Climate Strategy and Resources Management Associate

KKR Capstone Overview

KKR Capstone is the premier portfolio operations team, supporting a wide variety of KKR’s asset classes including Private Equity, Special Situations, Growth Equity, Real Estate and Infrastructure. Founded in 2000, KKR Capstone provides operational “know how” to KKR investment teams and portfolio company managers to improve asset selection and deliver superior returns. KKR Capstone’s strategy is based on deep integration with the investment teams and the ability to infuse operational expertise at each stage in the investment lifecycle.

KKR Capstone is organized into two major groups. Capstone Industry Groups provide dedicated operational support to their assigned KKR investment team. Capstone’s Functional Operations Group provides deep subject matter operational expertise in areas that can broadly benefit the portfolio (e.g., Procurement, Energy Management).

Background

Since 2008, KKR has built an industry-leading effort to drive business value through enhanced performance on environmental, social, and governance (“ESG”) issues. Learn more at www.kkresg.com. As part of these efforts and, in particular, to support KKR’s climate change action-related goals, KKR Capstone is seeking to hire an experienced climate and resource manager to drive proactive infrastructure upgrades, behavioral changes, and/or strategies that enhance business performance while also generating positive environmental results. This position will also have opportunity to collaborate with various investment teams on new investment ideas in areas of expertise. This position will be based in one of KKR’s US offices and include work across KKR’s three regions (i.e., Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe).

Key Responsibilities

• Help identify, analyze, quantify, and prioritize opportunities for KKR portfolio companies to improve environmental performance, particularly related to helping these companies achieve climate-related goals through energy and resource use efficiency. Develop and maintain a portfolio company project tracker, prioritized by risk and/or opportunity size.
• For high-opportunity portfolio companies, partner with portfolio company management to develop and execute appropriate climate-related and resource management actions, including:
  • Build detailed financial models (e.g., “CFO – ready” business cases) for necessary infrastructure upgrades or operational changes (i.e., model the financial and environmental impacts, cost savings, and performance enhancements of energy efficiency investments in various building systems, including lighting, office equipment, HVAC, factory infrastructure, data centers, and more)
  • Lead engineering and/or contractor firm selection and oversee upgrades alongside portfolio company facilities personnel
  • Develop behavioral and/or operational improvement programs and work with business leaders to roll-out, monitor, and refine these programs
  • Identify and leverage government and/or utility energy efficiency policies and programs in pursuit of resource management activities, as appropriate and where relevant
  • Develop scorecards to measure and ensure tangible, quantifiable impact of the resource management improvements
• Understand portfolio companies’ climate-related risks and opportunities, develop climate action strategies, and implement action plans in collaboration with company management teams to create business value.
• Compile and synthesize data and insights from portfolio company interaction, including energy usage and spend data, greenhouse gas emissions data, climate action strategies, as well as best practices and subject matter experts.
• Develop repository of region-specific trusted experts and partners to share with portfolio companies.
• Support due diligence for potential investments as needed.
• Support KKR’s own climate-related and resource management efforts at the Firm level.

Desired Candidate Attributes

• Technical credibility in energy, water, climate change, and/or environmental management across either commercial or manufacturing environments.
• Experience in a consulting or third-party service environment; “consultant-grade” skills in financial analysis, problem-solving, business case development, written and oral communications, and stakeholder and project management.
• Keen understanding of evolving regulatory and market trends – both domestically and internationally – related to energy use and climate change and a demonstrated ability to leverage this understanding to enhance business performance.
• Professional and personal fit with realities of multi-portfolio company, private equity role including but not limited to:
  • Ability to travel 2-4 days per week across multiple geographies
  • Comfort and credibility working in collaboration with executive and operations-level stakeholders
  • Skilled at communicating plans and synthesizing results across portfolio companies
  • Experienced working with cross-functional teams
  • Superior oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills
  • Self-starter, roll-up-sleeves executor with strong project management experience
  • Resourcefulness and ability to work both independently and collaboratively on cross-functional teams
• Passion for the environment and sustainable business.

Desired Background

• 5-10 years total work experience
• Engineering undergraduate or graduate degree is a plus
• MBA is a plus
• Financial analysis skills (or previous financial analyst experience)
• Facilities management or facilities engineering experience preferred
• Demonstrated experience working on energy efficiency and/or demand reduction initiatives
• Demonstrated understanding of major environmental and climate-related frameworks, such as the TCFD, GRESB, Science Based Targets, and others
• Management consulting experience is desirable
• Eligibility to work in the United States

To Apply

If you are interested, please apply and submit your resume.

KKR is an equal employment opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, age, disability, national origin, citizenship, or any other protected characteristic. KKR is committed to diversity in its most inclusive sense.