Job Description

Executive Sustainability

Key Focus Areas:

• Lead The Companys Retail Bank sustainability strategy by driving the ESG agenda to create long-term stakeholder value.

• Design and deliver sustainability agendas through targeted assessments, frameworks, and transition planning.

• Shape and champion a distinctive sustainability agenda that reflects material impact on inclusive finance, climate resilience, social impact, and responsible business conduct.

• Act as a strategic advisor to senior leadership on sustainability opportunities, risks, and trade-offs.

• Integrate sustainability metrics into performance measurement, reporting, and capital allocation.

• Lead engagements with regulators, rating agencies, industry bodies, and ESG stakeholders.

• Drive a culture of responsible business through knowledge sharing, ESG training, disclosure readiness, and risk monitoring.

• Support monetisation of green and sustainable finance opportunities through partnerships and product innovation.

• Ensure transparency and accountability through robust ESG governance, disclosures, and assurance.

Accountabilities

Strategy Formulation and Execution

• Define the long-term sustainability ambition and roadmap.

• Lead development of ESG priorities, targets, and implementation plans.

• Provide input into capital investment decisions from a sustainability perspective.

• Translate strategic objectives into execution roadmaps and measurable milestones.

• Respond to emerging policy and regulatory trends.

• Coordinate sustainability enablement across reporting systems, governance, and teams.

Customer Primacy

• Embed sustainability into customer propositions to strengthen brand trust.

• Promote financial inclusion through product design, access channels, and education.

• Leverage ESG customer data to evolve propositions and measure impact.

• Represent sustainability-conscious customer voice in executive forums.

Sustainable Growth

• Lead enterprise-wide sustainable finance solutions (e.g., green loans, ESG-linked lending).

• Support partnerships that promote inclusive and climate-resilient economic activity.

• Develop growth plans aligning sustainability imperatives with business priorities.

• Evaluate ESG-linked initiatives for long-term viability.

Customer-Driven Innovation and Change

• Identify ESG-driven innovation opportunities.

• Champion sustainability transformation through culture and behaviour change.

• Pilot and scale sustainability-related initiatives.

Leading Talent

• Foster ESG expertise across the organisation.

• Mentor sustainability professionals and champions.

• Build inclusive, high-performing teams aligned with sustainability values.

Operational Effectiveness

• Establish ESG tracking and reporting mechanisms.

• Embed sustainability KPIs into management systems.

• Implement sustainable practices across supply chain and resources.

Digital Adoption

• Use digital tools for ESG data tracking, disclosures, and engagement.

• Promote technology-enabled sustainability innovation.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with ESG legislation, codes, and frameworks.

• Lead ESG disclosures and regulator engagements.

• Strengthen ESG risk assessments in decision-making.

Data Monetisation

• Enable ESG data use for insights, ratings, and propositions.

• Contribute to ESG dashboards and finance scoring models.

• Guide ESG data monetisation through strategic actions.

Stakeholder Management

• Lead ESG engagements with regulators, investors, partners, and customers.

• Represent The Company in industry forums and sustainability groups.

• Ensure stakeholder alignment with ESG strategy.

Qualifications and Experience

Education:

• Postgraduate Degree (Honours, Post Graduate Diploma, or Professional Qualifications NQF8).

• Preferred fields: Environmental Science, Sustainability, Economics, Public Policy, Development Finance.

Experience:

• 10+ years in a capability critical to a large enterprise, including 5+ years in people management.

• Proven success in developing integrated customer-centric solutions or corporate practice development.

• Experience in financial services or similar sectors.

• Exposure to digital transformation and data-driven decision-making.

• Track record in leading enterprise-wide sustainability strategy and ESG integration.