Manager or Senior Manager – Sustainability / Climate Reporting

BDO Australia is seeking a Manager or Senior Manager for its Sustainability/Climate Reporting team in Sydney. The role involves managing sustainability and climate-related financial reporting projects, advising clients on reporting frameworks, and collaborating with various teams. Key responsibilities include leading engagements, mentoring junior staff, and developing market materials. The ideal candidate is an experienced sustainability professional focused on client service and project management.
About BDO

At BDO Australia, our why is ‘empowering people, realising possibilities’. One way we bring this to life is by hiring and developing exceptional talent, to deliver on our wide array of audit, tax and advisory services.

About the Role

The CFO Advisory team is focused on the provision of subject-matter reporting and finance function advisory to existing and new BDO clients.

Our team specialises in subject-matter reporting and finance function advisory. As one of its service offerings, we deliver sustainability/climate reporting to existing and new BDO clients.

More broadly, the team also provides services that deliver fit-for-purpose outcomes to our clients, including strategic accounting (including financial, corporate and mandatory sustainability reporting), carbon emissions accounting, finance function advisory, and assurance readiness.

About the opportunity

This role will sit within the Sustainability team in Sydney and will manage the delivery of sustainability and climate-related financial reporting projects.

This is a client-facing consulting role which requires the application of sustainability reporting frameworks and standards (e.g. IFRS S2, TCFD, GRI) to finance, data gathering and reporting process-related service delivery experiences. There will be a particular focus on preparing our clients for mandatory climate reporting in Australia.

The role will also manage and oversee individual and team workload, using project management skills to deliver exceptional service outcomes for all clients. There will be collaboration with other BDO service lines and the broader Sustainability team in Sydney and nationally.

Key responsibilities:
• Advise clients across a range of sectors on value-creating and bespoke sustainability and climate-related financial reporting solutions to address sustainability opportunities and challenges.
• Scope of engagements will include voluntary and mandatory reporting assessments and climate-related financial disclosures.
• Types of engagements may include evaluating appropriateness of sustainability reporting frameworks, gap assessments, report preparation and pre-assurance, roadmap development, climate-related risks and opportunities, data collection transformation support and financial modelling
• Lead multiple teams across various disciplines and teams, reviewing and approving the output, and coaching and mentoring individuals in building their skillsets and capabilities.
• Liaise with client senior management, C-Suite and Boards to ensure engagement objectives are met and engagement risks are mitigated.
• Develop market facing materials about BDO’s sustainability practice (e.g. thought leadership articles, presentations) and contribute to internal capability building through the development of tools and training.
• Support in developing and optimising national sustainability and climate methodologies to help drive efficiency and consistency across the broader sustainability team.
• Mentor and guide junior team members during client engagements and supporting their professional development.
• Understand and apply the firm’s quality and professional delivery standards required to deliver sustainability services.

About you

Our ideal candidate is a passionate and experienced sustainability professional who thrives in a dynamic and client-focused environment. You are an analytical thinker with a strong ability to manage complex projects and lead diverse teams. Your excellent communication skills enable you to build strong relationships with senior stakeholders and clients. You are committed to delivering high-quality outcomes and are driven by a desire to make a positive impact on sustainability and climate reporting.

You'll also need the following to ensure your success:
• CA or CPA qualified OR tertiary qualification/s in a related discipline.
• Strong sustainability consulting experience across multiple sectors and engagement types gained within leading professional services firms, with track record of delivery.
• Strong project management, presentation, facilitation, analytical, written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrable experience and knowledge of sustainability-related reporting solutions for clients in response to reporting challenges (TCFD, IFRS S2). Of particular importance is exposure to or working with climate-related topics including carbon accounting, climate risk and opportunities, scenario analysis and financial impact assessments.
• T he ability to determine qualitative and quantitative financial impacts of climate-related risks and opportunities on businesses would be highly advantageous.
• Demonstrable experience working with senior stakeholders across a broad range of clients and industries. Experience working with senior and C-Suite stakeholders across a broad range of clients and industries.
• Ability to thrive in a collaborative and innovative culture focused on developing strategic solutions that create long term value for clients.
• Attention to detail and delivery of high-quality client deliverables.
• E xperience managing and developing staff, particularly coaching junior members of the team

Why BDO?

Working for BDO you will be part of a growing and market leading professional services firm.

Our national and global footprint provides our people with opportunities to work on interesting client engagements, across diverse industry sectors and services.

Our open and collaborative culture ensures access to Partners and professional mentors, to guide and accelerate your professional career, across a wide array of career pathways.

We provide our people with various health and wellbeing, social, financial, and professional development benefits to help realise what’s possible.

Participate in fitness challenges or take advantage of exclusive discounts to corporate health insurance, gym memberships and wellness facilities via our BWell program. Access benefits such as travel perks, retail discounts, free breakfast, employee referral rewards, study, and professional development support.

Our leave options cater to the unique needs of our people; and include enhanced family support, cultural and religious leave, and options to purchase additional leave. You can also give back and get involved in community initiatives via our BCaring program.

With a strong focus on learning and growth, we provide on the job training and formal development programs to help you succeed in your role and develop your skills and experience.

Our culture is underpinned by our core values (One, Bold, Human, Heart and Strive). We are proud to be recognised as an Inclusive Employer by the Diversity Council of Australia and an Employer of Choice by the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA).