Principal, ESD (Financial Intermediaries)

About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Principal to join our Environment and Sustainability Department (ESD) team. The successful candidate will primarily support the Bank’s Financial Intermediaries (FI) sector, providing specialist environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) and monitoring a diverse FI portfolio, including private equity funds, banks, and non-bank financial institutions. Additionally, the role will involve conducting ESDD in other sectors, such as the energy sector, and requires experience performing ESDD on high-risk Category A projects.
This is an opportunity to work at the intersection of sustainable finance and risk management, overseeing that the Bank’s projects and investments meet EBRD's Environmental and Social Policy (ESP) requirements.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the environmental and social appraisal, monitoring, and verification of FI projects in compliance with the Bank’s ESP and the Environmental and Social Requirements.
• Manage a portfolio of FI clients, including oversight of private equity funds' environmental and social (E&S) management systems, and support their capacity to assess and manage high-risk Category A projects, particularly in the energy sector.
• Provide ESDD and monitoring input on FI-issued capital market transactions, which comprise approximately 25% of the FI portfolio, ensuring sound E&S risk assessment for structured products, bonds, and securitisations.
• Conduct ESDD for non-FI projects as required, such as for the energy sector.
• Develop and negotiate environmental and social management plans (ESMPs), environmental and social action plans (ESAPs), contractual provisions, and covenants.
• Engage directly with FI clients, equity fund managers, co-investors, and other financial institutions to build and strengthen E&S risk management systems.
• Represent ESD in client, lender, and stakeholder meetings, contributing to key initiatives, partnerships, and industry forums.
• Provide internal and external capacity-building, training FI clients and mentoring junior ESD staff.
• Contribute to developing and continuously improving ESD policies, procedures, and tools.

What We Are Looking For

• A degree in environmental and/or social sciences, economics, engineering, or related fields, or equivalent professional experience.
• Proven environmental and social due diligence expertise, particularly within financial institutions, equity funds, and capital market transactions.
• Experience overseeing or supporting FI clients in managing high-risk projects, including Category A energy sector projects.
• Knowledge of international standards (e.g., EBRD Environmental and Social Requirements, IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, Paris Agreement, TCFD, TNFD, SSB, CSRD).
• Familiarity with financial instruments such as equity, debt, and capital markets products.
• Demonstrated leadership, stakeholder engagement, and negotiation skills.
• Strong project management abilities and experience coordinating multi-stakeholder processes.
• Effective communication, mentoring, and capacity-building skills.
• Excellent written and spoken English; additional languages of EBRD countries of operation are advantageous.

What is it like to work at the EBRD?

Our agile and innovative approach is what makes life at the EBRD a unique experience! You will be part of a pioneering and diverse international organisation, and use your talents to make a real difference to people's lives and help shape the future of the regions we invest in. 

The EBRD environment provides you with:

• Varied, stimulating and engaging work that gives you an opportunity to interact with a wide range of experts in the financial, political, public and private sectors across the regions we invest in;
• A working culture that embraces inclusion and celebrates diversity;
• An environment that places sustainability, equality and digital  transformation at the heart of what we do.

Diversity is one of the Bank’s core values which are at the heart of everything it does.  A diverse workforce with the right knowledge and skills enables connection with our clients, brings pioneering ideas, energy and innovation. The EBRD staff is characterised by its rich diversity of nationalities, cultures and opinions and we aim to sustain and build on this strength. As such, the EBRD seeks to ensure that everyone is treated with respect and given equal opportunities and works in an inclusive environment. The EBRD encourages all qualified candidates who are nationals of the EBRD member countries to apply regardless of their racial, ethnic, religious and cultural background, gender, sexual orientation or disabilities.  As an inclusive employer, we promote flexible working and expecting our employee to attend the office 50% of their working time.

Please note, that due to the high volume of applications received, we regret to inform you that we are unable to provide detailed feedback to candidates who have not been shortlisted (for further consideration).