• Work Type/s: Permanent, full time or at least 4 days/week (0.8 FTE), flexibility available - please specify your preference when applying
• Salary: FTE $115-135K + super depending on experience [pro rata if part time]
• Location: any Australian location, working from home; or Sydney, Melbourne or Canberra office. Office space may be negotiable elsewhere.
• Likely interview period: 10 March - 21 March 2025

Role

This role will communicate the latest climate science and its implications for portfolios to institutional investors globally as we seek to activate them to escalate engagements with heavy-emitting companies towards a zero emissions economy.

The position will work in close partnership with our Chief Scientist, identifying the most relevant innovative research and analysis developed by ACCR and others for our investor audience, and presenting those findings in ways that are meaningful to and will change the practice of the investment sector.

Likely areas for communication will include: the financial costs and damages of escalating physical impacts of climate change on investment portfolios; the science of nonlinear climate impacts, mitigation pathways and effective solutions. The role will have a heavy emphasis on writing, particularly concise outputs, sometimes required without much notice. Skills in presenting e.g. in small meetings/online with investors, will also be required, as will comfort with a public profile.

The role will work cross-organisationally from within ACCR’s Impact Team, in close collaboration with our Communications and Investor Engagement teams.

Work outside of standard business hours will be required to engage with colleagues and investors in Europe.

You’ll love this job if:

• You love and are outstanding at writing, editing and presenting science to non-science audiences. Having formal training or experience in science communication and/or experience in investor-facing communications would be a very strong advantage.
• You can see new angles for engaging with busy professionals and are adept at maximising small windows of opportunity. You likely have experience in contexts where there is an element of persuasion (e.g. advocacy, sales, lobbying) within the presentation of rigorous evidence-based material.
• You quickly grasp climate science content and ensure it remains accurate while transforming it into different outputs that are relevant to our audience. You bring expertise from your science background, and are strongly motivated to use your skills to mitigate climate change and fast-track the energy transition.
• You genuinely enjoy working in an interdisciplinary team of professionals. You can be relied upon for your contribution, and you appreciate the complementary skills of others to bring about change.

Responsibilities

The role will include the following types of tasks:

• With input from ACCR’s Chief Scientist, Research team and partners, understand the latest climate science and its impact on investment portfolios and proactively develop ways to communicate relevant aspects to ACCR audiences (particularly institutional investors) shaped by a highly nuanced understanding of the interests and drivers for action of those audiences
• Draft concise persuasive documents communicating ACCR’s position on complex matters relating to climate change and the energy transition
• Prepare engaging presentation materials (e.g. slides, social media content) for use by yourself or other ACCR staff
• With colleagues, determine measures of success and evaluate the extent to which our science communications are achieving the desired change, continually applying learning to adapt and innovate
• With colleagues, present to investors on the relevance of climate science to their interests
• Assist the Executive Director and other colleagues to present climate science effectively

Criteria

We’re looking for someone with these types of skills and experience:

• Experience and exceptional ability to communicate science to non-science professionals – science communication and/or investor-facing experience would be ideal but are not required
• Excellent writing and presenting skills
• Ability to quickly understand climate science and communicate it accurately, with academic qualifications and/or professional experience in science – climate science qualifications and/or professional experience would be a distinct advantage
• Strong organisational and coordination skills, including prioritisation, attention to detail, ability to work to deadlines, and to move quickly if opportunities present themselves
• Great people skills including the ability to listen well, lead effective collaborations with colleagues, navigate the politics and personalities of important external parties and communicate with gravitas in high stakes meetings
• Flexibility and willingness to regularly (on average ~ 1-2 meetings per week, particularly during the Australian summer) work out of standard Australian business hours to meet virtually with colleagues and external parties in Europe. NB Staff needing to work in the evenings can manage their hours by taking time away from work during the day.
• Ability to travel within Australia (mostly Sydney or Melbourne) to meet with colleagues for ~3-4 days/quarter (other travel opportunities including internationally may arise to be taken by agreement)

You are also a person with:

• A strong work ethic, who would thrive working in and learning from a collaborative, deeply experienced and committed interdisciplinary team
• An alignment to ACCR’s mission and values, including valuing diversity; and
• A desire to make a difference in the global quest to reduce greenhouse gas emissions worldwide.

If you don’t meet every point above, please still apply if you can see your skills well used in this role.

Accountable to: Impact Lead

Key Relationships: Chief Scientist, Investor Engagement team, Research team, Executive Director, Communications team

Background:

ACCR is a non-profit shareholder advocacy and research organisation founded in 2012. We use shareholder strategy to enable investors to escalate engagements with heavy-emitting companies in their portfolios, and provide research and analysis for institutional capital seeking long term value in a zero-emissions economy. Thanks to a heightened awareness of the importance of our work, and the urgency to act on climate change, we have grown substantially in the last two years.

More information about our latest work can be found in our FY24 Annual Review. ACCR has been recognised by Environmental Finance in thought leadership (2024) and ESG engagement (2023) categories in their annual awards.

ACCR has a dynamic team of almost 40 driven and experienced staff, based in Australia and Europe, working globally. Our growing team has a wide range of relevant expertise - climate science, communications, engineering, law, equities analysis, finance, investor relations, IT and more.

What we offer:

• We enjoy flexible work hours and supportive home-based working for those who want it. Staff needing to work in the evenings can manage their hours by taking time away from work during the day.
• Personal leave is double the statutory requirement, plus additional paid leave from Christmas to New Year. Option to purchase additional leave.
• We value peer learning and each of us has a professional development budget.
• Our Employee Assistance Program also includes our employees’ households.
• ACCR offices are accessible and further detail can be provided.

Application Guidelines

Click Apply Now to submit an application. 

We use Applied as our recruitment platform, helping us reduce the risk of unconscious bias in our hiring process.

We will ask you to answer 3 questions designed to test your ability to do the job. Please give it your best effort, your scores on these questions will be the primary consideration in whether you are invited for an interview. To avoid bias, we do not look at CVs until later in the process.

Once started, you can save and return to your application before submitting. For example;

• Describe a time from your work history when you have communicated scientific content to a non-science audience. How did you approach it? How did you measure success?

Please note, for this role, ACCR is only able to employ those who have the pre-existing legal right to work in Australia.

We value diversity, equity and inclusion in our workplace. ACCR encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and people of all cultures, abilities, sex and genders.

ACCR is committed to improving accessibility to enable the full participation of a diverse workforce. If there are any alterations to this recruitment process that would assist you in applying, please let us know.

A position description is attached.