ESG-DD Senior Consultant / Principal Consultant

The posting

Steer is a global consultancy specialising in the critical services and infrastructure that make our world work.

From transport to energy and technology to education, we’re trusted to deliver powerful solutions that make a measurable difference – to our clients, the communities we work in and the world we share. We work for government departments, local and city authorities, developers, and private sector operators and investors. We develop strategies, policies, and masterplans; design and make the case for new transport infrastructure and services; and provide financial and advisory services.

The Senior / Principal Consultant – ESG Due Diligence (DD) plays a key role in supporting the delivery of ESG due diligence and advisory assignments across infrastructure, mobility, and energy sectors. The role combines technical ESG analysis, transaction support, and client-facing delivery, working closely with the ESG-DD Lead.

The successful candidate will contribute to high-quality ESG-DD outputs, support investor and lender advisory, and progressively take ownership of workstreams within complex transactions and strategic ESG mandates.

Key Responsibilities

ESG Due Diligence Delivery (Core Role)

· Support the delivery of buy-side and sell-side ESG due diligence assignments, including:

– Data room review and document analysis;

– ESG risk identification and materiality assessment;

– Site visits and stakeholder engagement.

· Undertake detailed analysis of environmental, social, and governance risks, including climate impacts, health & safety, labour practices, and governance structures.

· Apply structured ESG-DD processes, including screening, deep-dive analysis, and mitigation planning.

· Prepare ESG-DD sections of reports, ensuring clarity, consistency, and alignment with investor/lender expectations

· Support development of risk registers, ESG scoring, and action plans.

Support to Investor, Fund & Lender Advisory

· Assist in advising infrastructure investors, private equity funds, and lenders on ESG risks and opportunities linked to transactions.

· Support the development of ESG due diligence frameworks, screening tools, and assessment templates.

· Contribute to investment committee papers and lender reports, including integration of ESG findings into commercial narratives.

· Support fund-level ESG advisory tasks, including:

– ESG policy reviews and gap analyses;

– Benchmarking against regulatory frameworks (e.g., EU Taxonomy, CSRD, SFDR).

· Assist in analysing ESG considerations relevant to sustainable finance instruments (e.g., green loans, sustainability-linked financing).

ESG Strategy & Value Creation Support

· Conduct analysis to identify ESG-driven value creation opportunities, such as decarbonisation, operational improvements, and social impact enhancements.

· Support development of ESG KPIs, targets, and monitoring frameworks.

· Assist in integrating ESG findings into asset business plans and investment strategies.

Project Delivery & Workstream Ownership

· Take ownership of specific ESG-DD workstreams, managing day-to-day delivery under the guidance of the ESG-DD Lead.

· Coordinate inputs from internal specialists (technical, financial, environmental).

· Ensure timely delivery of high-quality outputs, aligned with scope, budget, and deadlines.

· Support quality assurance processes and ensure consistency with Steer methodologies.

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

· Support client interactions through:

– Preparation of presentations and reports; and

– Participation in client meetings and workshops.

· Clearly communicate ESG risks, findings, and recommendations in a concise and structured manner.

· Build relationships with clients, advisors, and stakeholders, supporting long-term engagement.

Business Development Support

· Contribute to proposal preparation, bid documentation, and marketing materials.

· Support market research and identification of ESG advisory opportunities.

· Assist in developing thought leadership on ESG in infrastructure and transport.

Team Contribution

· Work collaboratively within multidisciplinary teams.

· Support mentoring of junior analysts and graduates (particularly at Principal level).

· Contribute to internal knowledge development and continuous improvement of ESG tools and methods.

Requirements

Essential

· 4–8+ years (Senior) / 6–10+ years (Principal) of experience in:

– ESG due diligence / sustainability advisory / transaction advisory; and

– Infrastructure, transport, energy, or real assets sectors.

· Experience supporting ESG-DD assignments in M&A, project finance, or PPP/P3 contexts.

· Strong understanding of ESG principles, risks, and regulatory landscape.

· Familiarity with ESG frameworks and standards (e.g., GRI, SASB, TCFD, EU Taxonomy).

· Strong analytical and report-writing skills.

Desirable

· Experience working with investors, lenders, or advisory firms.

· Exposure to fund-level ESG policies or sustainable finance frameworks.

· Background in engineering, environmental science, economics, or finance.

· Progress toward or holding relevant professional qualifications.

Core Competencies

· ESG technical knowledge: Ability to assess ESG risks and impacts in infrastructure projects.

· Analytical capability: Strong problem-solving and structured thinking.

· Commercial awareness: Understanding how ESG impacts investment decisions and asset performance.

· Communication: Clear and concise report writing and presentation skills.

· Organisation: Ability to manage multiple workstreams and deadlines.

· Collaboration: Effective team working in multidisciplinary environments.

Role within ESG-DD Team Structure

The Senior / Principal Consultant operates as a key delivery resource within the ESG-DD team, with responsibilities including:

· Supporting the ESG-DD Lead on complex transactions and advisory mandates.

· Managing discrete workstreams independently.

· Acting as a bridge between junior analysts and senior leadership.

· Contributing to technical excellence and consistency across projects.

At Principal level, the role also includes increased client exposure, partial project leadership, and mentoring responsibilities.

Success Factors

· Delivery of high-quality ESG-DD analyses and reporting outputs.

· Strong contribution to transaction advisory and client deliverables.

· Ability to operate with increasing autonomy on complex assignments.

· Positive feedback from clients and internal stakeholders.

· Contribution to team growth, knowledge sharing, and business development.

Benefits

Why join us

We believe in empowering our people and giving them the opportunities to shine. As an employee-owned company means that our team are dedicated and passionate about what they do, and that’s the reason why we are at the forefront of our industry.

Steer has 5 offices in the UK: London, Leeds, Hemel Hempstead, Manchester and Birmingham.

Steer is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all candidates regardless of race, color, ancestry, gender identity or expression, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, Veteran status, or any other legally protected status. Any other human expressions and experiences not mentioned here are equally welcome. If you require an accommodation, now or throughout your employment, please let us know.

Compensation

Steer is committed to ensuring that all its employees are compensated a fair, liveable wage. All initial compensation, regardless of location, may be subject to change as skills, abilities, internal equity and geographic location are taken into account.

In addition to base salary, all employees will be eligible for an annual discretionary performance bonus. P

Steer reserves the right to ultimately pay more or less than the posted range and offer additional compensation.

Work Environment

All Steer employees seeking a full-time opportunity are encouraged to spend 60% of their time either in the office or on-site with clients. An employee’s typical work week consists of 37.5 hours (Hours, expectations, and exemption status will be adjusted for any applicant seeking a part-time opportunity.)

We understand that some may be dissuaded to apply based off their compatibility with the job description. That being said, we understand that not everyone is a perfect match on paper and encourage anyone to apply regardless of how much their work experience directly relates to the job description.

Part-time and flexible working applications will be considered.

Ready to apply? Just complete our brief online application form and attach your CV.