ISSB Technical Staff - Industry Based Approach

 IFRS Foundation

ISSB Technical Staff - Industry Based Approach

Location: Montreal, Canada or Frankfurt, Germany 

Job purpose: To support the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB)’s work to develop—in the public interest—IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards that will result in a high-quality, comprehensive global baseline of sustainability disclosures focused on the needs of investors and the financial markets. You will be required to help inform its industry-based research and standard-setting, including enhancements to the SASB Standards.

Principal Accountabilities

• Evidence-based research—Undertake research on business risks and opportunities associated with sustainability issues (such as climate, nature and biodiversity, human capital, and human rights). Work may entail focusing on a specific sector or industry (such as financials, biotechnology & pharmaceuticals, or transportation) or in supporting research for various sectors or industries, including a range of SASB Standards Experience in the Financials sector, investment management, or a financial institution preferred.
• Stakeholder consultation — Act as a credible and authoritative representative of the ISSB by engaging with a wide range of external stakeholders from industry and the investment, regulatory and standard-setting communities, to ascertain their views and to share information.
• Staff analysis and recommendations — Conduct analysis and develop technical proposals for consideration by the ISSB and its advisory committees, and facilitate their decision-making
• Technical papers — Draft due process documents (research papers, discussion papers, requests for information, exposure drafts, ballot drafts and standards).
• Initiate and lead discussions with ISSB members, advisory committees, and working groups.
• Work with IASB Technical Staff when relevant to ensure connectivity and compatibility between the work of the IASB and the ISSB in developing IFRS Accounting and Sustainability Disclosure Standards.
• Project management, including coordination of a range of activities to support the delivery of technical projects and coordination across other project work plans
• Contribute to the development of other staff.

Experience Required & Competencies in the following areas

Technical knowledge and thinking abilities

• Extensive knowledge of the sustainability and financial reporting landscape, including relevant standards, frameworks and regulations.
• Extensive and practical knowledge of capital markets and the links between sustainability-related risks, opportunities and value creation.
• Excellent knowledge of how sustainability-related risks and opportunities manifest in specific industries, and how companies in those industries manage those risks and opportunities
• Rigour, consistency and attention to detail in work.
• Identifies, understands and analyses issues.
• Synthesises information and proposes well-reasoned recommendations, and draws out implications, including cost/benefit analysis.
• Displays impartiality, balance and openness in developing, defending and accepting alternative views.
• Develops feasible solutions.
• Understand the standard-setting process, including the roles of various parties.

Managing self and relationships

• Is enthusiastic, proactive, and motivated, working effectively under pressure, and remains positive even when faced with challenges.
• Self-aware. Seeks and learns from feedback. Seeks to grow and continuously improve.
• Demonstrates professionalism and respect for others.
• Capable of working in a multi-location organisation, demonstrates awareness of cultural and behavioural differences across geographies.
• Encourages and supports colleagues in a collaborative team environment.
• Focused on team’s contributions over individual contributions.
• Understands the roles and limitations of collective group responsibility.
• Constructively addresses disagreements and conflicts in a timely manner.
• Shares knowledge and information.
• Flexible and open to change.

Planning and delivering work

• Delegates work effectively and appropriately.
• Organises and manages own time and work across competing priorities.
• Respects others' time (eg, providing adequate time for review, escalation, awareness of time zones).
• Thinks ahead to identify what is needed to progress the work.
• Sets and adheres to realistic timelines within the span of control.
• Takes ownership and responsibility for the quality of the work output, regularly communicating progress and escalating issues appropriately.
• Promptly communicates reasons for changes to plans, as necessary.
• Strives for continuous improvement, within resources, priorities and deadlines.

Effective communications

• Communicates in a concise, clear and well-structured way, appropriately tailored to the audience.
• Presents issues, evidence, analysis and recommendations in a neutral manner. Persuades based on evidence and balanced analysis.
• Drafts and reviews Board papers and due process documents with robust analyses of alternative views, defensible support of recommendation and clear, simple, logical and consistent articulation.
• Uses innovative design to enhance clarity and visual appeal to best convey the big picture.
• Presents effectively to internal and external audiences and competently manages questions and comments.
• Listens actively; understands and respects others' viewpoints; synthesises and summarises feedback accurately and completely
• Advanced proficiency in both written and spoken English is required.

Please note: This is a two-year full-time contract 

About us

One Foundation. One mission.

At the IFRS Foundation, we believe better information leads to better decisions. We set financial reporting standards that enable companies to meet the evolving information needs of the global capital markets. United by our purpose to foster trust, growth and long-term financial stability in the global economy, we engage in challenging, meaningful work every day—across all our areas of expertise.

If you share our passion for this mission, we want to hear from you.

Diverse perspectives. International expertise.

Working for our global organisation offers many benefits, including:

• rewarding work that serves the public interest;
• engagement with diverse international experts;
• inclusive and collaborative teams;
• intellectually challenging projects;
• flexible working arrangements;
• numerous areas of specialisation; and
• opportunities for professional growth and development.

Diversity and inclusion are seen as key strengths of our organisation. These qualities are essential for us to engage with and meet the needs of our varied global stakeholders, and they are part of what makes the IFRS Foundation a great place to work.