Environmental & Social Risk (ESR) Advisor

JobsCloseBy Editorial Insights

ING seeks an Environmental & Social Risk Advisor in Amsterdam, within Wholesale Banking Risk. You will identify, assess and monitor ESG risks across transactions to ensure compliance with ING’s ESG policies, collaborating with Front Office, clients. You will adjudicate Infrastructure Supporting Factor eligibility under CRR3 and perform second line reviews of loans labeled as sustainable. The role requires end-to-end ESR ownership and cross-regional teamwork in a fast-paced setting; the Amsterdam ESR team, with colleagues abroad. Requirements: 1–3 years ESR advisory experience, knowledge of ESG frameworks (IFC, Equator Principles, OECD) and CRR3 familiarity. Apply with CV and cover letter focusing on deal ESR impact, stakeholder engagement and your ability to deliver under deadlines, plus an interest in climate and biodiversity risks.

The Environmental & Social Risk (ESR) department is looking for an ESR Advisor. Our team is part of the Transaction Advisory & Control department within Wholesale Banking Risk. The WB Risk TA&C department is responsible for the transaction approval process and portfolio risk management of the Wholesale Bank’s global portfolio. The department covers all Wholesale Banking sectors and products and comprises approximately 81 people of which 10 are in ESR in Amsterdam.

The ESR Department supports ING’s risk management strategy with the development and application of Environmental, Social, and Governance Risk (ESG) Policies. These policies cover environmental, social, biodiversity, health and safety, climate risk and human rights standards, which are applied across a wide spectrum of economic sectors including energy, transportation, power, metals and mining, Agri-commodities, manufacturing, infrastructure and defense, among others. By applying these policies consistently we manage risk, reduce adverse impacts, and support our clients in achieving an improved sustainability performance. This is also translated into an improved risk profile of our client portfolio and a more robust and resilient balance sheet for ING.

The Team

We are a dynamic team, closely working with Front Office colleagues, globally, and we’re focussed on identifying, assessing and mitigating the ESG risks from the many clients that ING finances. The timelines of requests are often demanding hence flexibility and a ‘can do ‘mentality is important. Our environment is dynamic and therefore the team spirit important, so to you it is very natural to support fellow TA&C and ESR colleagues who need a hand. The team consists of ten FTEs in the Netherlands plus three abroad. Your position will be based in Amsterdam and you will report to the Head of ESR.

Roles and responsibilities

• Your primary responsibility will be to identify, assess, advise and monitor the environmental and social risks associated with our diverse range of transactions and client relationships to ensure they are (or will be) compliant with ING’s ESG risk policies.
• It is a wide-ranging role that covers all aspects of ESG risk management that will bring you in frequent contact with WB deal teams, clients, advisors, and other financial institutions throughout the due diligence and monitoring stages.
• You will also adjudicate transactions for eligibility of the Infrastructure Supporting Factor as allowed under CRR3.
• You will perform a second line-of-defense review of sustainable loans, including green loans and sustainable linked loans, to determine if they fit ING’s internal requirements.
• This position offers frequent collaboration with the Integrated ESG Risk department, Global Sustainability, Sustainable Finance, Legal, and Compliance teams, as well as strong connections with the entire Wholesale Banking front office at ING.

How to succeed

We hire smart people like you for your potential. Our biggest expectation is that you’ll stay curious. Keep learning. Take on responsibility. In return, we’ll back you to develop into an even more awesome version of yourself.

• 1 to 3 years of experience, preferably including relevant ESR transactional advisory experience and experience engaging with stakeholders such as Front Office, Business Ethics, clients, and external consultants on ESG topics;
• Solid understanding of project finance / structured finance / corporate lending transactions and how ESG risk integrates into credit risk decisions;
• Environmentally themed degree in science, engineering, international development, economics, or sustainable business, or relevant knowledge gained through experience;
• Knowledge of ESG frameworks (IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, OECD Common Approaches), with the ability to apply them pragmatically in transaction assessments;
• Knowledge of CRR3 (Capital Requirements Regulation III) and the EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Finance is a plus;
• Knowledgeable about the latest (global) environmental, human rights and/or sustainability trends;
• Ability to take ownership of ESR assessments end-to-end and apply ESR policies pragmatically;
• Ability to challenge Front Office, clients, and consultants where needed;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English + 1 other language (preferred);
• High level of integrity and attention to detail;
• Comfortable working in cross-regional teams and across time zones;
• Comfortable working in fast-paced deal environments with tight deadlines and multiple parallel transactions;
• Team player, collaborative, but also able to work independently;
• Strong work-ethic, highly motivated and ambitious;
• Keen interest to develop in the areas of climate and environmental risk, biodiversity, social and human rights risks. 

Rewards and benefits

We want to make sure that it’s possible for you to strike the right balance between your career and your private life. Find out more about our employment conditions.

The benefits of working with us at ING include:

• 25-28 vacation days depending on contract
• Pension scheme
• 13th month salary
• 8% Holiday payment
• Hybrid working
• Personal growth and challenging work with endless possibilities
• An informal working environment with innovative colleagues

About us

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Questions?

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