MSCI - Sr Associate - Custom ESG Research

Custom ESG Research Senior Associate

ABOUT MSCI Inc. (www.msci.com)

MSCI Inc. is a leading provider of investment decision support tools to investors globally, including asset managers, banks, hedge funds and pension funds. MSCI products and services include indices, portfolio risk and performance analytics, and governance tools.

The company’s flagship product offerings are: the MSCI indices which include over 120,000 daily indices covering more than 70 countries; Barra portfolio risk and performance analytics covering global equity and fixed income markets; RiskMetrics market and credit risk analytics; and FEA valuation models and risk management software for the energy and commodities markets. MSCI is headquartered in New York, with research and commercial offices around the world.

For further information on MSCI, please visit our web site at www.msci.com

POSITION OVERVIEW:

MSCI ESG Research has a suite of Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) research products designed to meet all the needs of institutional investors from investment decision making, to norms and business activities based screening. These consist of world-class rating and screening models and IT tools for portfolio management, which allows users to track and identify ESG and related reputational and financial risks to their portfolio.

Custom ESG research services are provided to prospective and current clients who need services that fall outside MSCI ESG Research’s off-the-shelf ESG and Compliance products. Custom ESG clients include fund managers, investment advisers and asset owners, including charitable foundations, pension funds, private endowments and sovereign wealth funds. Custom products and services are tailored to a client’s specific needs with regard to content, formatting, and delivery schedules. Custom services are provided to prospective and current clients who need services that fall outside MSCI’s standard ESG product offering. Data is collected from the news media, company websites, annual reports, non-governmental organization information, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filings and from governmental sources. Data is summarized into a specific format that meets each client’s needs. It is necessary to make company pass/fail judgments for a number of clients, based on their social and environmental screening criteria. As a member of the MSCI ESG Custom Research team, this person would be responsible for managing and quality assurance for custom projects and for the execution of custom projects in collaboration with the Manager of Custom ESG Research Operations. This position involves, among other responsibilities, managing and carrying out research projects focused on a wide variety of ESG factors and areas of interest to socially responsible investors, NGOs and other parties interested in Corporate Social Responsibility or the materiality of ESG factors. Additionally, it involves supporting the Account Management, Sales and Business Development teams with the retention of current clients and responding to prospects. Urgent client request are common.

RESPONSIBLITIES:

- Manage Custom projects to ensure schedule, results and budget meet established goals of client satisfaction, retention and return on investment.

- Maintain research methodologies for all Custom projects so transparency of services is provided to clients.

- Collaborate with the Manager of Custom ESG Research Operations and the Head of Custom Business Development in the project management and creation of new Custom research reports to meet client’s requests and contractual obligations.

- Execute and oversee quality assurance on customized ESG research.

- Engage in client facing situations and participate in client meetings.

- Direct the day-to-day management of assigned team projects, including the work of analysts based in different locations. Supervise interns on various projects.

- Train, schedule, measure results for specific projects

- Report on project progress to the Manager of Custom ESG Research Operations.

- Client confidentiality dictates a need for discretion and high personal ethical standards.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE AND QUALIFICATIONS:

- A Bachelor’s degree is required

- A Master’s degree with 5+ years related experience in one of the below areas preferred:

- Sustainability

- International development

- International Relations

- Environmental Sciences

- Strong command of business English - both spoken and written

- Strong communication and presentation skills

- Clear and concise writing skills are critical

- Comfortable and experienced in managing and working on international teams

- Strong knowledge and interest in ESG research and analysis

- Understanding of international business and sustainability issues

- Strong knowledge of project management and research tools. Experience using the online media news databases like ‘Lexis Nexis’ would be an advantage

- Must be proficient in computer skills, particularly Excel & MS Word

- Strong attention to detail and highly organized

- Comfortable working automously as well as part of a team; self-motivated.

Send across your updated resume if you fit the above role and it interests you.

Sneha