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ISF is hiring for the position of Executive Director (Academic)

January 29, 2025

The Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF) at Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, is searching for an Executive Director (Academic) to establish a strategic vision, provide leadership and academic oversight, and ensure the continued financial viability of ISF over the next several years. The position is open to both internal full-time faculty members at Queen’s University and external faculty members at other Canadian institutions with strong leadership capabilities and established sustainable finance credibility. The position will remain open until filled.

Position overview

The Executive Director (Academic) provides leadership and oversight for the Institute for Sustainable Finance (ISF). They will be responsible for developing and implementing the strategic vision for ISF for the next five years, focused on making ISF the preeminent centre for the creation and dissemination of academic research on sustainable finance in Canada. The candidate should have relevant expertise in finance, accounting, or related fields, and established credibility as a thought leader in sustainable finance. The candidate must be able to drive collaborative research and program initiatives across industry, government, and academia in Canada.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement:

  • Position ISF as a hub for research, dialogue, and coordination about sustainable finance among government, academia, industry, and other stakeholders
  • Foster collaborations with key organizations, including government bodies, regulatory authorities, financial institutions, academic partners, and international policy institutes (think tanks)
  • Curate, moderate, and manage thought-provoking discussions about these issues by accessing a global network of practitioners and academic specialists
  • Proactively build robust relationships with Board-level, C-suite, and academic subject matter specialists to better understand critical research questions
  • Facilitate deeper collaboration among ISF’s Advisory Board members and external partners – a key responsibility will be developing an engagement strategy which enhances ISF’s value proposition in research and collaboration
Research and Collaboration: 
  • Promote a culture of research excellence and knowledge dissemination in sustainable finance in collaboration with Smith School of Business leadership 
  • Work with the ISF Team and Research Fellows to strengthen engagement opportunities and peer learning 
  • Work collaboratively with faculty and staff at Smith School of Business, Queen’s University, and other institutions to achieve core objectives 
 Impact Measurement and Reporting: 
  • Develop and implement frameworks to measure ISF’s impact on sustainable finance, ensuring outcomes are effectively communicated to stakeholders 
Critical Objectives in Year One: 
  • Refresh ISF’s vision and strategy to align with emerging priorities in sustainable finance 
  • Strengthen ISF’s national research profile 

Experience and qualifications

Essential Qualifications: 
ISF’s work rests on the definition of sustainable finance provided by the Canadian Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance, which defines it as capital flows (reflected in lending and investment), risk management (insurance and risk assessment) and financial processes (accounting, disclosure, valuation and oversight) that assimilate environmental and social factors as a means of promoting sustainable economic growth and the long term stability of the Canadian financial system. 
 
Therefore, it is essential that candidates have:
  • Curiosity and understanding of sustainable finance informed by research and experience 
  • Be knowledgeable about the most important long-term sustainable finance issues faced by Canadian financial institutions considering global developments and the impact on the Canadian economy 
  • Extensive experience in producing and managing sustainable finance-related research (on topics related to climate risk, climate transition, disclosures, carbon emissions, finance taxonomy, green policies, carbon markets, carbon pricing, ESG, shareholder activism, and others) 
  • Proven ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences, including academics, executives, and board members
Desirable Experience: 
  • Background in finance, accounting, operations research, strategy, or related fields 
  • Strong relationship-building skills 
  • Experience in managing staff teams and coordinating faculty 
Key Competencies: 
  • Strong leadership and decision-making capabilities 
  • Strategic thinker with a results-driven approach 
  • Commitment to advancing sustainable finance through innovation and research excellence 
  • Excellent collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively with various departments and external partners 
If you are interested in applying for this important leadership role, please submit to ISF Interim Executive Director, Maya Saryyeva (maya.saryyeva@queensu.ca) your CV and a detailed cover letter describing your interest in the position, relevant experience and capabilities, and any other information that will assist the committee in understanding how you will be successful in this role.

About the Institute for Sustainable Finance

The Institute for Sustainable Finance was launched in 2019 as the first-ever cross-cutting and collaborative hub in Canada that fuses academia, the private sector, and government with the singular focus of increasing Canada’s sustainable finance capacity. The institute's mission is to align mainstream financial markets with Canada’s transition to a prosperous sustainable economy.

Contact

Maya Saryyeva
Interim Executive Director, Institute for Sustainable Finance
maya.saryyeva@queensu.ca