Climate Change and Sustainability Services - Senior Manager - Johannesburg at EY

The opportunity

At EY, we believe sustainability is the innovation opportunity of our lifetime. Enterprises and people are inspired now more than ever to do the right thing, to collaborate, innovate and accelerate to a more sustainable future. Our Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCASS) team is growing exponentially, and as a Senior manager you’ll play a key role in that growth. Working across all industries, you’ll develop your career through exceptional diverse experience spanning both delivery of assurance engagements over a variety of non-financial reports and broader ESG consulting in a dynamic and purpose-led team.

Your key responsibilities

The nature of this role means no two projects will be the same. That means you’ll need to think on your feet and challenge existing practices to develop answers to complex issues. You’ll also be collaborating with colleagues across multiple service lines and disciplines to provide our clients with integrated solution, so a key part of your role will be to build relationships and develop talent. In a modern hybrid working environment supported by cutting-edge technology, travel and on-site work will still be required from time-to-time as you will be meeting with key clients and overseeing engagement teams.

Skills and attributes for success

The successful candidate will have extensive experience in ESG audit and assurance as this will be a large focus of their role, though there will be significant opportunities to contribute to the broader sustainability services that we offer to our clients, spanning climate change and ESG advisory, non-financial reporting, more traditional EHS assessments and outcomes measurement.

• Excellent audit skills and experience at a senior manager level (>5 years post-articles, >2 years at a senior management level)
• Experience leading large, complex / multi-location engagements across a range of industries, experience in the extractive and financial sectors would be advantageous
• Extensive experience in performing / leading ESG assurance engagements in a medium / large audit firm in accordance with ISAE  3000 (Revised), with a strong technical understanding of ESG issues and metrics/ KPIs and good practice frameworks such as GRI
• Collaborating with partners & clients to influence their approach to ESG and integration into their business strategy, balancing risk and client expectations
• Understanding of the key sustainability (e.g. environmental, health & safety, energy, carbon management, etc.) issues and drivers and how they link to business and long-term value creation
• Ensuring our Engagement team thoroughly understands our clients’ unique needs, ambitions and expectations
• Building relationships with colleagues across multiple service lines to provide a seamless integrated service
• Managing performance and identifying opportunities to improve our products and processes
• Experience in supervising, developing and performance managing talent
• Commercial and leadership skills combined with entrepreneurial mind set.

To qualify for the role you must have

• A CA(SA) with an audit focus
• Strong technical writing skills and advanced risk management knowledge
• A passion for sustainability with a proven track record in sustainability assurance
• An understanding of the marketplace, as well as commonly used terminology, processes and tools and the confidence and ability to research and resolve emerging client issues, regulations, frameworks and guidelines
• A proven record of excellence when managing, mentoring and improving a team of high-performing colleagues

Ideally, you’ll also have

Specific expertise in the one of the ESG dimensions

Specific experience in integrated reporting

Advanced certifications   

Business development experience

What we look for

We’re interested in versatile people with the ability to take on new responsibilities and listen to clients to get things done. We’re not just looking for assurance experience — we’re after genuinely interesting people with the ability to build relationships, negotiate and think in unique and creative news ways to solve sustainability challenges as they relate to our clients’ business. If you’re a confident leader with a curious mind and the ability to solve complex issues, this role is for you.

What working at EY offers

We offer a competitive compensation package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognised for the value you bring to our business.

Plus, we offer

• The opportunity to manage a portfolio of talent within a designated service line
• A collaborative environment where everyone works together to create a better working world
• Excellent training and development prospects, both through established programs and on-the-job training
• The EY Tech MBA, offered in association with Hult International Business School, through its innovative virtual learning mode is available to all EY employees
• An excellent team of senior colleagues dedicated to managing and varying your work