Vice President, ESG

Executive Leadership Opportunity | Global Energy Infrastructure Platform | West Africa

A high-growth, private equity-backed energy infrastructure company operating across West Africa is seeking a Vice President, ESG to build and lead its enterprise ESG function.

This is a newly created executive leadership role with the opportunity to shape ESG strategy, governance, and reporting from the ground up while partnering directly with executive leadership, the Board, and key investors.

The Opportunity

Our client is a leading integrated gas-to-power and gas midstream platform entering a significant phase of institutional growth, capital expansion, and financing activity. As ESG becomes increasingly important to lenders, development finance institutions, and capital markets, the organization is making a strategic investment in executive ESG leadership.

This role offers the opportunity to create an ESG function that will influence business strategy, governance, investor confidence, and long-term growth.

What You'll Do

• Build and lead the company's enterprise ESG strategy and operating framework.
• Develop ESG governance, reporting, and performance metrics across environmental, health & safety, emissions, labor, and community initiatives.
• Lead ESG due diligence for development finance institutions and lenders.
• Drive investor-grade ESG reporting and disclosure.
• Partner with Legal to integrate ESG into the enterprise risk framework.
• Build and lead a high-performing ESG team across multiple countries.
• Collaborate closely with executive leadership across Legal, Finance, and Operations.
• Present ESG strategy and performance to executive leadership, the Board, and Audit & Governance Committees.

What We're Looking For

• 12+ years of ESG, sustainability, EHS, or related executive leadership experience.
• Experience within energy, infrastructure, natural resources, or another capital-intensive industry.
• Strong understanding of development finance institution (DFI) ESG requirements.
• Experience with IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, and ESG due diligence.
• Experience operating across emerging markets, ideally Africa.
• Ability to influence executive teams, Boards, investors, and external stakeholders.
• Exposure to ESG disclosure frameworks such as ISSB, IFRS S1/S2, GRI, or SASB is highly desirable.
• Builder mentality with experience creating new functions and operating models.

Why This Role?

This is far more than a traditional ESG leadership position.

You will build an enterprise ESG function from its foundation while helping position the company for continued institutional investment and future capital markets activity. You'll have direct visibility with executive leadership and the Board, and your work will have a measurable impact on the company's long-term growth strategy.