Director, Sustainability and Stewardship

Location: Hybrid 3 days a week in San Francisco

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Parnassus Investments is the largest pure-play responsible investment company in the United States, currently managing over $51 billion in AUM, as of March 31st, 2024. Parnassus seeks to build wealth responsibly for long-term investors by investing in businesses that offer products or services that are increasingly relevant to customers, have sustainable competitive advantages relative to their peers and are led by quality management teams that adhere to ethical business practices. Parnassus Investments has incorporated rigorous sustainability-related criteria into investment decisions since 1984. The office is based in San Francisco and currently employs approximately 77 people.

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Parnassus Investments is a multi-year winner of the Pensions & Investments Best Places to Work in Money Management award. Team members benefit from a supportive, collaborative culture that emphasizes quality, teamwork, and continuous learning.

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Position Summary:

This position is primarily responsible for managing and executing company engagement programs, establishing industry thought leadership through involvement in working groups and collaborative initiatives, providing client servicing support, and supporting the firm's proxy voting activities.

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Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform the following satisfactorily; other duties may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

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Strategy

• Support annual and long-term strategy planning, including updating engagement, and proxy-related processes and policies

• Execute initiatives under the firm's Climate Action Plan and other firmwide sustainability-related commitments

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Engagements

• Create, implement, and manage topic-specific engagement programs

• Join, create, and lead investor working groups and collaborative engagements

• Develop, file, and defend shareholder proposals

• Present engagement-related reports and updates

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Proxy Voting

• Serve as a member of the Proxy Voting Committee

• Review and update the Proxy Voting Policy annually

• Vote proxies

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Public Speaking, Client Servicing, and ESG Marketing

• Participate in speaking opportunities at conferences and industry events

• Provide client servicing support to Sales & Marketing on engagement programs and topics

• Support Sales & Marketing on engagement- and proxy-related content creation

• Develop and author thought leadership pieces on sustainability-related macro, sector and company themes.

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Integration

• Provide support to integrate sustainability- and governance-related information into investment decision-making, including input on company profiles and updates to our screening and integration tools

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Other

• Support communications with regulators and other third parties on draft rules and frameworks

• Lead internal organizational capability program on sustainability and governance-related issues.

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Qualifications:

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required to competently perform the job duties.

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Experience, Skills, and Knowledge:

• Minimum of 10 years of ESG investing, corporate sustainability, engagement, or stewardship strategy experience at a senior level.

• Strong communication, public speaking, and presentation skills.

• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work effectively with a diverse set of stakeholders.

• Strong research and analytical skills.

• Strong organization skills and attention to detail; ability to meet deadlines and respond to requests in a timely manner.

• Ability to work independently and in a collaborative, team-based environment.

• Proficiency with the latest computer and related ESG research tools and reporting frameworks.

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Education:

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in a relevant field of study.

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If interested, please apply above or email Allegra Walker at allegra.walker@acre.com.