Managing Consultant - Corporate Sustainability and Climate Change (Mid-Senior Level)

ERM is looking for a motivated Managing Consultant to join its Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change team in ERM’s Africa Business Unit with a focus on climate change policy, corporate carbon accounting, ESG reporting, and decarbonization strategy.

At ERM, we have the opportunity, every day, to make an impact at scale with our clients to solve global climate, carbon, ESG, and sustainability challenges. We work on challenging and interesting projects with influential and exciting clients to get real results. In our professional business enablement functions, we provide solutions, advice and services to power our business, because what we do matters in the world.

People are at the heart of our operation. We are built around a Partnership model where ERM Partners are the shareholding managers and leaders of the organization. This creates a strong community, united by the impact of our work. Our people lean on and learn from each other, collaborating in a way that includes everyone's voices and encourages all to thrive. Inclusive collaboration is the driving force in creating a compassionate workplace that blends with our high performance culture.

Job Profile Summary

ERM is looking for a motivated Managing Consultant to join its Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change team in ERM’s Africa Business Unit with a focus on climate risk assessment and climate risk management.

Our clients are under increasing pressure to manage and improve their environmental, social and governance (‘ESG’ or ‘sustainability’) performance and reduce operational risk. Leading companies are unlocking value by integrating sustainability more effectively with business decision making. Our Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change team helps clients respond to these demands and we help clients turn sustainability from a necessary cost to a value creator. Specifically, our team helps clients to define climate change strategies, with a strong focus on disclosures, scenario analysis, greenhouse gas (GHG) foot printing, modelling and assessments, and the identification of appropriate responses to mitigation and adaptation challenges.

Responsibilities

As a Managing Consultant joining our team, your key focus will be on helping our clients to deliver on their strategies to address climate change as part of their corporate sustainability journeys. In particular, we are seeking a candidate with experience in climate risk assessment, evaluating the risks to assets and business operations from extreme weather events, drought, flooding, sea level rise and higher average temperatures.

The ideal candidate would also have experience in some or all of the following areas:

A demonstrable track record of strong project management with sustainability and climate related projects

Completion of GHG footprint assessments and carbon accounting (Scope 1, 2 & 3) in line with good international practice, e.g., ISO 14064 and the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard

Skills related to Life-cycle assessment (LCA) and related cradle to grave assessment tools, energy (resource) efficiency assessments and management systems in line with ISO 50 001, Science Based Targets development.

Exposure to various climate change disclosures such as the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) or Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD), and potentially experience in assurance of climate change related sustainability data as part of company’s annual reporting in line with GRI/ SASB

Understanding of the South African regulatory regime for climate change, including carbon tax, pollution prevention plans, energy management plans, carbon offsets, carbon budgets and energy reporting. Experience in other African countries’ climate related legislative will be advantageous.

This consultant will be responsible for:

Project Delivery:

Managing or coordinating small or medium size projects (or whole elements of larger multidisciplinary or global projects) in terms of:

Managing project scope

Delivering projects on schedule

Managing project budgets to deliver client service excellence and maximize project profitability.

Establishing strong working relationships with clients through project delivery

Developing Corporate Sustainability & Climate Change services in Africa through strong project delivery

Business and Client Development:

Understanding the interrelationships between ERM services and policies and how these are applied within the clients’ business model.

Development of proposals for small-medium size projects, or contributing specific proposal elements to larger bids.

As part of the ERM team, advising our key local, regional and global clients and finding solutions for their ESG and climate change related challenges.

People & Team Leadership:

Supervising project team(s) and coaching and mentoring more junior staff.

Making use of effective working relationships with business unit and participate in global technical communities to ensure strong network of resources.

Remaining up to date with external market and client industry trends within the Corporate Sustainability and Climate Change space.

Sharing expertise and knowledge within the business unit and/or global practice area.

Understanding how work of the project team and or practice community contributes to ERM’s success.

You will be part of our interdisciplinary and international team and will collaborate with ERM offices in the Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.

Requirements

Postgraduate degree (preferably a Masters-level degree) in a technical climate change field (e.g., process/energy engineering, environmental management, climate change), as well as experience and/or qualifications in a business management-related field (e.g., financial, legal, change management, strategy etc.)

Minimum of 7 years of experience in ESG/ climate change consulting with a proven track record of delivery in the disciplines of climate risk assessment, GHG accounting, and/or decarbonization advisory work.

Strong technical climate change experience linking to ESG management.

Experience in climate change aspects of mergers and acquisitions, divestment, project finance, private equity, liability assessment and transaction advisory, is also desired.

Commercial acumen, business development and demonstrable project management skills.

Excellent leadership and communication (both verbal and written) skills – the successful candidate will be expected to deliver written reports of a high quality for review by senior team members.

Experience with using data and technology to solve client’s climate change and ESG challenges (i.e., spread sheets and databases)

Willingness to travel.