and subject-matter experts.

You are a strong believer in our mission and are willing to execute and support organizational projects beyond standards-development. You enjoy working collaboratively and leveraging your expertise to achieve our broad organizational objectives.

Reports to: Director of Research – Projects

Areas of Responsibility

Our work is dynamic and fast-paced. While the primary areas of responsibility are as follows, we value adaptability and a collaborative mindset.

Standard Setting

Develop comprehensive climate research strategy to ensure we can effectively identify, analyze, and document emerging evidence connecting climate change to financially material impacts across industries
Engage the Board to solicit viewpoints and drive consensus with respect to climate research priorities and the research and standard-setting project portfolio
Actively monitor global regulatory developments that affect the financial materiality of climate change as well as developing disclosure requirements, translating these developments through to research and standard-setting priorities
Actively review climate-related academic and other research publications relevant to standards-development activities, including investor interest in as well as the financial impacts of climate change
Lead efforts to translate climate-related research through to clear standard-setting priorities, and to define specific projects to drive changes to the standards
Lead the execution of climate-related standard-setting projects, including working with our sector analysts to develop and propose revisions that improve the decision-usefulness and cost-effectiveness of the standards
Serve as our internal subject matter expert on climate change, working with analysts to define industry-specific climate-related research and standard-setting priorities by providing expertise, identifying resources, and soliciting input from companies, investors, and subject matter experts

Market Relations

Maintain and further develop existing relationships with companies, investors, and leading research organizations focused on the intersection of climate change, economics, finance, and business
Develop plan to identify and engage key climate-focused organizations in our standards development process
Leverage relationships to provide expertise to drive forward industry-specific research and standard-setting activities by our sector analysts
Effectively communicate our climate research program, including engaging companies, investors, and subject matter experts effectively to solicit input to help define priorities and associated projects. Ensure the market clearly understands our climate-related research strategy and how it can engage

External Communication and Thought Leadership

Effectively communicate our climate research strategy to a wide range of audiences and across formats including in-person speaking events, webinars, briefings, and other forums
Identify ways to translate our research into educational materials that support our mission. Lead or serve as key technical expert supporting the development of thought-leading publications demonstrating knowledge and expertise in the intersection between climate change and industry-specific financial materiality. This can include publicly available materials and materials available to clients of SASB’s earned income programs such as the SASB Alliance, licensing offerings, and/or FSA Credential
Serve as point of contact for our advisory groups on climate-related activities, providing regular updates on our climate research strategy and progress
Organizational Projects

Lead and/or support organizational climate-related projects, including cross-departmental collaborations, that are aligned with research team and organization goals

Qualifications

The Head of Climate Research is a strategic, intellectual curious, collaborative, highly-organized and self-directed critical thinker. The Head of Climate Research thrives in synthesizing a complex set of information into tangible, practical actions that are aligned with and deliver significant value in evolving the SASB standards to continue to meet market needs. In addition, the Head of Climate Research will have:

Advanced degree (e.g., Ph.D.) in a relevant technical field (climate or environmental science / engineering) required
Demonstrated thought leadership in climate-related research, including strong quantitative skills using robust scientific methods, and strong research record including multiple publications or other relevant expertise or experience
Ability to translate complex quantitative and qualitative information into a clear, comprehensive, and prioritized climate research strategy that is aligned with team and organizational objectives, including the ability to identify the implications of climate-related research on business performance and corporate disclosure
Ability to design and manage a strategic portfolio of climate-related research projects, including the ability to identify and track opportunities, prioritize define, and select projects, and track projects through to completion on time and within budget
Demonstrated ability to develop and/or maintain productive relationships with thought leading-organizations on climate change
Demonstrated experience in technical writing and presentation skills, including multiple publications and public speaking events
Collaborative leadership style with an ability to define project requirements and support project execution by others, as well as leading key projects internally
Thrives in an entrepreneurial fast-paced environment
Ability to bring big-picture thinking and equally execute with high attention to detail