Director of Voting
and Engagement
Lead transformational change at the UK's foremost champion of responsible investment
🌍 About PIRC
Pensions & Investment Research Consultants (PIRC) is Europe's largest independent corporate governance and shareholder advisory consultancy. Founded by eight UK local authority pension funds in 1986, PIRC has been a pioneer and fearless champion of responsible investment for over 40 years.
PIRC provides voting and engagement services to pension funds, helping them exercise their ownership rights and reduce ESG risks. The firm is independently owned and works exclusively for investors - never issuers - ensuring unconflicted, robust analysis.
🚀 A Pivotal Moment for PIRC
PIRC's two founders have just stepped down from the board. CEO Paul Hunter now has free reign to revolutionise the organisation - making it more dynamic, professional, and commercial while staying true to its mission of responsible stewardship.
This is effectively a Deputy CEO role. You'll work directly with Paul on policy, strategy, and key decisions, while leading the managers of PIRC's voting and engagement workstreams day-to-day.
⭐ Why This Role Matters
This is your chance to help shape the future of one of the UK's most influential responsible investment organisations during a critical period of ESG pushback. You'll be Paul's strategic partner in building PIRC 2.0 - more ambitious, more impactful, and ready for the challenges ahead.
💼 What You'll Do
- Strategic Partnership: Work directly with the CEO on policy development, business strategy, and organisational decisions
- Operational Leadership: Provide strategic direction and day-to-day leadership of voting and engagement services
- People Management: Manage and develop the heads of stewardship and research teams
- Client Representation: Build relationships, present at events and conferences, lead pitches and negotiations
- Business Development: Drive growth, develop new services, and enhance PIRC's market position
- Transformation: Modernise operations, drive innovation, and build a forward-looking culture
✨ You're Perfect If You
- Have a strong background in voting and/or engagement within responsible investment
- Genuinely love people management and leadership - you thrive developing teams
- Possess a first-class grasp of corporate governance and stewardship issues
- Are dynamic, fearless, and outcome-focused with an entrepreneurial mindset
- Can represent PIRC confidently to clients and at industry events
- Share Paul's ambition and vision for responsible stewardship with consequences
- Want genuine autonomy and strategic influence in shaping an organisation's future
Interested? Let's Talk
If you're excited by the opportunity to help transform responsible investment, we'd love to hear from you.
Steph Williams
Head of Sustainability, Culture & Skills Transformation
📧 Email: [your email address]
💼 LinkedIn: Connect or DM
🔗 www.farrell-associates.com
Please share your CV and let us know when you're available to speak.