United Kingdom · Finance · Principal/Manager (12-16 years)

Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy

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Experience bandPrincipal/Manager (12-16 years)
Direct reports3-8 reports
Reports toDirector, Sustainable Finance & Reporting
UK framework levelUsually a manager, or the deepest specialist in a team

Also advertised as Head of Sustainability Reporting (Finance) · Senior ESG Disclosure Lead · Principal Sustainability Reporting Specialist

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in what real qualifications cover

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

No confident skill match yet for Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy. The closest we hold is below.

ABBE Level 3 Diploma in Domestic Green Deal Advice Awarding Body for the Built Environment · Level 3 · covers 1 of 1 standard

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Prepare and issue domestic Green Deal Advice Reports ABBE Level 3 Diploma in Domestic Green Deal Advice

Prepare and issue non-domestic Green Deal Advice Reports ABBE Level 4 Diploma in Non Domestic Green Deal Advice

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner

Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision

AI Governance Fluency using AI responsibly

Sustainability Fluency building care for people and planet into the work

Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner

Your Plan Illustration

Built for Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy

2 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

Prepare and issue domestic Green Deal Advice Reports Awarding Body for the Built Environment · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 3
Prepare and issue non-domestic Green Deal Advice Reports Awarding Body for the Built Environment · covers 1 of 1 standards Level 4

These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

AI for Strategic Insights & Scenario Planning
Advanced Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluencyworking with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluencyturning numbers into a decision
AI Governance Fluencyusing AI responsibly
Sustainability Fluencybuilding care for people and planet into the work
Foresight Fluencyseeing round the corner

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy plan as you set up, starting with the free Data Fluency module. No card.

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Keep this read. One email with what AI is changing in this job, the new skills it asks for and where to start free. Nothing else follows unless you confirm your address.

3What this role really is

Manages the reporting of a financial firm's environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance. This work involves leading a team that gathers ESG data, writes it up and checks it holds up to scrutiny before publication.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Workiva Wdata/Wdesk (or similar ESG platform) Strategic/Architect

Leading platform selection, managing vendor relationships, ensuring integration with enterprise systems, and defining the overall platform strategy for ESG data management and reporting.

SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite, or Workday Financials (ERP/Financial Systems) Strategic

Influencing ERP configuration to better capture non-financial data, ensuring robust data governance between financial and non-financial systems, and overseeing automated data feeds.

Power BI or Tableau (Data Analytics & Visualisation) Strategic

Defining the enterprise-wide ESG data visualisation strategy, ensuring executive-level dashboards provide clear, actionable insights, and overseeing the development of complex reports.

ServiceNow GRC or Archer (GRC Systems) Strategic/Architect

Designing and overseeing the ESG module within the enterprise GRC framework, ensuring risk posture reporting to the board is comprehensive and integrated.

Jira, Asana, Confluence, Notion (Collaboration & PM) Strategic

Overseeing the entire portfolio of sustainability initiatives and reporting timelines, ensuring project plans are robust, and knowledge bases are effectively managed across the team.

Diligent Boards or Nasdaq Boardvantage (Board Reporting) Expert

Preparing, reviewing, and distributing all materials for the sustainability committee or full board, ensuring accuracy, strategic relevance, and compliance with governance standards.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choice	Coming in	Where you are now	The step above
Reporting Framework Adoption	Follows guidance on which framework to apply for specific data points.	Proposes adaptations to existing framework application for specific disclosures.	Recommends and implements the adoption of new reporting frameworks (e.g., specific ESRS standards) for a workstream.
Data Assurance Methodology	Prepares data according to established assurance guidelines.	Identifies gaps in assurance readiness and proposes solutions.	Designs and implements internal controls over non-financial data for a specific reporting area.
Team Resource Allocation	Receives assigned tasks from senior team members.	Manages own workload and prioritises tasks for specific projects.	Allocates tasks to junior team members for specific projects and mentors them.
Vendor Selection (Reporting Tools)	Uses existing ESG reporting platforms as instructed.	Evaluates features of existing tools and provides feedback for improvements.	Researches and recommends specific modules or functionalities within existing platforms.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

ESG Rating Improvement

Achieving higher scores or upgraded ratings from key ESG rating agencies.

Target · Achieve a 1-level upgrade (e.g., MSCI 'A' to 'AA') within 24 months, or maintain top-quartile performance for our sector.

Moving from a Sustainalytics 'Medium Risk' to 'Low Risk' rating, or improving our CDP Climate Change score from 'B' to 'A-'. This shows our disclosures are actually moving the needle externally.

External Assurance Findings

The number and severity of findings raised by our external assurance provider during the annual audit of our sustainability report.

Target · No critical or major findings; fewer than 3 minor findings per reporting cycle.

In 2024, the external auditors flagged only two minor data lineage issues, both resolved before final sign-off. This indicates a robust internal control environment.

