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Sustainability Research Analyst

M&G • United Kingdom • Added on Jul 29, 2026
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This role sits at the heart of M&G’s investment engine, where you will own the end-to-end delivery of sustainability research for the materials and industrials sectors. You will not just report data but transform complex environmental and social trends into actionable investment signals that influence capital allocation across the global platform. Your primary output will be thematic research and company-level analysis that identifies long-term value in a transitioning economy.

The significance of this position lies in its power to move the needle on sustainable finance within a massive asset management framework. By deep-diving into hard-to-abate sectors like industrials, you provide the essential proprietary intelligence needed to drive effective company engagement and stewardship. You are the link between high-level ESG theory and the practical reality of financial modeling, ensuring that sustainability is a core driver of risk-adjusted returns.

This suits someone who possesses a sharp analytical mind and several years of experience in equity or credit research who is ready to specialize in ESG. You should be equally comfortable building financial models as you are debating climate transition pathways with external industry experts.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary mission is to generate investment-ready research that evaluates how sustainability factors impact company valuations and sector stabilities. You will be responsible for building a comprehensive coverage list, moving beyond surface-level data to create proprietary views on how specific businesses are managing long-term ESG risks. Beyond simple data collection, you will contribute significantly to thematic research projects. These involve looking at broad structural shifts—such as the circular economy or industrial decarbonization—and identifying which companies are positioned to lead or lag. You will also help shape the firm's stewardship strategy by providing the bottom-up research necessary for high-impact company engagements.

Key learning opportunities for this job

In this role, you will gain deep exposure to how ESG integration works in practice within a major institutional investment house. You will learn to use advanced alternative datasets and sophisticated financial modeling techniques to quantify ESG risks, a skill set that is in extremely high demand across the financial sector. Furthermore, M&G provides a structured environment for professional development, encouraging candidates to pursue certifications like the CFA ESG Investing or the full CFA charter. You will also benefit from working alongside seasoned investment professionals, gaining insights into complex capital markets and diverse asset classes.

How does the ideal candidate look like (experience, skills)?

The ideal candidate typically brings 3 to 5 years of experience in an analytical role, such as equity research or credit analysis at an asset manager or investment bank. A strong educational background in engineering, science, or finance is preferred, as the role requires a high degree of numerical fluency to assess technical sector developments. Soft skills are equally vital; you must be a proactive self-starter capable of defending your research views to portfolio managers. An ability to translate complex scientific or regulatory shifts into clear, succinct investment implications is what distinguishes a top-tier candidate in this competitive field.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

To stand out, move beyond the 'why I care about the planet' narrative and focus on 'how I connect sustainability to financial materiality'. If you have experience with the materials or industrials sectors, highlight your understanding of their specific decarbonization hurdles, such as green hydrogen or carbon capture technologies. Demonstrate your technical proficiency by mentioning any experience with alternative data or specific ESG frameworks. If you are currently studying for the CFA or IMC, ensure this is prominent, as it signals your commitment to the rigorous standards of professional investment research.

What aspects of the company's sustainability is this role likely to focus on?

This role focuses heavily on environmental transition risks and industrial transformation. Since the target sectors include materials and industrials, you will likely spend significant time analyzing carbon intensity, energy efficiency, and supply chain ethics within these heavy-impact industries. You will also play a key role in the firm's Stewardship & Sustainability agenda. This involves using your research to drive 'active ownership'—where M&G uses its influence as a shareholder to encourage companies to adopt more sustainable business models and improve leur ESG disclosures.

What are the main challenges someone in this role might face?

One of the secondary challenges is the fragmentation of ESG data. You will often have to reconcile conflicting data points from different providers or find creative ways to measure performance where standardized reporting is missing. This requires a skeptical and highly methodical approach to information. Additionally, you may face the challenge of influencing internal stakeholders. Not every portfolio manager will have the same level of ESG conviction, so your research must be robust, evidence-based, and clearly linked to financial performance to be successfully adopted in investment decision-making.

How could a typical day look like for someone in this position?

A typical day might start with monitoring news and market developments affecting your covered sectors, followed by deep-dive research into a specific company's latest sustainability report. You could spend your afternoon building a financial model that adjusts for potential carbon pricing impacts on a company's margins. Collaboration is a major part of the schedule. You will likely meet with Portfolio Managers to discuss your latest research findings or jump on a call with a company's Head of Sustainability to challenge their Net Zero roadmap. Interspersed with this is the writing of thought leadership pieces or white papers on emerging thematic trends.

What are the opportunities for professional growth and development in this role?

The role offers a clear path toward becoming a Senior Sustainability Analyst or potentially moving into a bespoke Portfolio Management role within a dedicated sustainable fund. As M&G continues to expand its ESG capabilities, there are also opportunities to lead specific thematic pillars or stewardship initiatives. Because the role is highly visible and interacts with various departments, it provides an excellent platform for internal mobility. Success in this role could lead to global opportunities within the firm's international offices or more specialized roles in ESG product development and strategy.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Your most frequent interactions will be with Portfolio Managers and Credit Analysts, who rely on your research to make informed buy/sell decisions. You will also collaborate closely with the wider Stewardship team to coordinate engagement activities and voting policies. Externally, you will engage with C-suite executives and ESG leads at the companies M&G invests in. You will also maintain relationships with external ESG data providers, industry bodies, and technical experts to ensure your research remains at the cutting edge of sustainability science and policy.

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