Senior Strategist & Sustainability Manager: Group Strategy

Requisition Details & Talent Acquisition Contact

139216 - Busi Radebe 

Job Post End Date: 16 May 2025

Job Family

Career Stream

Leadership Pipeline

Job Purpose

This role requires a strategic thinker with strong technical, consulting and numerate capabilities to drive and integrate sustainability initiatives across core business operations.

• To support the enablement of fulfilment of the bank’s Purpose through strategic interventions and long-term strategy development that serves to accelerate the growth of the bank through its sustainable finance offerings.
• To enable operational alignment to unlock Purpose fulfilment.
• To effectively monitor systemic and strategic developments to be able to provide effective advice, support, monitoring and oversight to embed appropriate alignment to global best practices.  
• To support the development of a robust suite of Purpose-led / SDF solutions and products
• To coordinate ESG disclosures and related reporting on behalf of Group Strategy for inclusion in Group Reports where required.
• To provide management with progress reporting and long-term positive impact performance measures and competitor analysis. 
• To develop relevant strategic partnerships, strategic alliances and associations whilst representing the company's views effectively.

Job Responsibilities

To be instrumental in leading the development and implementation of the bank’s strategic intent to be a Purpose-led organisation and lead in sustainability matters through:
Research and Analysis: 

• Keeping abreast of global and local systemic thinking and sustainable development trends.
• Developing strategies to ensure the bank appropriately aligns with or responds to these trends.
• Evaluating strategic threats and opportunities through a Purpose and ESG lens.
• Conduct market analysis to identify opportunities for new sustainable financial products and services, ensuring they meet client needs and regulatory requirements.

Tracking and Measurement:

• Tracking progress and implementation of the Purpose fulfilment/ESG strategy and identify execution risks and propose remedial actions.
• Develop and track key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives and report progress to senior management

Communication and Engagement: 

• Working closely with frontline teams, and where required clients. to understand their sustainability goals and provide tailored solutions that align with their financial and sustainability objectives.
• Advising internal frontline teams, and where required, clients on sustainability strategies, products and services, ESG integration, and best practice.
• Provide technical guidance on sustainability-related projects such as financed emissions, energy efficiency, carbon footprint reduction, and sustainable finance initiatives.
• Collaborate with the risk team to integrate climate and nature considerations into daily operations and credit committees etc.
• Sharing innovative insights and critical thinking which constructively challenge business and assist in driving change.
• Representing Nedbank on relevant external bodies.

Reporting:

• Managing ESG disclosure approach and delivery, working closely with Group Finance and other internal teams to provide best-in-class disclosures and reporting where required.
• Reporting on key strategic outcomes/results to various stakeholders (staff; stakeholders; clients and communities) through reports and presentations. 
• Leveraging technology and digital tools to enhance the bank's sustainability efforts, including the use of sustainability management software and data visualization tools.
• Utilizing data analytics to assess and report on the bank's sustainability performance, identifying trends and areas for improvement

Training: 

• Building and delivering Purpose-led & ESG related training and education programs for the leadership and for staff to promote sustainable development knowledge.

General:

• Implementing and coordinating special cross-cutting projects for Nedbank Group Executive Committee as required.
• Contributing to a culture conducive to the achievement of transformation goals by participating in Nedbank Culture building initiatives.
• Seeking opportunities to improve business processes; models and systems by identifying and recommending effective ways to operate and adding value to Nedbank.

People Specification

Essential Qualifications

Bachelor’s Degree Business Administration, Finance, Economics, Science, Environmental Management or any other related business or science field.

Preferred Qualification

Post Graduate qualification in relevant field such as environmental management, finance or economics.

Minimum Experience Level

• Extensive professional experience (7-10 years); including experience in financial services or strategy consulting organisation; or experience in ESG in a global organization preferred.
• Position with ESG reporting within a large global corporate, and/ or ESG reporting advisory experience for an accounting firm or a consulting practice.

Type of Exposure

• Analysing complex, systemic situations or data that require an in-depth evaluation of multiple factors 
• Drafting reports 
• Managing conflict situations 
• Influencing stakeholders to obtain buy-in for concepts and ideas 
• Sharing information in different ways to increase internal stakeholders understanding 
• Communicating standards to others 
• Writing strategic and business proposals 
• Providing professional advice/opinion 
• Identifying trends 
• Answering stakeholder queries
• Interacting with various levels of management 

Technical / Professional Knowledge

• Banking / commercial / business acumen  
• Business administration and management 
• Business and report writing skills 
• Change management 
• Client service principles 
• Communication strategies 
• Data analysis
• Diversity management 
• Employee training/development 
• Governance, risk and controls 
• Management information and reporting principles, tools and mechanisms 
• Operations planning 
• Organisational systems 
• Principles of project management 
• Relevant regulatory knowledge 
• Research capabilities
• Staff resource planning 
• Strategic planning 

Behavioural Competencies

• Technical/Professional Knowledge and Skills 
• Customer Focus 
• Innovation 
• Work Standards 
• Initiating Action 
• Managing Work 
• High-Impact Communication 
• Influencing
• Facilitating Change
• Earning Trust
• Decision Making
• Becoming a business advisor