Research Associate Sustainable Finance

The Role This role is ideally suited for those wishing to work in academic or industry research in the financial sector, particularly in the area of sustainable, responsible, and green investing and valuation. The responsibilities of the role will include designing and developing a framework to distill various information regarding corporate sustainability efforts and performance into various metrics that can be analyzed further to support decision making in the corporate, financial, and societal spheres. There are no teaching obligations for this position, and the candidate will have the opportunity to develop their research portfolio. Duties and Responsibilities - Design research projects in close collaboration with the Institute’s Directors and Research Affiliates. - Take ownership and responsibility for the successful delivery of research projects, ensuring they are completed within the required deadline and allocated budget. - Participate in pre-project activities such as identifying required resources and preparing high-level project plans. - Development of research hypotheses. - Plan and contribute to the collection and organization of corporate financial and sustainability disclosures. - Plan and contribute to the collection and organization of information regarding government policies and regulations in the sustainability space. - Contribute to qualitative and quantitative analyses of existing frameworks to extend them into more comprehensive frameworks. - Monitor progress of research projects and provide necessary interventions to ensure smooth completion. - Manage and coordinate project deliverables, ensuring their quality. - Manage collaborations with research and industry stakeholders, including providing periodic progress updates for funding bodies or sponsors. - Manage industry partners’ expectations by understanding their needs and defining realistic scope. - Preparation of results for industry communications, presentations, and academic articles. - Guide, mentor, and supervise research analysts on the project team. Qualifications - Academic background in finance, accounting, economics, business, sustainable/green finance, or sustainability management. - Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s or PhD degree highly preferred. - Basic understanding of financial sectors, markets, corporate financial statements, and credit risk analysis. - Thorough knowledge of the research field of sustainable economics or finance. - Quantitative analytical and/or financial econometric skills, including knowledge of advanced statistical software. - Experience with empirical research methods. - Proactive problem-solving, strong time management, and project management skills. - Proven track record in managing and steering projects toward smooth execution and on-time delivery. - Strong interpersonal, leadership, and communication skills.