ESG & Risk Associate

The core mission is to keep Oxford Nanopore's supply chain aligned with its ESG and risk policies while supporting the operational work of procurement. You would help develop and run supplier ESG programmes covering carbon emissions, environmental performance, labour practices and ethical sourcing, and you would collect, validate and analyse data from suppliers, internal systems and third-party platforms to support reporting. A large part of the role involves governance and due diligence. That includes screening suppliers for sanctions, modern slavery, financial stability, anti-bribery, cybersecurity and ESG criteria, maintaining accurate records in procurement systems, and ensuring compliance with procurement policy. You would also monitor emerging supply chain risks and recommend corrective actions when issues appear. On the operational side, you would support supplier onboarding, contracting and sourcing workflows, coordinate with internal stakeholders on ERP data integrity, and look for process bottlenecks that can be removed without weakening risk controls. Producing regular risk and ESG dashboards and acting as a trusted advisor on compliance matters round out the remit.

You would gain hands-on experience in supplier ESG programmes, supply chain risk screening and procurement governance within a global biotechnology company. That includes practical exposure to carbon and environmental criteria, labour and ethical sourcing standards, and due diligence areas such as sanctions, modern slavery and anti-bribery. These are transferable skills for sustainability, procurement and risk roles. Data and reporting skills would develop quickly, since the role involves manipulating complex supplier data, building dashboards and producing management information. You would likely learn how ERP systems support procurement workflows and how to validate data for ESG reports. Working with third-party risk platforms would add another layer of technical familiarity. Mentorship and training would depend on the team structure, but the cross-functional nature of the role means regular exposure to finance, legal, procurement and sustainability perspectives. For someone early in their ESG career, that breadth can be as valuable as formal certification.

The ideal candidate likely has some experience in procurement, ESG, risk or a related operational function, with a track record of working with suppliers to achieve shared objectives. You should be comfortable manipulating data to produce actionable insights and have an understanding of company finance and how suppliers integrate into a business. Knowledge of procurement in a fast-changing environment is explicitly valued. On the softer side, the posting asks for proven problem solving, strong communication, negotiation and influencing skills, and the ability to analyse complex data. Integrity, attention to detail and self-starting critical thinking are highlighted. A degree in a relevant field such as business, sustainability, supply chain or environmental management would be a reasonable background, though the emphasis is on practical capability. Certifications in procurement or ESG are not required by the posting, but they could help. More important is the ability to build relationships internally and externally while keeping governance standards in view.

Tailor your application to the procurement and supply chain angle rather than presenting yourself as a generalist sustainability candidate. The posting is specific about supplier ESG programmes, risk screening and data validation, so give examples of times you have worked with suppliers, improved data quality or supported compliance processes. Quantify where possible, such as number of suppliers screened or reporting cycles supported. Show that you understand the governance side. Mention familiarity with sanctions screening, modern slavery due diligence, anti-bribery or cybersecurity checks if you have it. If you do not, explain how you have handled similar due diligence or policy compliance work. The role also asks for negotiation and influencing skills, so prepare examples of persuading internal or external stakeholders to act. In interview, expect questions on problem solving and data analysis. Be ready to talk about a time you found a process bottleneck and what you did about it. Research Oxford Nanopore's technology and its use in health and environmental analysis, because the company links its mission to societal benefit and your answers should connect supply chain work to that purpose.

The role is likely to focus on the supply chain side of ESG rather than product or clinical sustainability. That means supplier carbon emissions, environmental performance, labour standards and ethical sourcing, with reporting that feeds into the company's broader disclosures. Nanopore's technology is used in human health, plant, animal and environmental analysis, so the sustainability story is tied to responsible sourcing of the materials and services that support that work. Governance is equally central. Sanctions screening, anti-bribery checks, modern slavery due diligence and financial stability reviews are part of the ESG remit, which suggests the role sits at the junction of sustainability and procurement risk. You would help make sure supplier relationships meet policy and regulatory expectations. There may also be an opportunity to shape how supplier ESG programmes develop across carbon and environmental criteria, since the posting mentions supporting their design and implementation. The exact split between environmental, social and governance topics would depend on the company's priorities at the time.

One likely challenge is data quality. Supplier ESG and risk information often arrives incomplete, inconsistent or late, and you would need to validate it across internal systems and third-party platforms while keeping governance standards intact. That can be frustrating when reporting deadlines are fixed but supplier responses are not. Another challenge is balancing operational efficiency with risk management. The role asks you to identify and remove process bottlenecks while also ensuring compliance, and those two goals can pull in different directions. Procurement teams may want faster onboarding, while risk and ESG requirements demand more checks. Influencing without direct authority could also be difficult. You would need to convince suppliers and internal stakeholders to act on ESG and risk findings, sometimes where the commercial incentive is not immediately obvious. In a fast-changing biotechnology environment, priorities can shift, so maintaining momentum on supplier programmes may require persistence.

A typical day likely starts with checking incoming supplier data and updating the risk dashboard, then moving into meetings with direct or indirect procurement teams to review onboarding, contracting or compliance queries. You might spend part of the morning screening a new supplier for sanctions, modern slavery or cybersecurity flags, and the afternoon validating ESG metrics for a report or chasing missing information from a vendor. Because the role spans governance, ESG and operational procurement, the work is varied and often reactive. Urgent supplier issues or audit requests could pull you away from planned analysis, so balancing scheduled reporting with ad hoc risk checks is part of the rhythm. You would interact regularly with procurement colleagues, finance, legal and sustainability contacts, and occasionally with suppliers themselves. The pace at a company with global operations and customers in over 125 countries means time zone coordination and clear written updates matter.

The role sits within procurement but touches ESG, risk and governance, which creates several possible directions. You could deepen into supply chain sustainability, move toward procurement category management, or specialize in risk and compliance. At a company of Oxford Nanopore's size, with global operations, internal moves into sustainability, finance or legal teams are plausible over time. Because the role involves reporting to management and advising stakeholders, there is visibility beyond the immediate team. Successfully improving supplier ESG programmes or reducing risk exposure could position you for a more senior analyst or manager role. The breadth of the remit, from data to policy to supplier negotiation, gives you material to build a strong internal profile. Growth would likely depend on how the company's ESG function evolves. If supplier programmes expand, the person in this role could take on more programme design and less data collection, which is a common progression in supply chain sustainability careers.

The closest working relationships would be with the Direct and Indirect procurement teams, since the role explicitly supports their ESG and risk objectives. You would also coordinate with finance on supplier integration and company finance understanding, and with legal or compliance colleagues on sanctions, anti-bribery and modern slavery questions. Sustainability or ESG leads may rely on your data for broader reporting. Externally, suppliers are central. You would work with them to achieve mutual ESG objectives, gather data, resolve screening flags and support onboarding. Third-party platforms used for risk and ESG data would also be part of your routine, along with occasional contact with auditors or assessors if the company undergoes supply chain reviews. The nature of these interactions is a mix of influence and coordination. You are not simply collecting data, you are asking suppliers and internal teams to change or improve practices, which requires clear communication and negotiation skills.