ESG Analyst

The main mission is to support Keyridge's responsible investment strategy by strengthening the stewardship and research function. In practice, that means overseeing voting and engagement activity, improving the systems that track alignment with the firm's proxy voting guidelines, and producing thematic research that feeds theme-based stewardship campaigns. The analyst will also build company-level analysis and case studies that investment teams can use across asset classes. On the research side, the role involves drafting and customising ESG material for clients and internal stakeholders, including white papers, thought leadership and original research. The analyst will track sustainable investing trends, material ESG topics and academic literature, and prepare background research for position papers, investment proposals and responses to queries. There is also a contribution expected to Keyridge's ESG integration methodologies and frameworks. Regulation is a standing responsibility. The analyst must keep current with SFDR, CSRD, the EU Taxonomy and other market standards, and help promote best practice across investment teams. Long term, the goal is to make stewardship and ESG integration more systematic and better evidenced, rather than ad hoc.

The role offers direct exposure to stewardship in practice, which is a specialised skill. The analyst will learn how proxy voting decisions are made, how engagement campaigns are designed and tracked, and how to build company-level case studies that stand up to investment team scrutiny. That is difficult to learn outside an asset manager with a rated responsible investment team. On the research side, there is scope to develop writing and analytical range, from short internal notes to client-facing white papers and thought leadership. Working with Bloomberg and FactSet will build data and screening proficiency, and the regulatory work will give practical knowledge of SFDR, CSRD and the EU Taxonomy, which is increasingly requested in ESG job specifications. The firm mentions learning and development support in its benefits, so formal training may be available. More importantly, the analyst sits close to investment decision-making, so they will pick up how ESG factors are weighed in real portfolio contexts across public and private markets. Mentorship from senior responsible investment colleagues is likely, given the team structure.

Keyridge is looking for someone with a strong analyst skill set and demonstrable ESG research or writing experience. A background in sustainable or thematic investing is expected, whether from an asset manager, a research house, a consultancy or a relevant postgraduate degree. The ability to write clearly and concisely is probably the single most important skill, because the role produces voting rationales, research notes and client materials. Technical comfort matters: Word, PowerPoint and Excel are listed, with Bloomberg and FactSet as an advantage. Familiarity with SFDR, CSRD or the EU Taxonomy would strengthen an application, though the posting frames regulation as something to keep abreast of rather than a prerequisite. An understanding of proxy voting and engagement would also help, given how much of the role centres on stewardship. On the softer side, the candidate needs to be persuasive and collaborative. The job involves promoting best practice across investment teams, which requires building trust rather than issuing instructions. Curiosity about sustainable investing trends and a genuine interest in the subject come through in the posting as a stated requirement, so evidence of that interest, such as research or writing samples, could be valuable.

The application should lead with writing and analysis. Keyridge explicitly asks for ESG research or writing experience, so including a short sample or a clear description of research produced, whether a report, a voting rationale or a thesis, will be more persuasive than listing duties. Where possible, show familiarity with proxy voting or engagement work, since that is the heaviest part of the role. On regulation, do not simply list SFDR, CSRD and the EU Taxonomy. Explain how you have used one of them, even in an academic or internship setting, and what the practical difficulty was. That signals the regulatory insight the posting asks for. Similarly, if Bloomberg or FactSet experience exists, name the specific functions used, such as screening or data extraction, rather than just the platform. For the interview, prepare to discuss a company engagement or a sustainability topic in a way that would interest an investment team. The role sits close to portfolio managers, so commercial awareness matters as much as ESG knowledge. Reading Keyridge's background, including its formation from Irish Life Investment Managers, Setanta and Canada Life Asset Management, and being able to connect the responsible investment strategy to that institutional context, would show genuine preparation.

