Let’s Write Africa’s Story Together!
Old Mutual is a firm believer in the African opportunity and our diverse talent reflects this.
Job Description
Old Mutual Alternative Investments (OMAI) is one of Africa’s leading private alternative investment managers. We have over *ZAR 147.6 B (USD 7.8 B) in assets under management in Infrastructure, Private Equity, Impact Investing, Hybrid Capital and Diversified Credit.
Established in South Africa in 2000, OMAI is one of the first alternative investment managers, inheriting a rich history in the investing space as a member of the Old Mutual Group, with more than 175 years of investing experience in Africa. We aim to deliver consistent, competitive returns to investors, and create a positive, long-term impact in the communities and environment we live and invest in.
OMAI is seeking a talented, experienced sustainability specialist to provide environmental, social and governance (ESG) and impact input to support to investment teams in AIIM.
Key Result Areas:
Investment Teams are responsible for identifying potential acquisitions and undertaking the due diligence prior to making an investment and the ongoing asset management of portfolio investments. The Sustainability Manager provides input into the due diligence process and has an ongoing role on the management, monitoring and optimisation of the fund manager’s assets. Investments typically include core infrastructure such as toll roads, airports, ports, renewable energy (wind, hydro and solar), digital and telecoms towers; medium-to-large companies operating on the African continent.
You will be responsible for:
- Understanding the business of the fund manager and assist in determining the ESG and impact strategy of the fund manager, being the senior point of contact for the fund manager.
- Understand, drive and improve where necessary, the environment and social management systems of the fund manager.
- Support the investment teams with ESG due diligence to determine if potential investments conform to OMAI ESG requirements including UNPRI, Equator Principles, IFC Performance Standards, IFC EHS and Sector Guidelines, ILO and other relevant standards.
- Provide expertise across multiple sectors and asset classes to effectively manage ESG risks and drive the delivery of positive impacts.
- Review the sustainability aspects of projects and assist specialists with project implementation and contractual compliance in respect to the sustainability aspects of the different funds’ assets.
- Assist asset managers in monitoring and influencing the assets in the implementation of their sustainability obligations. This includes travelling to sites and engaging with management teams.
- Preparation of investor and sustainability reports and responses to ad-hoc investor/shareholder ESG related queries and client engagement.
- Sustainability data management and analysis to derive insights for internal and external clients from this data.
- Training investment teams in sustainability related issues.
- Ensure Fund compliance with ESG requirements
- Represent OMAI in public forums on Sustainability topics
- Represent OMAI in governance forums and committees
- Provide Thought Leadership thinking and deliverables
Qualifications & Proficiencies
- Relevant qualifications in environmental and/or social sciences
- 10+ years relevant experience
- French speaking
- Appropriate professional registration or certification
- Understanding and working knowledge of UNPRI, Equator Principles, IFC Performance Standards, IFC EHS Guidelines, ILO, UN SDGs and any other relevant sustainability standards and guidelines
- Experience in the broad discipline of ESG including Environmental and Social (ES) Screening, ES Impact Assessments (ESIAs), ES Due Diligence, Risk Assessment and ES Management Systems (ESMS). Experience working with and applying specialist biodiversity, biophysical and socio-economic knowledge, including climate change related work from mitigation to adaptation
- Exposure to sustainability aspects associated with capital intensive infrastructure projects (oil and gas, thermal power, renewable energy, roads, ports etc.)
- Experience in implementing and monitoring environmental and social management systems and plans within construction and operational businesses
Key Attributes and Competencies
- Ability to manage third party consultants (set terms of reference, review proposals, make appointments, manage budgets)
- Ability to critically review and integrate information
- Ability to influence for successful data collection
- Ability to present information in a written and/or verbal form, in a concise manner
- Experience in working across cultures in several countries
- Self-driven, self-motivated and results driven
- Flexible & dynamic – ability to deal with change
- Excellent intellectual & conceptual abilities
- Detail orientated
- High level of confidence, resolve and resilience
- Excellence orientation (concern for high-quality work) – Follow-through; the motivation to ensure the highest standards of quality and productivity are consistently maintained
- Invests high levels of energy in work
- Team player
Skills
Action Planning, Adaptive Thinking, Alternative Investments, Analytical Thinking, Budget Management, Business Case Development, Current State Assessment, Data Analysis, Data Compilation, Data Modeling, Due Diligence, Environmental Social And Governance (ESG), Evaluating Information, Gaps Analysis, Investments, Policies & Procedures, Private Equity, Project Performance Management (PM), Renewable Energy, Solution Analysis
