Sustainability Research Lead

Sustainability Research Lead, Dublin

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Date: 5 Feb 2026

Location: Dublin, IE, IE

Company: Allied Irish Bank

Location/Office Policy: Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 with Hybrid Working (3 days per week in the office)

• Do you have deep experience in Economics, Finance or Sustainability?
• Do you want to join a growing team playing a central role in sustainability strategy and thought leadership for AIB?
• Is a dynamic environment where analytical rigour, responsiveness, and cross-functional collaboration are essential where you want to be?

What is the Role:

The Group Strategy & Sustainability team is a group function responsible for development of the group’s medium term strategy and embedding sustainable practices across the group. Led by the Group’s Chief Strategy and Sustainability Officer, the team brings a solution-oriented mindset to progress an array of local and global challenges.

The Sustainability Research team sits within Group Strategy & Sustainability and is the bank’s centre of expertise for sustainability research / thought leadership, portfolio-level climate and nature materiality assessment, sustainability strategy development, and decarbonisation models and analytics. We are recruiting for two senior team lead roles to strengthen our analytical and research capability across two separate areas:

Across both positions, you will lead specialist teams to further the Group’s work on sustainability and provide data-driven insights for strategic decision-making, risk management, and sustainability commitments. You will report into the Head of Sustainability Research, helping to shape the Group’s understanding of climate and nature impacts and support the transition to a sustainable, resilient business model. 

This is an opportunity to join a growing team playing a central role in sustainability strategy and thought leadership for the Group.

Key accountabilities;

Candidates may be aligned to one or more streams based on experience and skillset.

1. Decarbonisation Analytics

• Lead a small team of specialists to develop and maintain the Group’s decarbonisation and transition-pathway models.
• Apply leading methodologies (e.g., NZBA, SBTi, PCAF, IEA scenarios) to ensure modelling remains accurate, credible, and up-to-date.
• Generate insights from modelling outputs and work across the Sustainability Research function to integrate insights to strategic planning, target setting, and portfolio steering.
• Collaborate with risk, data, strategy and business teams to integrate modelling insights into decision-making.
• Produce briefings and governance papers for senior executives.
• Track global developments in decarbonisation pathways, methodological developments, and regulatory expectations, ensuring AIB’s approach is in line with best practice.

2. Sustainability Materiality Assessment

• Conduct portfolio-level climate and nature materiality assessments using a suite of quantitative and qualitative tools (including horizon scanning exercises and heatmaps).
• Keep abreast of the latest developments in frameworks and methodologies, including regulatory guidance, to enhance approach to measuring climate and nature risk.
• Deliver clear insights and recommendations to inform the Group’s strategy, risk management, and disclosures.
• Produce briefings and governance papers for senior executives.
• Collaborate with risk and business stakeholders to embed materiality insights across the Group.
• Collaborate across the Sustainability Research function to integrate insights to strategic planning, target setting, and portfolio steering.
• Develop excellent relations with stakeholders across the organisation to support the production and delivery of research outputs and reports.

What you Will Bring ;

• Economics, Finance or Sustainability-focussed background with 8+ years experience in financial services, public policy, industry or academia.
• Experience in producing high-quality analysis and output to guide executive-level decision making.
• Ability to collaborate across diverse business areas and stakeholder groups.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills and well-developed interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate and present to senior stakeholders.

Why Work for AIB:

We are committed to offering our colleagues choice and flexibility in how we work and live and our hybrid working model enables our people to balance their time between working from home and their designated office, subject to their role, the needs of our customers and business requirements.

Some of our benefits include;

• Market leading Pension Scheme
• Healthcare Scheme
• Variable Pay
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Family leave options
• Two volunteer days per year

Please click here for further information about AIB’s PACT – Our Commitment to You.

Key Capabilities:

• Depth of Technical Knowledge
• Data Analysis
• Finance and Economic Trends
• Strategy Development
• Stakeholder Management
• Drives Progress

If you are not sure about your suitability based on any aspects of the role advertised, we encourage you to please contact the Recruiter for this role, Noelle Ryan, at careers@aib.ie for a conversation.

AIB is an equal opportunities employer, and we pride ourselves on being the first bank in Ireland to receive the Investors in Diversity Gold Standard accreditation from the Irish Centre for Diversity. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees. Should you have a reasonable accommodation request please email the Talent Acquisition team at careers@aib.ie

Disclaimer: 

Unsolicited CV’s sent to AIB by Recruitment Agencies will not be accepted for this position. AIB operates a direct sourcing model and where agency assistance is required, the Talent Acquisition team will engage directly with our recruitment partners.

Application deadline : Thursday 19th February (just before midnight)

Job Segment: Recruiting, Strategic Planning, Risk Management, Bank, Banking, Human Resources, Strategy, Finance

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