Research Associate in Sustainable Finance

Job id: 084768. Salary: £43,205 – £47,978 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 19 February 2024. Closing date: 19 March 2024.

Business unit: King’s Business School. Department: Strategy, Intl Mgt & Entrepreneurship.

Contact details:Professor Jonatan Pinkse. [email protected]

Location: Strand Campus. Category: Research.

Job description
About King’s Business School  

King’s Business School (KBS) is a leading, highly-ranked business school with global reach situated in the heart of London. We undertake ground-breaking research to improve the way people do business and we engage with organisations around the world to create real value for society. There are presently 140 academic staff across the School, with a full range of undergraduate, masters and PhD programmes and a growing focus on executive education.  

About Centre for Sustainable Business  

We have secured significant funding to support the development of the new Centre for Sustainable Business (CSB), an inclusive, forward-thinking hub dedicated to driving meaningful change. CSB embodies a collaborative approach, working together with a broad array of stakeholders – from academia, industry, public sector, and civil society – to foster innovative solutions that address the pressing sustainability challenges of our time. We believe that interdisciplinary research and collaboration are key to shaping a more sustainable and equitable business landscape. By intertwining the insights of diverse disciplines, we strive to generate transformative ideas and policies that not only redefine business practices but also contribute to the global sustainability agenda.  

About the role 

We are now seeking a Post-Doctoral Research Associate with an interest in sustainable finance and business models. The selected candidate will play a key role in continuing to shape and develop our research work and publishing findings in high-quality journals. 

Collaborative impact: 

The postholder will work with our academic team and dynamic network of partners to shape and drive our research agenda. This will include carrying out research related to how firms fund their transition to net zero, attract investors for their sustainable business initiatives, and develop business models that are both financially viable and effective in their sustainability impact. The postholder will also work on the development of relevant grant applications and contribute to the development of our external communications -ranging from publications for academic and business audiences to executive education – on the topic.  

Bridging worlds: 

We are looking for a PhD graduate who has an interest in topics related to sustainable finance, business models, and climate change, with excellent written and verbal communication and organisational skills. The postholder will be working at the interface between academia and practice, and so will need to have a good understanding of the needs and priorities of these groups. The role may involve occasional travel to gather data from organisations and present findings at academic conferences. 

Learning opportunities: 

The postholder will be located in the Centre for Sustainable Business on our Strand Campus. There is a vibrant research community within KBS working on sustainable finance and the postholder will be invited to engage in group discussions, enlightening seminars, and other events. 

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 3 years from 1st April 2024 until 31st March 2027 

This is a full-time post – 100% full time equivalent 

Key responsibilities

• To carry out research that will lead to new insights about sustainable finance of business initiatives for net zero
• To research and write a) articles in high quality academic journals b) thought-pieces and case-studies for practitioners
• Where relevant, to extend our existing links further to foster collaborations with other research groups
• To contribute to outreach and public engagement activities, where relevant, and work to raise the profile of the Centre for Sustainable Business within King’s and externally
• To take an active role in writing funding applications
• To undertake a range of duties as an active member of the Centre for Sustainable business

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1.       PhD degree in a relevant subject area

2.       Knowledge of the literature on sustainable finance, business models, and climate change

3.       Experience in using quantitative and qualitative research methods

4.       Experience in writing for an academic audience, demonstrated by relevant publications

5.       Experience in writing for a non-academic audience

6.       Experience in verbal presentations to non-academic audiences

7.       Strong organisational skills

8.       Strong inter-personal skills

9.       Effective team-player able to work to deadlines

Desirable criteria

1.       Experience in writing winning grant applications

2.       Established track record of research on sustainable finance, climate finance, transition finance, or carbon accounting and disclosure

3.       Experience in creating research with practitioners (for example: engaged scholarship methods)

4.       Experience with the use of text mining techniques for data analysis

* Please note that this is a PhD level role but candidates who have submitted their thesis and are awaiting award of their PhDs will be considered. In these circumstances the appointment will be made at Grade 5, spine point 30 with the title of Research Assistant. Upon confirmation of the award of the PhD, the job title will become Research Associate and the salary will increase to Grade 6.