ESG Product Manager

At M&G our purpose is to give everyone real confidence to put their money to work. As an international savings and investments business with roots stretching back more than 170 years, we offer a range of financial products and services through Asset Management, Life and Wealth. All three operating segments work together to deliver attractive financial outcomes for our clients, and superior shareholder returns.

Through our behaviours of telling it like it is, owning it now, and moving it forward together with care and integrity; we are creating an exceptional place to work for exceptional talent.

We will consider flexible working arrangements for any of our roles and also offer work place accommodations to ensure you have what you need to effectively deliver in your role.

The Role:
Reporting to the Head of ESG Product, the ESG Product Manager will primarily be responsible for providing advice on sustainability topics to colleagues working on segregated mandates across a range of asset classes.  Therefore, demonstrable expertise with investment management agreements and how to draft investment guidelines for a range of asset classes is a key requirement for this role.

The ESG Product Manager will also support the wider ESG Product function.
ESG Product takes responsibility for what we “say” to investors about sustainability topics in our regulated fund materials.  Naturally, involves working closely with the Product teams responsible for those regulated fund materials.
The principal method by which we coordinate within Product and with other departments is through a coherent ESG Product Framework and associated models.  This allows other teams to work at pace where operating within standards, and it allows governance processes to focus on deltas (as well as periodic reviews).  This role will take ownership for expanding the ESG Product Framework to cover segregated mandates, with the support of other ESG Product colleagues.

Key Responsibilities:

• Help with designing and maintaining a structured framework of ESG Product Requirements that can be easily applied and reutilised, where definition, classification, prioritisation, dependencies and complexity are clearly and accurately described.
• Assist with analysis on ESG requirements for ESG Products and define new processes where required.
• Contribute to creation and support of the engagement model with M&G Product, Investment and Operational team(s) to assist the successful delivery of M&G ESG and Sustainable Product range, including mandates
• Maintain MI / KPI assessment, create insights, and governance processes to feedback progress and performance against key metrics for the ESG Product team
• Contribute to the clear definition of roles and responsibilities within ESG Product and its immediate stakeholders.
• Help with the documentation of policies, guidance related to criteria, standards, principles emerging from the ESG Product team.
• Assessing and reviewing sustainable finance regulations that affect our product offering across, UK, Continental Europe and Asia primarily. Understand and summarise relevant implications and actions required.
• Supporting Head of ESG Product and rest of the team as required.
• Keeping up to date with industry and competitors dynamics affecting our products (to support new product ideas and ensure existing products continue to deliver for our investors).
• To work collaboratively with colleagues and take personal accountability to maintain and enhance controls you are responsible for to support improvement of the overall control environment, customers outcomes and a reduction in M&G’s operational risk.

Key Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

• Demonstrable expertise with investment management agreements and how to draft investment guidelines for a range of asset classes.  Candidate may have a background in Legal, but other relevant skills will also be considered.
• Understanding and preferably expertise in the main UK and EU sustainability regulations.
• Ability to consistently apply a controls focus with sound methodology and approach.  Candidate will need to demonstrate an understanding of the inter-relationship between documentation, fund manager and surveillance monitoring.
• Organisational and prioritisation skills, with an ability to smooth monthly work-load peaks, prioritise effectively and work to tight deadlines.
• Client service mindset, with emphasis on delivering excellence.
• Effective at establishing and maintaining positive internal networks. Ability and experience of effectively communicating across all levels of an organisation.
• Self-starter with ability to recognise and develop longer term improvements

Work Level: Manager or Expert

Recruiter: Hannah Curtis

Closing Date: 6th November 2024

We have a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture at M&G plc, underpinned by our policies and our employee-led networks who provide networking opportunities, advice and support for the diverse communities our colleagues represent. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, nationality, disability or long term condition, we are looking to attract, promote and retain exceptional people. We also welcome those who take part in military service and those returning from career breaks.