Reporting Cycle Efficiency

The time taken from the start of the data collection phase to the final publication of the annual sustainability report.

Target · Reduce the overall reporting cycle time by 10% year-over-year, or maintain a cycle time within 10 weeks of financial year-end.

Cutting the reporting cycle from 14 weeks to 12 weeks, meaning we can get our report out faster and respond to investor queries sooner.

Internal Stakeholder Satisfaction

Feedback from key internal data owners and content contributors on the clarity of requests, ease of process, and timeliness of communication from your team.

Target · Achieve an average satisfaction score of 4.0/5.0 in post-reporting cycle surveys.

Feedback like 'The ESG team's data requests were much clearer this year' or 'They gave us enough time to respond' indicates you're making life easier for everyone involved.

Board Confidence Score

The level of confidence the Board's sustainability committee has in the quality, clarity, and strategic relevance of your team's reporting.

Regular invitations to present to the Board/committee, direct requests for your team's insights on emerging regulations, positive feedback on report content and strategic recommendations, and their willingness to approve resource requests for the reporting function.

Strategic Influence

How often your team's insights and recommendations are incorporated into broader business strategy, product development, or risk management frameworks.

Your team's input being explicitly cited in strategic planning documents, seeing your recommendations translated into new policies or product features, and business unit leaders proactively seeking your advice on ESG matters before making decisions.

Team Development & Retention

The growth and engagement of your direct reports, and their ability to take on more complex tasks independently.

Successful progression of team members to higher levels, positive feedback in 1:1s about career growth, a low voluntary turnover rate within your team, and your team members successfully leading key reporting workstreams with minimal oversight.

Proactive Regulatory Preparedness

How well your team anticipates and prepares for upcoming regulatory changes, minimising last-minute scrambling.

Having clear action plans for new regulations (e.g., CSRD implementation) well in advance of deadlines, presenting potential impacts and solutions to leadership before they become urgent, and being seen as the go-to internal expert on future ESG reporting requirements.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy

Shaping Organisational Integrity

You'll be the guardian of our firm's sustainability narrative, ensuring every claim is backed by solid data. This means challenging assumptions, refining processes, and ultimately building a reporting function that is beyond reproach.

Successfully leading the team through an external assurance audit with minimal findings, knowing that the robust processes you put in place directly contributed to that outcome and strengthened our public trust.

Leading and Developing a High-Performing Team

You'll spend a good chunk of your time coaching, mentoring, and empowering your direct reports. You'll delegate complex tasks, provide constructive feedback, and celebrate their successes, watching them grow into confident specialists.

Seeing a junior team member you've mentored successfully lead a significant section of the annual report, presenting their findings to senior stakeholders with confidence and accuracy.

Navigating and Influencing Complex Regulatory Landscapes

The world of ESG regulation is constantly changing. You'll thrive on dissecting new standards (like the latest ESRS updates), understanding their implications for our firm, and then translating those into actionable reporting strategies for your team and the wider business.

Developing and implementing a clear strategy for CSRD compliance two years before its mandatory application, positioning the firm ahead of competitors.

What frustrates people

The 'Scope 3 headache' – trying to get reliable emissions data from dozens of suppliers who often don't have it.
Constantly re-explaining fundamental ESG concepts (like double materiality) to senior leaders who should really know by now.
Being the 'bad cop' who has to push back on Marketing's overly optimistic green claims because the data just isn't there.
Dealing with legacy systems and data silos that make data collection far more manual and painful than it should be.
Budget constraints for new tools or additional headcount, even when the regulatory burden is clearly increasing.

What this role does not give you

A purely technical, heads-down analytical role – you'll be leading people and strategy.
A completely stable, predictable environment – the regulatory landscape is always shifting.
Direct authority over all data owners – you'll need to influence and persuade a lot.
The ability to always achieve 'perfect' data – sometimes 'assurance-ready' is the best you can get.

8Who you work with

This role directly influences our firm's ability to meet regulatory obligations (like CSRD and SFDR), maintain strong relationships with investors, and protect our reputation. Your team's output forms the basis of our public sustainability commitments, affecting everything from capital allocation to product development. Get it right, and we're seen as a leader; get it wrong, and it could cost us millions in fines and lost trust.

Inside the business

Director, Sustainable Finance & Reporting
Business Unit Heads (e.g., Retail Banking, Asset Management)
Legal & Compliance
Risk Management
Corporate Communications & Investor Relations
Internal Audit

Outside the business

External Auditors (e.g., PwC, Deloitte)
ESG Rating Agencies (e.g., MSCI, Sustainalytics, CDP)
Regulators (e.g., FCA, PRA, EFRAG)
Investors & Shareholders

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

Demonstrable experience (12-16 years) managing complex sustainability reporting cycles, ideally within a large financial institution or a leading consultancy serving the finance sector.
Proven track record of leading and developing a team of specialists, including performance management and career coaching.
Deep, practical expertise in at least two major sustainability reporting frameworks (e.g., CSRD/ESRS, IFRS S1/S2, GRI, TCFD).
Strong understanding of financial accounting principles and how non-financial data integrates with financial reporting.
Experience managing external assurance processes and engaging with external auditors on non-financial data.
Proficiency in at least one enterprise-level ESG reporting platform (e.g., Workiva, OneTrust ESG) and advanced data analytics tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau).

