AccountAbility is a global consulting and standards firm that works with businesses, investors, governments, and multi-lateral organizations on ESG matters to achieve opportunities, advance responsible business practices, and transform their long-term performance. We focus on delivering practical, effective, and enduring results that enable our clients to succeed.
Please visit our website www.accountability.org to learn more about us and our work.
About this position:
AccountAbility is seeking a qualified Manager for its New York City office.
A Manager at AccountAbility provides day-to-day leadership within the firm and on sustainability consulting engagements with our clients, serving as a strategic advisor, and managing the delivery of outstanding, high-caliber work. Typical engagements include strategy and governance design and implementation, stakeholder engagement and materiality assessment, sustainability reporting and disclosure, ESG ratings and rankings analysis, performance improvement and impact assessment.
A successful Manager will demonstrate a) the ability to generate, manage, and build client relationships for firm growth; b) excellent project management skills and work quality to effectively lead a multitude of client engagements simultaneously; and c) strong leadership skills and experience.
The successful candidate will be expected to work with a global team of experienced sustainability consultants across our US, Europe, and Middle East regions, and must be ready, willing, and able to take full responsibility for the delivery of high-quality work and leading others in doing so. The Manager role is responsible for managing multiple projects across geographies and will require travel accordingly - likely about 50% of the time. The successful candidate will be one that is driven by client work and comfortable with the consultant lifestyle.
Performance metrics include Revenue Generation and Revenue Management, among other qualitative people, client, and firm development expectations.
Responsibilities for this position include, but are not limited to:
Clients
Identify, prospect, and develop business with new and existing clients to meet revenue generation targets
Work collaboratively with the management team to convert business development leads into sales
Build relationships with active clients to serve as a trusted advisor, providing strategic market-based insights, new ideas, and practical solutions
Proactively monitor, manage, and resolve client concerns
Actively and effectively oversee/manage multiple projects with multiple clients simultaneously, including management of junior team members, to ensure timely, high-quality, and profitable delivery
People
Collaborate with AccountAbility's Management Team for coordinated initiatives, knowledge sharing, resource management, and decision-making
Provide guidance and coaching to support learning and professional development of junior staff members
Seek professional and personal development independently and with the support of a line manager
Ensure the transfer of learning and knowledge across our core lines of business
Embrace, champion, and facilitate a high standard of performance, quality, and delivery expectations
Embrace, champion, and facilitate an inclusive and collaborative working environment
Firm and Operations
Collaborate in executing AccountAbility's global and regional strategy
Manage day-to-day work priorities to balance workstreams for multiple clients to deliver projects on time, within budget, and in consideration of resources available
Bring innovative thinking when preparing high-quality and visually compelling client deliverables aligned to AccountAbility's style and standards
Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant sustainability topics, policies, standards, regulations, and general trends for key industries, including, but not limited to: energy and utilities, financial services, real estate, technology and ICT, and consumer goods
Support various internal initiatives, such as developing content and materials for panel sessions and events
Scope and deliver medium to large future projects, within required timelines, budget, and resources, and with required expertise
Qualifications
The successful candidate for this position will be adaptable and dynamic, and able to demonstrate a high emotional intelligence, experience in the field of consulting, and strong business acumen. Candidates are expected to be client-focused and should have a proven track record in building client relationships and leading teams and work streams. Experience developing sustainability thought leadership is also desirable.
The following qualifications are required for consideration:
7-10+ years of experience in management or sustainability consulting with a focus on project and client management
Excellent written skills, including client communications and presentations
Excellent verbal communication skills for representing the firm through public speaking engagements, meeting facilitation, and colleague engagement
Masters Degree, including an MBA, MA, MS, or MPA preferred with a demonstrated record of academic excellence. BA/BS degree in Business Management, Sustainability, Environmental Science, or Economics preferred. Candidates with commensurate experience will also be considered
Knowledgeable in relevant sustainability standards, frameworks and rankings (e.g. GRI, TCFD, UN SDGs, MSCI, DJSI, Sustainalytics, etc.)
Proficiency in Microsoft Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and a leading project management software
Ability to travel for client engagements, business development, and industry forums about 50% of the time
Successful candidates will:
Show self-initiative and the ability to work well independently and lead teams
Think critically, grasp new concepts quickly, and distill information into practical insights
Have experience working on complex and high-budget projects and tracking progress against targets
Be responsive to clients with time-sensitive and high frequency demands
Communicate project statuses effectively and in a timely fashion, especially for projects under tight deadlines
Demonstrate an ability to build cross-functional relationships for collaborative efforts with clients, partner organizations and colleagues
Embrace new ideas, perspectives, points of view and ways of working
Possess strong analytical skills and the ability to work with quantitative data and information
Demonstrate experience developing and delivering strategy and governance related client work
Demonstrate experience managing, overseeing, and ensuring the quality of data collection, management and analysis
Have a keen understanding of relevant Sustainability/ESG issues, and related trends in business and management practices
Other Information:
Competitive benefits and leave packages
AccountAbiility is in the office 4 days a week and work from home one day a week