As the ESG Lead at One Acre Fund, you will play a critical role in shaping and managing our comprehensive Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) strategy. Reporting to the Head of the People Division with regular engagement with the Office of the CEO, you will oversee the development, implementation, and tracking of ESG policies and systems.

This position demands a collaborative person capable of integrating ESG principles across our organization, ensuring compliance with global and local standards, and fostering a culture of accountability and improvement. The ESG Lead will coordinate across teams to achieve One Acre Fund’s ESG commitments, address emerging risks, and enhance the organization’s long-term sustainability and social impact
Responsibilities

Global ESG Strategy and Risk Management

Oversee the organization-wide ESG tracking system.

Audit compliance with ESG policies and lead improvements in collaboration with relevant teams.

Serve as the organizational representative on ESG to internal and external stakeholders, including donors, investors, and the board.

Monitor industry trends and propose updates to One Acre Fund’s ESG policies to align with best practices.

Develop fluency on our donor and investor-specific ESG commitments, and manage our global system to inform donors and investors about ESG events and changes, in close coordination with the Business Development and Investor Relations team.

Staff Protection.

Ensure compliance with occupational safety and health requirements across countries in coordination with in-country Health, Safety, and Security (HSS) leads.

Build and execute anti-sexual harassment projects to reduce risks, support reporting, and aid victims.

Environment Protection

Collaborate with the Sustainability Lead to ensure compliance with Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) and other environmental commitments.

Support the Impact Team in achieving measurable environmental benefits acrossprograms.

Cross-Functional Coordination

Work closely with teams, including Impact, People, Business Development, InvestorRelations, and Legal, to ensure ESG commitments are understood and executed effectively.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

8+ years of experience in ESG, sustainability, or risk management, preferably in a multinational African context.

Proven ability to manage organizational systems and lead compliance or audit functions.

Strong collaboration skills, with experience coordinating across diverse teams and geographies.

Expertise in occupational safety, anti-harassment, client/community safeguarding, and environmental compliance.

Excellent project management, analytical, and communication skills.

Bachelor’s degree in a related field (e.g., sustainability, environmental studies, HR, or risk management).

Proficiency in English; additional languages relevant to our operational regions are valued.