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Integrated Reporting & Financial Linkages

The future of reporting is integrated, blurring the lines between financial and non-financial information. You'll need to understand how ESG performance directly impacts financial statements, risk models, and capital allocation decisions.

Integrated Reporting Framework (IIRC) · Financial Impact Quantification of ESG Factors · ESG Data Integration with ERP/Financial Systems

This quarter: Review our latest annual financial report and identify areas where ESG linkages could be strengthened.
Next 6 months: Work closely with the Financial Reporting team to understand their processes and data requirements.
Next 12 months: Lead a project to develop an 'integrated' section of our annual report, demonstrating clear linkages between ESG and financial performance.
Ongoing: Take a course or certification in integrated reporting or sustainable finance to deepen your knowledge.

Quick win: Start by identifying one key ESG metric and tracing its potential financial impact throughout our firm's operations. It's a great way to start thinking holistically.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up

Regularly attending industry conferences and webinars on sustainable finance and ESG reporting (e.g., GreenFin, Responsible Business Summit).
Participating in working groups or committees for industry bodies (e.g., UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association - UKSIF, TheCityUK) to stay abreast of policy developments.
Subscribing to key regulatory updates and thought leadership from firms like PwC, Deloitte, EY, and KPMG on ESG reporting.
Engaging in peer-to-peer learning with other sustainability reporting managers in the financial sector, sharing challenges and best practices.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI for Strategic Insights & Scenario Planning

AI isn't just for automating tasks anymore; it's becoming critical for extracting deeper, strategic insights from vast datasets and for running complex scenario analyses. Competitors will use this to identify risks and opportunities faster, and to model future sustainability impacts.

Generative AI for Narrative Synthesis
Predictive Analytics for ESG Risk
AI-Driven Scenario Modelling
Ethical AI & Bias Detection

Advanced Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

As ESG reporting becomes more integrated and material, the number and seniority of stakeholders you need to engage will only grow. You'll need to influence C-suite, external investors, and even regulators more directly, often on highly sensitive topics.

Executive Storytelling
Investor Dialogue Leadership
Regulatory Advocacy & Policy Shaping
Crisis Communications (ESG)

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

Sustainability Reporting Frameworks (GRI, IFRS S1/S2, CSRD/ESRS)
Double Materiality Assessment
GHG Protocol & Carbon Accounting
Sustainable Finance Regulations (EU Taxonomy, SFDR)
Data Assurance & Internal Controls (Non-Financial Data)
ESG Rating Agency Analysis & Engagement

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

1
Senior Sustainability Reporting Specialist (Internal Promotion)
3-5 years at Senior level
Skills to master
- Leading complex workstreams, mentoring junior staff, managing small projects independently, and developing strong stakeholder relationships.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led at least two major reporting components (e.g., TCFD report, materiality assessment) end-to-end.
- Consistently received positive feedback on mentorship and guidance provided to junior team members.
- Demonstrated ability to interpret new, complex regulations and translate them into actionable plans.
- Proactively identified and implemented improvements to reporting processes or data quality.
2
ESG Consultant (Big 4 or Specialist Firm)
5-8 years in consulting, with significant project leadership
Skills to master
- Client management, project delivery for multiple clients, deep expertise in various reporting frameworks, and strong presentation skills to senior client stakeholders.
You're ready to move on when
- Managed multiple ESG reporting projects for financial services clients, from scoping to delivery.
- Developed and presented strategic recommendations to C-suite level clients.
- Proven ability to manage project teams and external client expectations.
- Expertise across a broad range of ESG reporting standards and regulatory landscapes.
3
Financial Reporting Manager with ESG Focus
10-15 years in financial reporting, with a recent shift to ESG
Skills to master
- Understanding of non-financial data collection and assurance, specific ESG reporting frameworks, and the integration of ESG into financial statements.
You're ready to move on when
- Successfully led the integration of climate-related disclosures into annual financial reports.
- Demonstrated a strong interest and acquired expertise in key ESG reporting standards.
- Proven ability to manage a financial reporting team and complex reporting cycles.
- Developed a network of contacts within the sustainability reporting community.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to a wider strategic post, such as Chief Sustainability Officer. It can also lead into finance leadership as CFO. There, ESG reporting experience supports decisions on financial performance and risk.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy is actually changing.