The core focus is stewardship: how Keyridge votes its shares and engages with the companies it holds. That means the analyst will work on theme-based campaigns, company-level case studies, and the systems that track whether voting and engagement actually match the firm's stated priorities. The regulatory side centres on SFDR, CSRD and the EU Taxonomy, which are the frameworks Keyridge must report against as an Irish-authorised investment firm. On the research side, the role touches ESG integration methodology, meaning how sustainability factors get built into investment processes across public and private market strategies. The analyst will also contribute to client-facing material on sustainable investing trends, which connects the internal ESG work to what institutional investors are asking about. Governance is probably the strongest thread, given the proxy voting and engagement emphasis, with environmental and social themes coming through the thematic campaigns. Social factors may feature less directly unless a campaign targets them, but the regulatory work on CSRD will pull in social data points.

One challenge is balancing analytical depth with volume. Proxy season and reporting deadlines generate a high number of decisions that need to be made quickly, and the analyst must keep quality high while working through a long list of companies and voting items. Systems and processes will help, but improving them is also part of the job, so the analyst may be fixing the workflow while using it. Another difficulty is influence. ESG research only matters if investment teams act on it, so the analyst has to make the case in commercial language and accept that not every recommendation will be adopted. Regulation adds a moving target: SFDR, CSRD and EU Taxonomy requirements are still developing, and interpretations can shift, which makes it hard to build stable reporting processes. There may also be a data challenge. Company-level ESG data is often incomplete or inconsistent, and building case studies or voting analysis on weak data requires judgement and transparency about limitations. The role sits in a firm that is itself newly combined from several businesses, so internal alignment on ESG priorities could still be in progress.

A typical day likely starts with monitoring overnight voting activity and checking that any upcoming shareholder meetings on the proxy calendar are covered. The analyst would then spend time on a company or sector deep dive, pulling data from Bloomberg or FactSet, reading filings, and drafting the engagement rationale that will go into an internal note or voting instruction. Meetings will vary by week. There could be a session with an investment team to walk through an ESG issue flagged in a holding, a catch-up with the stewardship lead on campaign progress, or a working group on a regulatory question such as a CSRD data request. Interruptions are common, as portfolio managers and client teams send queries that need a researched response. Quieter periods go to research and writing: white papers, thought leadership drafts, or background notes for position papers. The rhythm shifts around proxy season and regulatory deadlines, when the volume of voting decisions and reporting tasks rises sharply.

The most natural progression is within the Responsible Investment team, from analyst to a more senior stewardship or ESG research position with ownership of specific campaigns or asset class coverage. Because the team supports all investment teams, a strong performer gets visibility across the firm, which can open lateral moves into investment roles, client portfolio management or product development where ESG expertise is valued. The regulatory dimension is also a growth area. As SFDR, CSRD and EU Taxonomy requirements mature, someone who becomes the internal expert on them will be in demand both inside Keyridge and in the wider market. Building a public profile through thought leadership and client presentations is another route, since the role already includes producing external-facing material. Keyridge is a 284-person firm formed from several investment businesses, so there may be scope to shape the role as the responsible investment function develops. Growth will depend on demonstrating that stewardship and ESG research influence decisions, which is the clearest way for the analyst to make their contribution visible.

The closest working relationships will be inside the Responsible Investment team itself, with the stewardship lead and fellow analysts setting priorities and reviewing output. Beyond that, the analyst will interact regularly with investment teams across public and private markets, since the research and voting analysis is meant to inform their decisions. Those exchanges can be challenging, as portfolio managers will test whether an ESG recommendation is material to performance. Client-facing and distribution teams are another stakeholder group, because the role includes customising presentation materials and thought leadership for clients. Regulatory and compliance colleagues will also be involved when the firm responds to SFDR or CSRD requirements or updates internal standards. Externally, the analyst may engage with companies through the stewardship process, either directly or via collaborative initiatives, and possibly with proxy advisers and data providers such as Bloomberg and FactSet. Industry bodies and peer networks are likely contacts for keeping up with evolving market standards.