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Sustainability Manager (Data and Analytics)

The Bank of East Asia (BEA) Hong Kong Added on Jul 24, 2026
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You will serve as the technical lead for the bank’s net zero roadmap, focusing specifically on the complex world of financed emissions. Rather than just reporting numbers, you will own the end-to-end process of measuring and baselining high-carbon sectoral portfolios. Your daily routine involves bridging the gap between raw financial data and actionable decarbonization strategies, ensuring the group meets its long-term climate commitments across its vast lending and investment operations.

This role is critical because it tackles the ‘Scope 3’ challenge for a major financial institution in Asia. By developing a sophisticated ESG data platform, you directly influence how capital is allocated toward more sustainable outcomes in the Chinese Mainland and beyond. It is a rare opportunity to turn abstract environmental targets into cold, hard data points that drive real-world transition planning and institutional change within a century-old banking group.

This suit someone who possesses a high degree of quantitative fluency and a deep curiosity about carbon accounting. You should be comfortable navigating both data science environments and high-level stakeholder meetings.

Job FAQs

What are the main missions and responsibilities of this role?

The primary focus of this role is the implementation and monitoring of financed emissions, which represent the most significant portion of a bank's carbon footprint. You will be responsible for measuring and baselining high-carbon portfolios, ensuring the group stays on track with its net zero commitments through rigorous data analysis. Beyond technical measurement, you will drive the development of the bank's ESG data platform. This involves creating data dictionaries, ensuring data lineage, and identifying gaps that need to be filled by third-party sources to provide a 360-degree view of the bank’s environmental impact. You will also be a key contributor to strategic transition planning. This includes providing quantitative input for target setting, portfolio alignment, and climate scenario analysis, which are shared directly with the ESG Steering Committee to guide the bank's long-term sustainability strategy.

Key learning opportunities for this job

Candidates will gain deep expertise in PCAF-aligned carbon accounting and the specific methodologies required for tracking emissions in banking portfolios. This is currently one of the most sought-after skill sets in the sustainable finance recruitment market. You will also gain significant exposure to fintech and data governance modules as you help build the bank's dedicated ESG infrastructure. This includes hands-on experience with data visualization tools and potentially using Python for complex environmental data modeling. Furthermore, the role offers a front-row seat to the evolving regulatory landscape of Greater China and Southeast Asia. You will learn how to navigate different regional standards and how to translate global net zero frameworks into local banking operations.

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

The ideal candidate brings at least five years of experience, preferably within a sizable financial institution or sustainability consultancy. A background in computer science, statistics, or green finance is essential to handle the quantitative rigor of the role. Technical proficiency is a major differentiator; experience with Tableau, Python, and advanced Excel is highly valued as you will be working closely with the Data Science department. You should also demonstrate a thorough understanding of transition planning and carbon accounting standards. As the role requires coordination across Hong Kong and Mainland China branches, fluency in Cantonese and Putonghua is required. Strong interpersonal skills are necessary to explain complex data findings to non-technical business units and senior management.

Advice to stand out and make a successful application

Focus your application on your analytical track record. Instead of just listing ESG knowledge, provide examples of where you have managed large datasets or built models that led to actionable business insights or improved reporting accuracy. Since this role is heavily skewed toward 'financed emissions', highlighting any familiarity with the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials (PCAF) or the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for financial institutions will make you stand out from generalist candidates. Prepare to discuss how you bridge the gap between IT/Data units and Sustainability units. Showing that you can speak both 'languages' will demonstrate your ability to drive the ESG data platform project forward effectively.

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

The core focus is decarbonization of the lending and investment portfolio. While many companies focus on operational footprints, this role is dedicated to the 'Scope 3' impact of a bank's financial activities, specifically targeting high-carbon sectors. You will also support the Green and Sustainable Finance framework, helping to ensure that the bank's products and portfolio growth are aligned with its internal ESG risk appetite and international sustainability performance targets. Lastly, there is a strong emphasis on governance and transparency. By strengthening the data dictionary and lineage, the role ensures that the bank's ESG claims are backed by robust, auditable data, reducing 'greenwashing' risks at an institutional level.

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

One of the steepest challenges will be data quality and availability. Financed emissions data is notoriously difficult to collect from clients, and you will need to find creative ways to use proxies or third-party datasets to create accurate baselines. You might also face internal hurdles when aligning business units with net zero targets. Balancing the bank's commercial goals with strict carbon target setting requires diplomacy and a clear presentation of climate-related risks and opportunities. The rapidly changing regulatory environment in Hong Kong and China means you must stay constantly updated on new taxonomy and reporting requirements, ensuring the data platform remains compliant and future-proof.

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

A typical day might begin with a technical check-in with the Data Science team to review the progress of the ESG data dictionary or to solve a data lineage issue within the banking systems. Midday might be spent analyzing sectoral emissions data, running scenario analysis models to see how the current lending portfolio compares against the bank's 2030 or 2050 net zero milestones. Your afternoon could involve cross-functional meetings with risk managers or business heads from mainland branches to discuss transition planning, followed by drafting a progress report for the ESG Steering Committee to highlight key performance indicators.

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

This role offers a clear path toward Senior Management in Sustainable Finance. Given the increasing importance of data in ESG, establishing yourself as the 'owner' of the bank's data platform provides high visibility with senior executives and board members. There are also opportunities for regional specialization. By working across BEA’s network in Hong Kong, China, and overseas, you can become an expert in cross-border ESG compliance and transition finance strategies. As the bank's sustainability department matures, you could eventually move into strategic risk management or lead larger teams focused on climate-related financial disclosures (TCFD) and integrated reporting.

The main stakeholders you might be interacting with

Your primary internal collaboration will be with the Data Science & Governance Department, working to integrate ESG metrics into the bank's core IT and information architecture. You will also work closely with Business Units and Risk Management. These stakeholders rely on your data to understand their own portfolios' carbon intensity and to adjust their lending strategies accordingly. Externally, you will engage with ESG consultants and sustainability practitioners to exchange best practices, as well as third-party data providers to source the information necessary for accurate climate modeling.

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