Functional Analyst ESG

The core mission is to act as the functional bridge between sustainability reporting requirements and the structured data products that support them. Day to day, this means collecting, analysing, and documenting business and regulatory requirements, particularly around Sustainability and L&I reporting, and translating them into clear functional specifications that IT teams can build against. You would also validate that the final products actually work for the business users who rely on them. A significant part of the role involves collaboration across functions: working with Business Data Owners, ESG and L&I experts, and IT developers to make sure metrics, calculations, and definitions are interpreted consistently. You would support change management by assessing how new or evolving requirements affect existing data products and reporting processes, and contribute to data quality management through root-cause analysis and issue resolution. Longer term, the role helps maintain the functional documentation (data definitions, business rules, reporting logic) that keeps ABB's sustainability reporting transparent and compliant. By flagging risks, inconsistencies, or gaps proactively, you help ensure that what ABB publishes is accurate, auditable, and aligned with governance standards. The overarching goal is to make sustainability data trustworthy and usable at scale.

This role offers a rare chance to sit at the intersection of ESG regulation and industrial data, learning how frameworks like CSRD, EU Taxonomy, and ABB's L&I reporting requirements are actually operationalized in a global company. You would likely deepen your skills in requirements engineering, data modelling, and functional specification writing, while gaining exposure to SAP and to the data governance and catalog standards ABB uses. Because the role supports change management and data quality, you would also build competence in impact assessment and root-cause analysis. Working alongside Business Data Owners, ESG experts, and IT teams gives you a broad view of how sustainability data flows from operational sites to public disclosures, knowledge that is scarce and valuable. Mentorship from experienced IS and ESG professionals, plus ABB's internal training offerings, could further accelerate your development.

The ideal candidate likely holds a bachelor's or master's in business, information systems, sustainability, or finance, and has already worked as a functional analyst, business analyst, or data analyst, ideally in an ESG, sustainability, or regulatory reporting context. They should be comfortable reading ESG and L&I frameworks, understanding KPIs, and translating them into data definitions and business rules. SAP knowledge is a strong plus, as is experience with structured data models and reporting solutions in a large, complex organization. On the soft-skills side, the role calls for strong analytical thinking, attention to detail, and the ability to communicate clearly with both business experts and IT developers. Experience in cross-functional, international environments is important because the team spans multiple countries and functions. A collaborative, proactive mindset and a genuine interest in sustainability will distinguish the best candidates.

Before applying, study ABB's sustainability reporting stack and how the Motion business unit fits into ABB's 2030 and 2050 net-zero commitments, then tailor your CV to show one or two concrete examples where you turned an ESG or regulatory requirement into a working data product. Name the frameworks you know (CSRD, EU Taxonomy, GRI, SASB) and, if you have SAP experience, make it visible early, because it's listed as a plus and will differentiate you. Quantify your impact: how many metrics you documented, how many stakeholders you aligned, how you reduced data errors or reporting cycles. Because the role sits in Cracow within a global Motion IS Services team and the posting is bilingual, mention your working proficiency in English and, if relevant, Polish. In interviews, prepare to walk through a functional specification you authored and explain how you validated the final product with business users. Show that you understand the difference between a data owner and an IT developer, and that you can bridge the two.

The role is squarely focused on ESG and L&I reporting data, the metrics and calculations that feed ABB's sustainability disclosures. That likely includes environmental indicators such as emissions, energy, and waste, social metrics around safety and workforce, and governance-related data. Because ABB operates in electrification and automation, its sustainability narrative leans heavily on enabling customers to decarbonize, so the data products this role supports may also connect to product-level or customer-impact metrics. A second focus area is regulatory compliance: ensuring that reporting aligns with frameworks like CSRD, EU Taxonomy, and other evolving requirements, which means the role sits close to ABB's assurance and governance processes. The role does not set sustainability strategy, but it makes the strategy measurable and reportable.

One likely challenge is the inherent tension between evolving regulatory requirements and the rigid structures of existing data products: what ESG experts need may not map cleanly onto how data is currently modelled, and reconciling the two will require patience and diplomatic skill. Another is the complexity of ABB's matrix organization, Motion IS Services, business data owners, group ESG, and IT teams all have different priorities and vocabularies, so aligning them around a single functional specification can be slow. Data quality issues are another predictable friction point; root-cause analysis often reveals problems that sit outside the analyst's direct control, in source systems or upstream processes. Finally, the role supports reporting that feeds external disclosures, so the margin for error is low and deadlines are tied to regulatory calendars, which can create pressure during reporting cycles.

A typical day might start with a review of open data issues or requirement tickets, followed by a call with ESG or L&I experts to clarify how a specific metric should be defined or calculated. Mid-morning could involve a working session with IT developers to walk through a functional specification, answering questions about business rules and edge cases. After lunch, you might review test results or validate a data product with business users before release, documenting any gaps. Interspersed throughout are ad-hoc problem-solving conversations, a data owner flagging an inconsistency, a developer asking about reporting logic, or a change request that needs impact assessment. During reporting cycles, the rhythm intensifies, with more time spent on validation, quality checks, and coordination. The hybrid model means some days are office-based for workshops and others are home-based for focused documentation work.

Growth here likely runs along two tracks: deeper functional expertise in ESG and L&I data products, or a move toward data governance, product ownership, or ESG reporting management within ABB. Because the role touches CSRD, EU Taxonomy, and other regulatory frameworks, it builds a profile that is in high demand across industrial and financial sectors. A person who masters the Motion IS Services data environment could later move into a group-level sustainability function, an ESG controller role, or a data product owner position. ABB's internal mobility and global footprint mean lateral moves into other business areas (electrification, robotics, process automation) are plausible. The visibility of the work, tied directly to ABB's public sustainability disclosures, also gives the role outsized exposure relative to its seniority. Certification paths in ESG reporting, data governance, or SAP could further accelerate advancement.

The role's closest collaborators are likely the Business Data Owners for sustainability and L&I metrics, who define what needs to be reported and own the data's meaning, and the ESG and L&I experts who interpret regulatory requirements. On the technical side, you would work daily with IT teams (developers, data engineers, and architects) who build the structured data products you specify. Your manager, the IS Manager, would provide direction and prioritize the backlog. Beyond that, you might interact with finance and controlling teams, especially where ESG metrics intersect with financial reporting, and with group-level sustainability functions that consolidate disclosures. External auditors or assurance providers could also become stakeholders during reporting cycles, as they validate the data and logic behind published metrics.