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Prepare and issue domestic Green Deal Advice Reports, worked against Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy.

Prepare and issue domestic Green Deal Advice Reports Level 3

Applied to your work in Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy

This unit aims to provide learners with the knowledge and skills to prepare accurate and comprehensive domestic Green Deal Advice Reports, based on collected data and assessments of energy efficiency measures, and to understand the procedures for lodging and issuing these reports.

How the thinking builds

1 Remember
2 Understand
3 Apply
4 Analyse
5 Evaluate
6 Create

An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

See Your Progress Grow Illustration

Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy

Sustainability Reporting Frameworks (GRI, IFRS S1/S2, CSRD/ESRS)
Double Materiality Assessment
GHG Protocol & Carbon Accounting
Sustainable Finance Regulations (EU Taxonomy, SFDR)
Data Assurance & Internal Controls (Non-Financial Data)
ESG Rating Agency Analysis & Engagement

This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

Director, Sustainable Finance & Reporting
3-5 years in the Manager role

Level 6
- Integrating ESG into core financial planning, capital allocation, and investment decisions.
- Managing relationships with major investors and ESG rating agencies at a strategic level.
- Overseeing the firm's response to complex regulatory changes across multiple business units.
- Leading the development of new sustainable finance products and services.
Head of Finance Transformation (with ESG focus)
4-6 years in the Manager role

Level 6
- Designing and implementing integrated financial and non-financial data platforms.
- Leading the digital transformation of financial reporting processes, incorporating AI and automation.
- Optimising the Finance function's operating model to embed sustainability considerations.
- Managing complex, cross-functional projects that bridge Finance, IT, and Sustainability.

Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, a big chunk of sustainability reporting is still manual, tedious work. But it doesn't have to be. AI isn't here to replace you; it's here to take the grunt work off your plate, freeing you up to do the strategic thinking and leadership that truly matters.

As a Manager, you'll be overseeing a team and a complex reporting cycle. Imagine if your team could automate the repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on data quality, analysis, and narrative crafting. That's exactly what AI can do. It's about amplifying your team's output and your strategic impact, not just doing things faster. We're building an AI Productivity Hub to help you and your team get there.

Automated Data Extraction & GHG Calculation

Use AI and OCR to automatically scan thousands of utility bills, travel receipts, and supplier invoices. It'll pull out energy consumption, fuel usage, and waste data, then feed it directly into our carbon accounting platform. This means less manual data entry and more time verifying the tricky stuff.

Regulatory & Peer Analysis Accelerator

Deploy an AI assistant to continuously scan new regulatory proposals from bodies like EFRAG or the SEC, and summarise the sustainability reports of our top 10 competitors. It'll highlight key disclosure trends, emerging risks, and opportunities, giving your team a head start on what's coming next.

Materiality Assessment Research Assistant

Imagine AI analysing thousands of news articles, NGO reports, and academic studies to identify emerging sustainability issues specifically relevant to the financial industry. It'll give your team a comprehensive input for the double materiality assessment, cutting down research time by weeks.

First-Draft Narrative Generation

Feed structured data (metrics, targets, performance) into a generative AI model. It can then create a solid first draft of the narrative for standard report sections, like 'Our Approach to Climate Risk'. This ensures consistency with the data and frees your team to refine and add the human touch.

Common questions

How do you become a Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy?

Common routes in include Senior Sustainability Reporting Specialist (Internal Promotion) (3-5 years at Senior level), ESG Consultant (Big 4 or Specialist Firm) (5-8 years in consulting, with significant project leadership) and Financial Reporting Manager with ESG Focus (10-15 years in financial reporting, with a recent shift to ESG). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy progress to?

This role can lead on to Director, Sustainable Finance & Reporting (3-5 years in the Manager role) and Head of Finance Transformation (with ESG focus) (4-6 years in the Manager role), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy?

Increasingly, AI for Strategic Insights & Scenario Planning and Advanced Stakeholder Engagement & Influence. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my free Data Fluency module What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.

Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy

Where should we send it?

Two short quizzes about you

Will AI change your work as a Manager, ESG Reporting & Strategy?

What's rising in its place

AI for Strategic Insights & Scenario Planning

Advanced Stakeholder Engagement & Influence

Skills this role draws on

Technical

How you actually get there, here

Senior Sustainability Reporting Specialist (Internal Promotion)

ESG Consultant (Big 4 or Specialist Firm)

Financial Reporting Manager with ESG Focus

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

Roles this leads to

One to one, on the work you already do

Everything else the record holds

The career path, and where it branches

Director, Sustainable Finance & Reporting

Head of Finance Transformation (with ESG focus)

Where AI is starting to help

Automated Data Extraction & GHG Calculation

Regulatory & Peer Analysis Accelerator

Materiality Assessment Research Assistant

First-Draft Narrative Generation

Common questions

Want a read on where you stand?