Director - Sustainable Finance Advisory

Overview

KEO is a creative enterprise, where innovation is a way of life. We are uniquely resourced with end-to-end services to take clients from inspiration - through conceptualization - to realization of planning, design or project delivery in the built and natural environments.

For over 60 years we've led with vision, contributing to many of the world's most ambitious projects, iconic places, remarkable experiences and prosperous communities.

As a highly integrated and agile AEP/PMCM firm, KEO is recognized by ENR as one of the Top 225 International Design Firms and one of the Top 20 International PM/CM Firms. We are also ranked by World Architecture as the 57th largest global architecture firm and the Firm in the Middle East Region in their 2025 WA100 Survey.

We invite you to join us. Why?

When you join KEO, you'll discover more than just a job - you'll find a supportive environment that fosters your professional development through internal global mobility and career development and does so within a culture that supports company-wide health and well-being through on-demand counselling services and regular workplace clinics. You will be invited to celebrate community events such as sports days, fun runs, in-house sports teams and beach clean ups. In addition to your competitive package and benefits, you will have access to a suite of policies that include hybrid working arrangements, individual athletic sponsorship, study assistance sponsorship, employee referral rewards, mentoring and coaching programs and extensive in-house on demand learning courses.

Our newest opportunity is for a talented Director - Sustainable Finance Advisory to join our award-winning team based in Dubai, UAE.

Responsibilities

The Director, Sustainable Finance Advisory, is accountable for establishing and growing KEO's green and sustainable finance advisory service line across the GCC and Europe. The role leads mandate origination, client engagement, and service delivery across sustainable finance frameworks, climate risk, and regulatory transition services. This is a revenue-generating, client-facing position with full commercial accountability for the service line from day one, bring deep technical expertise and established market relationships in sustainable finance, having led or operated within ESG or sustainable finance functions at a bank, development finance institution, or leading consultancy. The individual is recognised in the GCC market, operates with commercial independence, and can originate and close mandates without hand-holding. This role is the commercial engine of the service line and is critical to achieving annual targets.

• Originate, pitch, and close sustainable finance mandates independently across the GCC and European markets. Take full commercial accountability for annual revenue targets.
• Develop and deliver sustainable finance frameworks (green bonds, social bonds, sustainability-linked loans), PRB roadmaps, GRESB advisory, climate risk diagnostics, net-zero transition plans, and EU Taxonomy/CSRD advisory for banks, developers, and asset owners. 's full service offerings to the market and coordinate and cooperate with other Divisional Leaders to ensure services that are unique to the Sustainability division are proactively offered to all markets.
• Build and maintain senior client relationships with banks, DFIs, real estate developers, and infrastructure owners across the GCC and Europe. Leverage existing network to accelerate mandate pipeline.
• Work closely with Advisory/ESG teams and Director, Sustainability to ensure service line integration, business development and joint bidding across KEO's wider sustainability practice.
• Up-to-date knowledge of GCC and European regulatory developments (CBUAE Sustainable Finance Framework, UAE SCA, Saudi CMA ESG rules, EU Taxonomy, SFDR, CSRD) and translate these into actionable advisory propositions and client content.
• Manage and mentor the Departmental staff. Define workflow, quality standards, and delivery processes for the team.
• Report monthly to MD and Director, Sustainability on pipeline, mandate status, revenue tracking, and market intelligence.
• Embrace, display and promote KEO values and contribute to the wider Sustainability & Environment division's culture and standards.
• Achieve annual revenue targets and maintain strong pipeline for sustainable revenue and client retention.
• Ensure all client engagements are documented, scoped, and managed to KEO quality standards, including sub-consultant coordination where required.
• Work with KEO's Executive and Divisional leadership to integrate sustainable finance advisory into cross-practice bids and client proposals.
• May perform other duties.
• Plan workload and ensure adequate utilization across the team. Prepares and delivers performance appraisals. Identifies training needs and supports professional development. Works with HR on team growth as the service line scales.

Deep technical knowledge of sustainable finance instruments and frameworks (green bonds, SLLs, PRB, GRESB, TCFD/ISSB, IFRS S1/S2, EU Taxonomy, SFDR, CSRD, SBTi). Commercial acumen and ability to originate, structure, and close advisory mandates independently. Excellent client-facing and presentation skills; credible at C-suite and board level. Established network within GCC banking, real estate, and infrastructure sectors. Strong written communication skills - able to produce compelling proposals, frameworks, and client deliverables.

Qualifications

To be successful in this position, you will be professionally qualified with 15 or more years of experience in the field with progressive levels of responsibility.

in sustainable finance, ESG advisory, or a closely related field within financial services or capital markets advisory. Demonstrable experience leading or operating within a sustainable finance or ESG function at a bank, DFI, or Tier 1 consultancy. Track record of structuring and delivering green bonds, SLLs, sustainability frameworks, or equivalent instruments for financial institutions or corporate clients. GCC market experience and established client relationships are essential. European market knowledge is a strong advantage.

Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite. Familiarity with ESG data platforms (MSCI, Bloomberg ESG, Sustainalytics) is an advantage.

KEO's performance is founded upon integrity, results, innovation, safety, and our people. We embrace diversity and recognise its contribution to client success wherever we work.

We are excited to hear how you can partner with our award-winning team and treat all expressions of interest confidentially.