Portfolio Research and Programme Fellow

Note: Applications that come in through this platform will not be considered.

To apply:

Please send a short cover email and your CV to hello@ventureesg.com. Please indicate any planned holidays in your email.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, however preference will be given to candidates available to start no later than end August 2025.

 

Duration: Six months (with possibility of extension), part-time (1.5 days per week)

Start date: start ASAP

Pay: £1500 per calendar month (not on PAYE; the successful candidate will be responsible for all relevant tax / national insurance obligations in accordance with UK law).

Location: hybrid (with flexible in-person days in London)

 

About VentureESG:

VentureESG is a London-based not-for-profit organisation working with 500+ VC funds and 100+ LPs and asset owners, globally, on meaningful ESG integration across the VC value chain. We raise awareness of responsible investing and ESG principles through our training of LPs, VCs and venture-backed companies, our research work, our curriculum of events, and our creation of fit-for-purpose tools and resources. We punch way above our weight! Since 2021, we have run training and knowledge-building programmes specifically tailored to the venture capital industry and their venture-backed companies, supporting more than 1250 participants globally, from over 800 organisations in over 50 countries across 25+ sectors.

 

Focus of this role:

Value and impact in the venture ecosystem is driven through the entrepreneurs building the businesses of tomorrow. And yet, we continue to struggle to deploy a robust and consistent approach to ESG within venture-backed companies. For example, only 21% of start-ups analysed by VentureESG regularly consider sustainability on the board agenda.

We have made substantial progress in engaging and training investors to integrate ESG into their processes. We are now placing greater focus on embedding ESG standards into portfolio companies. This project will build on the existing work delivered by ESG_VC, which merged with VentureESG earlier this year, in providing knowledge-building programmes, resources, tools, and events that offer practical support to companies on the issues that matter most to their future growth.

The research fellow will help us to roll out and run our new Portfolio programme:

• Play a lead role in the creation of content for our pilot programme
• Conduct desk- and interview-based research on sustainability practices of VC-backed portfolio companies
• Develop case studies and tools to support the embedding of sustainability at portfolio level
• Provide administrative, event and project management support for the portfolio work stream
• Support the scoping of future projects and initiatives

 

Role requirements:

• You have experience in start-ups and a demonstrable interest in sustainability or ESG.
• You have (qualitative) research experience, ideally working with venture-backed SMEs or micro businesses, or another kind of expert community.
• You’re willing to work with a high level of autonomy, such as to take the initiative and feel confident in proactively engaging our community and stakeholders.
• You are organised and a structured thinker, used to facilitating and supporting a high degree of coordination and collaboration (working closely with the co-heads who also work part time)
• Your English-language communication skills — written and verbal — are strong.
• You have the right to work in the UK.

 

To apply:

Please send a short cover email and your CV to hello@ventureesg.com. Please indicate any planned holidays in your email.

Deadline: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, however preference will be given to candidates available to start no later than end August 2025.

Note: Applications that come in through this platfrom will not be considered.

 

We welcome applications from any location and background; we actively seek to reach a diverse pool of candidates and are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that potential employees may need to in order to be successful. We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life, so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working, including working from home, compressed hours and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.