VP - Climate Transition, ESG

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Mashreq seeks a VP of Climate Transition, ESG in the UAE to lead the bank’s climate agenda across its operations. This senior role turns commitments into actionable strategies and programs, backed by deep climate science, sustainable finance, and risk management expertise. You will refine the strategy, govern data with PCAF, coordinate financed emissions baselines, support regulatory alignment, and counsel client-facing teams on decarbonization and sustainable finance opportunities. Ideal candidates have a Master’s (MBA sustainability or PhD preferred) and 15+ years in sustainable finance or climate strategy, with ISSB IFRS S2 and GHG/PCAF experience. To apply, highlight global program leadership, measurable decarbonization outcomes, stakeholder management, GCC familiarity, and cross-functional influence.

The Vice President, Climate Transition is a senior and highly influential role within the bank's Group ESG function, responsible for leading the strategic execution and integration of the bank's climate transition agenda across its global operations and business activities.  This individual will play a critical role in translating the bank's overarching climate commitments  into actionable strategies, robust methodologies, and impactful initiatives. This role requires deep expertise in climate science, sustainable finance, regulatory landscape, and risk management, coupled with exceptional leadership, project management, and cross-functional influencing skills to drive meaningful decarbonization and climate resilience throughout the organization and its client portfolios.

• Lead the refinement and championing the bank's climate transition strategy, ensuring alignment with global net-zero commitments and emerging best practices.
• Support the development, implementation, and management of specific strategic pillars and programs designed to embed climate transition considerations across key business units and corporate functions. 
• Lead and coordinate the collection, validation, governance, and analysis of financed emissions emissions data using PCAF and other globally recognized methodologies in co-ordination with One Data team.
• Support the development, calculation, and periodic refresh of financed emissions baselines across material sectors and portfolios, aligned with PCAF methodologies, regulatory expectations, and the bank’s decarbonization strategy.
• Review robustness, consistency, and completeness of climate and ESG data across geographies and business lines, coordinating with internal stakeholders and supporting external assurance and audit requirements.
• Support automation and integration of ESG and climate data into enterprise-wide reporting and analytics platforms.
• Act as a senior subject matter expert supporting client-facing businesses (e.g., CIBG, IBG, RBG, Treasury and Global Markets) on decarbonization strategies, climate risk considerations, and sustainable finance opportunities.
• Support the assessment of clients’ transition plans, financed emissions profiles, sector decarbonization pathways, and climate-related risks and opportunities.
• Design and deliver internal awareness sessions, training materials, and capability-building workshops on decarbonization and climate-related topics for business and support functions.
•  Support stakeholder engagement activities relating to climate transition planning and financed emissions management.
• Monitor, interpret, and assess evolving global and regional sustainability and climate-related regulations, supervisory expectations, and disclosure standards (e.g., ISSB, TCFD,BRF 13, Basel climate principles, CBUAE climate regulations and principles for climate transition planning).
   
• Master's degree (or equivalent) in Environmental Science, Climate Policy, Economics, Finance, Engineering, or a related field. An MBA with a sustainability focus or a Ph.D. is highly preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive experience (hands on) in sustainable finance, climate strategy, environmental risk management, banking or a related field within a major financial institution, leading consultancy, or relevant international organization.
• Deep understanding of climate science, energy systems, industrial decarbonization pathways, financed emissions, decarbonization strategy and the economics of climate transition.
• Extensive experience with climate-related risk frameworks (e.g., ISSB IFRS S2), GHG accounting (GHG Protocol, PCAF), and science based target setting methodologies.
• Proven track record in designing, implementing, and managing complex, cross-functional climate-related projects and initiatives.
• Experience in a global role with exposure to multiple regulatory jurisdictions.
• Familiarity with emerging climate-related financial regulations in the GCC and jurisdictions we operate in.