Principal Sustainable Finance EHS Consultant

About the Company

SLR is expanding its global footprint. As such, we are continuously looking for talented people to join our team and add value to Our Business. We are particularly interested in adding team members to our Sustainable Finance team in South Africa.

We are recognised as one of the global leaders in environmental and advisory solutions, helping our clients achieve their sustainability goals. SLR has over 100 offices in 13 different countries worldwide, and we actively encourage collaboration and learning among the many disciplines and services we offer globally.

At SLR, you can expect a flexible and supportive 'One Team’ culture that is at the heart of our business and ensures that we offer a rewarding workplace. You will be able to work alongside industry leaders and specialists on interesting projects and be part of a team that makes a difference.

Job Purpose

SLR Consulting is seeking a Principal Sustainable Finance E&S Consultant who will play a pivotal role in driving the strategic development and expansion of Sustainable Finance services, specifically within the mining and critical minerals sector in sub-Saharan Africa. This position will focus on identifying and securing new opportunities aligned with international lender requirements, forging strategic partnerships and positioning the business as a trusted provider of high-quality sustainability advisory services in sub-Saharan Africa markets. The role will also involve supporting the integration of international best practices into project delivery and contributing to thought leadership to deliver best-in-class lender-compliant projects.

The role requires a proactive, solutions-driven individual with demonstrated experience in managing people and large-scale and complex projects and engaging effectively with diverse stakeholders. The successful candidate will be based in either Johannesburg (as a preference) or Cape Town, on a full-time permanent basis.

The role will be to support the growth and success of SLR’s Sustainable Finance practice in Africa, specifically South Africa, with a focus on the mining sector, and will be based in SLR’s office in Sandton, Johannesburg, that is currently staffed with SLR Sustainable Finance, Impact, and Corporate Sustainability teams.

Responsibilities

As a Principal Consultant of our Sustainable Finance team, your responsibilities will initially include, but not be limited to, the following:

• Providing EHS technical skills and Project Management skills for Sustainable Finance projects to our financial clients. We anticipate the advisory and auditing part of your work (ESDDs, E&S Monitoring, LIESA roles) to be balanced with desktop Advisory work (E&S Management Systems, E&S Strategy, E&S Training and Development Impact service areas). Collaboration and ad-hoc involvement with Sustainable Finance colleagues in east Africa, and in other practices such as the well-established Mining Advisory and Planning & Assessment teams in South Africa is also anticipated. 

• Provide top quality project management oversight, ensuring scope, schedule and budget are consistently achieved, including resourcing, site visit logistics and planning, invoicing and client liaison.

• Business development and sales, with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa, including identifying, developing and managing new or existing finance sector clients and opportunities, overseeing proposal preparation and winning project work. The opportunities will be spread across various ESG and Impact topics but will primarily focus on E&S due diligence, E&S management systems, E&S performance monitoring and evaluation, and E&S reporting. You will take an active role in responding to client needs including through proposal preparation and other business development activities. We anticipate that the Business Development activity will be a combination of farming (maintaining relations with existing financial and mining clients in the region) and hunting (developing new financial clients in the region).

• Mentor, coach and develop junior staff across disciplines, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and accountability

• Given the nature of the work that you will be involved in, we anticipate that travel will be an important component of your job, equivalent to approximately one week per month on average.

• Facilitating relationship building and growth within the Sustainable Finance teams in other SLR Regions, particularly North, West and East Africa.

• Thought leadership, both internally and externally, by actively networking with SLR’s Sustainable Finance team globally, and being involved in conferences and associations relevant to the work we do in Africa.

• You’ll be joining a group that works with a high degree of collaboration and takes pride in the level of service provided to our clients. If you have a highly positive, can-do attitude, and take similar pride in your work, you’ll fit right in.

Minimum Requirements

• Master’s degree in Environmental Management, Environmental Science or related discipline

• 10+ years of experience, including demonstrated success leading projects

• Strong sub-Saharan Africa knowledge and local environmental and social frameworks

• Strong knowledge of the mining and critical minerals sector, and the management of EHS within this sector

• Strong working knowledge of international lender standards (IFC, World Bank, EDFIs, etc.)

• Strong consulting experience, with proven ability to effectively manage client relationships

• Demonstrated ability to mentor and inspire teams

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including managing complex regulatory and stakeholder environments

• Strong written communication skills for consistent top-level report writing and peer review capabilities

• Willingness to travel across sub-Saharan Africa (and occasionally into west Africa).

SLR’s approved Employment Equity Plan and Targets will be considered as part of the recruitment process. We actively encourage and welcome people with various disabilities to apply. SLR is committed to an organisational culture that recognises, appreciates, and values diversity & inclusion.