ESG Manager Real Assets (Regulatory, Social, Governance)

Full time

Swiss Life Asset Managers’ central ESG team located in our main office in Zurich (“divisional ESG team”) is responsible for ESG integration within all asset classes and functions at SL AM. The divisional ESG team Real Assets, together with a strong team of decentral local ESG Managers within the business units located in Switzerland, France, Germany, UK, Norway, and Luxembourg (the “global ESG team Real Assets”), consults and develops overarching ESG strategies and implementation instruments for our Real Estate and Infrastructure business units and functions and facilitates and oversees their implementation. To fill a vacancy in our divisional ESG team Real Assets, we are looking for an ESG Manager Real Assets (f/m/d) with a functional focus on regulatory compliance and organisational aspects and a subject matter focus on social and governance related topics as of now or upon agreement. In this position, you would primarily support our efforts to ensure regulatory fitness by contributing to the analysis of evolving regulatory requirements, the (further) development of our respective internal ESG standards and by coordinating, overseeing, and supporting the asset class specific implementation. Next to that, you would act as a subject matter expert and (co-)owner for social and stakeholder engagement related questions, strategies and instruments and maintain, facilitate and where necessary help further develop our internal ESG and Real Assets related organisational and governance structures (such as committees, roles and related processes). You would be part of a dynamic and international team of highly experienced and engaged ESG experts. Areas with a leading function and areas with a supporting function may be finally defined depending on the specific experience, strengths and preferences of the candidate and their correspondence with competencies of existing team members. Your main asset class focus would be on Real Estate, with a possibility to also cover Infrastructure related topics.

Responsibilities

• Support our efforts to ensure regulatory fitness in an anticipatory manner by contributing to the (asset class specific) monitoring and analysis of evolving regulatory requirements (e.g., SFDR, EU Taxonomy, CSRD), steering the (further) development of respective harmonized divisional ESG management and reporting/declaration standards (e.g., rule books, templates etc.) and by defining, coordinating, overseeing/controlling, and supporting the asset class specific implementation measures
• In collaboration with our local subject matter experts and as a co-/deputy lead of our respective global expert group for social topics, further drive and facilitate the operationalisation and implementation of our Social Inclusion Strategy for Real Estate by steering the definition of divisional concepts, instruments and KPIs
• In collaboration with our local subject matter experts and as a co-/deputy lead of our respective global expert group for social topics, maintain/oversee and where necessary further develop real estate specific strategies and instruments in the field of stakeholder engagement / active stewardship, such as tenant satisfaction surveys, green lease clauses and minimum safeguards and engagement within our supply chain.
• Lead or support various (qualitative) internal and external reporting and communication tasks, such as contributions to our SL AM external publications and presentations, answering (potential) client’s requests, and preparing and executing internal communication material, introductions and trainings
• Administer our ESG Committee Real Estate and provide other internal stakeholder management and organisational support like conducting or arranging preparatory consultations, facilitating / supporting the organisation of team workshops etc. (for repeating administrative tasks, there is usually also an Intern / Junior colleague who can assist)
• Lead or support additional projects, initiatives and tasks around ESG strategy development and implementation, coordination and internal/external communication, based on current demands within the team and personal capabilities

Experience

• Master’s degree in economics, real estate management, social science, environmental science, sustainability management or equivalent education
• Professional experience in real estate, asset management, consulting, or a comparable field (3y+) and professional experience or profound (further) education in ESG/sustainability management
• All knowledge on regulatory frameworks and technical/industry standards around sustainable real estate is a strong plus, e.g.: European SFDR, CSRD, EU Taxonomy, TCFD, CRREM, GRESB, eventually also national standards like CH (self) regulation for sustainable investments, FR Label ISR, UK SDR. (However, it is clearly NOT expected by any applicant to be familiar with all mentioned standards.)
• Team player!
• Networked thinker and fast learner with strong analytical and conceptual skills
• Structured and precise way of working, with a good sense of priorities
• Good project management and organisational skills, ideally also skilled/experienced or interested in change management
• Excellent communicator (present issues in a well-structured and clear manner, appropriate to the target audience) and enjoying working and communicating with many stakeholders across teams
• Self-driven, highly proactive personality, willing to take ownership and responsibility and able to lead projects and drive topics beyond reporting lines
• Comfortable to navigate in a dynamic organisational set up (matrix organisation and young teams with, evolving roles)
• English (business fluent), German and other languages are a plus

Benefits

• discounts on SL investment products and mortgages
• contribution to 3rd pillar life insurance
• employer’s contributions to the pension fund
• reka cheques and meal allowance
• discounts on public transportation (up to 35%)
• flexible working models
• various timeout models

Swiss Life Asset Managers

We are a leading European asset manager and institutional real estate asset manager with locations in Switzerland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the UK and Norway. With a strong client focus, here at Swiss Life Asset Managers, success is driven by expecting the unexpected, prioritising sustainability and inclusion, fully investing in our jobs and people, and being on the lookout for new business opportunities – all since 1857.