Job Summary

We have an exciting opportunity to join the team for a 12 month contract (maternity cover) in the role of Sustainability & External Communications Director. We are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process, should you require any reasonable adjustments- please let us know so we can aim to accommodate.  

The role holder will be supporting the development of our communications strategy, helping us build brand equity and assist in managing and mitigating risks. The candidate will be engaging in external and internal communications campaigns designed to build awareness of and association with the Bank as the partner of choice on the transition. The role holder will be making vital contributions to shaping the Bank’s agenda at key sustainability-related conferences and events, developing and coordinating key content for our website and the annual report. A key sustainability part of the role will be managing the greenwashing risk across the Bank.

This role will help ensure connectivity across the Corporate Affairs, Brand & Marketing (CABM), Strategy & Talent (S&T), Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), Group Public & Regulatory Affairs (GPRA), Investor Relations, Group Finance teams and wider business segments

Key Responsibilities

Strategy

• Work alongside colleagues in Corporate Communications to develop the Bank's group-level multi-channel marketing communications approach for sustainability, informed data and insights, with a view to strengthening our reputation and enabling commercial growth.
• Alongside Group Media team and Group Public & Regulatory Affairs, help to track the evolving external landscape to identify reputational challenges and opportunities, bringing insights in to help inform business decision-making. 

Business

• Create integrated communications across traditional and digital channels to establish the Bank as an industry leader in sustainable and transition finance.
• Oversee the Bank’s agenda and programming at events
• Support senior stakeholders ahead of key sustainability-related speaking events
• Support the delivery of Group-level publications and disclosures (working with the Sustainable Finance and Environmental and Social Risk Management teams)
• Support the Group Media team in managing media opportunities
• Manage the development of Group-wide sustainability assets 
• Oversee the risk, review and approval processes for sustainability related marketing and communication activity.

Processes

• Contribute to the evolution and execution of the Group’s reputational risk management by supporting the delivery of the Sustainability Approvals Matrix, and related key messaging documentation. Otherwise contribute the management and mitigation of Group-level reputational risks in external communications. 

People & Talent 

• Contribute to the skills enhancement and development of the CABM function, including personal ownership of career development and stretch. Play an active role in the mentoring and development of junior talent across the function. 
• Help to devlop employee engagement content and materials

Risk Management

• Support the reputational risk management of the Group through execution of campaigns and external engagement. Eg/ journalists, NGOs, investors, clients, intermediaries, vendors and partners.  

Regulatory & Business Conduct 

• Take  responsibility for embedding the highest standards of ethics, including regulatory and business conduct, across Standard Chartered Bank. This includes understanding and ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, guidelines and the Group Code of Conduct.
• Effectively and collaboratively identify, escalate, mitigate and resolve risk, conduct and compliance matters.

Key stakeholders

Internal:

• Group Co-Head, CABM
• Global Head, Corporate Communications
• Corporate Communications teams 
• CABM segment, cluster and market heads
• CIB Sustainable and Transition Finance
• Strategy & Talent function 
• Group Risk function (including Legal, Compliance and Company Secretary)

External:

• Design, production and creative agencies
• Legal counsel

Other Responsibilities

• Embed Here for good and Group’s brand and values in Corporate Communications and the wider CABM function; Perform other responsibilities assigned under Group, Country, Business or Functional policies and procedures.

Skills and Experience

• Reputational Risk
• Sustainability Risk
• Strategic Communications 
• Content Creation
• Copywriting 

Qualifications

• A background in communications is a must as is experience within sustainability 
• Deep understanding of current sustainability issues, policies, news and politics, including relevant reporting standards and frameworks.
• Senior stakeholder management and communication
• Vast personal experience in communications, within financial services is an advantage 
• Ability to develop effective and collaborative working relationships across countries 

About Standard Chartered

We're an international bank, nimble enough to act, big enough for impact. For more than 170 years, we've worked to make a positive difference for our clients, communities, and each other. We question the status quo, love a challenge and enjoy finding new opportunities to grow and do better than before. If you're looking for a career with purpose and you want to work for a bank making a difference, we want to hear from you. You can count on us to celebrate your unique talents and we can't wait to see the talents you can bring us.

Our purpose, to drive commerce and prosperity through our unique diversity, together with our brand promise, to be here for good are achieved by how we each live our valued behaviours. When you work with us, you'll see how we value difference and advocate inclusion.

Together we:

• Do the right thing and are assertive, challenge one another, and live with integrity, while putting the client at the heart of what we do
• Never settle, continuously striving to improve and innovate, keeping things simple and learning from doing well, and not so well
• Are better together, we can be ourselves, be inclusive, see more good in others, and work collectively to build for the long term

What we offer

In line with our Fair Pay Charter, we offer a competitive salary and benefits to support your mental, physical, financial and social wellbeing.

• Core bank funding for retirement savings, medical and life insurance, with flexible and voluntary benefits available in some locations.
• Time-off including annual leave, parental/maternity (20 weeks), sabbatical (12 months maximum) and volunteering leave (3 days), along with minimum global standards for annual and public holiday, which is combined to 30 days minimum.
• Flexible working options based around home and office locations, with flexible working patterns.
• Proactive wellbeing support through Unmind, a market-leading digital wellbeing platform, development courses for resilience and other human skills, global Employee Assistance Programme, sick leave, mental health first-aiders and all sorts of self-help toolkits
• A continuous learning culture to support your growth, with opportunities to reskill and upskill and access to physical, virtual and digital learning.
• Being part of an inclusive and values driven organisation, one that embraces and celebrates our unique diversity, across our teams, business functions and geographies - everyone feels respected and can realise their full potential.