Job Vacancy – Content Analyst

Background

Liebreich Associates is the media and consulting vehicle set up by Michael Liebreich, founder and Senior Contributor to BloombergNEF, now a leading commentator, investor and advisor to those leading the net zero transition, host of the Cleaning Up podcast.

Liebreich Associates has a small team, consisting of Michael, his Executive Assistant, a Venture Associate and an Associate. The current Associate, who joined as Content Analyst nearly two years ago, will be moving on at the end of this year, so a replacement is being sought.

Role and Responsibilities

The Content Analyst will be responsible for the following:

• Preparing Presentations: Each year, Michael gives around 30 presentations, including board-level briefings, keynotes at industry and policy events, all the way up to big set-piece openers at major conferences. Each presentation requires the preparation of one of Michael’s signature slide decks, combining images and data-based charts into a powerful visual narrative for his audiences. The Content Analyst will sit in on each preparation conference call between Michael and his clients, and then discuss the presentation storyline with him after the call. The Content Analyst will be responsible for creating a first draft of the required presentation. A standard Powerpoint template is used for all presentations, which must be maintained at all times.
• Updating data and analysis: Michael uses a number of charts repeatedly during the year and across years. As updated figures are released by data providers on a monthly, quarterly or annual schedule, blocks of Michael’s charts – assembled into what we refer to as Topic Decks– need to be updated in a timely and accurate way. In some cases, this will require updating existing spreadsheets or models. This is an essential part of the role and will quickly give the new Content Analyst an unparalleled grasp of the main statistics in use in the world of clean energy, transportation, climate finance and development.
• New research and analysis: Each quarter Michael writes one new, major piece for BloombergNEF, like this one on resilience, as well as one or two other articles. Michael’s goal in each article is to provide new and original insights, occasionally challenging long-held industry assumptions. This work throws out a regular stream of challenging questions for the Content Analyst, requiring lateral thought and creative sourcing of data, and often results in the production of new charts for Michael’s presentations. Working on this new analysis is an interesting and fun part of the role!
• Liaising with data providers: Many of Michael’s slides are based on Liebreich Associates analysis; however, one of Michael’s key roles is to interpret, combine and communicate analysis undertaken by other leading Content Analysts. A significant part of the Content Analyst’s role lies in liaising with outside organisations, clarifying assumptions they may have made, obtaining underlying data for chart production and securing permission for use of materials, as well as reaching out to them to answer any audience questions that may arise. In the case of BloombergNEF, this will require learning to use the BloombergNEF Desktop and Bloomberg Terminal, as well as getting to know a few of their key Content Analysts.
• Consulting projects: Occasionally Liebreich Associates may undertake consulting projects and write longer reports, like this one on electrification of ferries. The Content Analyst may play a significant role in writing those – collecting and analysing data as well as liaising with clients. In addition, the Content Analyst is likely to be involved in projects with Ecopragma Capital, the advisory boutique of which Michael is Co-managing Partner alongside Henry Lawson.
• Podcast Production: Michael hosts a podcast called “Cleaning Up” in which he discusses various aspects of the net zero transition with guests such as Tony Blair, Teresa Ribera, Ban Ki moon, Mark Carney, Amber Rudd, Alex Honnold and Bill McKibben. The Content Analyst will act as assistant producer of the Podcast, joining the Zoom calls for guest briefings and may play a leading role in editing and promoting the podcast, depending on the Liebreich Associates team composition in 2023.

Qualifications and experience

We expect the successful candidate to offer the following qualifications and experience:

• Integrity and work-rate: These are non-negotiable. Integrity must encompass personal and intellectual integrity. Work-rate matters because, while there may be weeks when nothing happens, there will also be weeks when months’ worth of work has to be delivered fast and with immaculate accuracy. We are very committed to respecting holidays and days off, however occasional planned weekend work may be required. The Content Analyst must be readily reachable in the run-up to presentations to make corrections or clarify questions.
• Exceptional Quantitative Skills: The job requires complete fluency with numerical analysis and a strong attention to detail. The Content Analyst is expected to identify Michael’s mistakes, not the other way round. The successful candidate will be highly comfortable with spreadsheet modelling and creating visuals based on data and may have experience in more advanced modelling or statistical analysis environments.
• Qualifications: The successful applicant will almost certainly have a Bachelor’s degree in a STEM subject, and probably a Masters degree in either physical science, environment, business or economics. Michael has in the past found it easier to teach finance to scientists than to teach science to economists.
• Languages: Native-level English is a must to do the job. Beyond that, although there is no formal language requirement, fluency in one or more foreign languages would be a benefit. Following policy debates in countries with different political cultures, and being able to read their raw statistics and reports, is a great help in grasping nuances of the energy and transportation transition. German would be particularly helpful, as are French and Spanish, and of course Chinese, Japanese or Portuguese. If you have a STEM degree and speak all of the above, you can be the boss and Michael will happily work for you.
• Previous Work Experience: In an ideal world, you will have two or more years’ experience in an analytically rigorous environment like a consulting company or bank, or equivalent in blue-chip internships. Anything less than two years’ experience and you may find it hard getting up to speed quickly. Things move very fast and we don’t have time for anyone to learn the basics of producing accurate high-profile output under pressure. Having said that, however, we will always prefer a candidate who is less experienced but smarter, over a candidate that is more experienced but slower or less clear in their thinking.
• Motivation: The successful applicant must be a self-starter and able to work solo, keep to the working hours agreed and be available during this time. This is not a role for someone who needs hourly or even daily guidance. Michael has a number of roles, so while catch-up calls will take place, there may be extended periods when face to face meetings are not possible. On occasion, you may be required to work during the weekends or evenings (time zone dependant around calls and meetings). You will, on a regular basis, interact with Michael’s Executive Assistant, Jo Jagger and our Ventures Associate, Piotr Pajda. Please consider this carefully before applying.

Salary, location, terms, etc

• Salary: The role will carry a competitive salary – comparable to an Content Analyst role at reputable energy or environmental consultancy – plus annual holiday entitlement, a discretionary annual bonus, and statutory contributions to a company pension scheme, if working in the UK and employed (PAYE). If you prefer to work as a Service Contractor (Self-employed), a company pension scheme will not be offered. To save everyone’s time, it is worth pointing out that it is unlikely a candidate with an MBA would find the salary attractive.
• Training: We do not provide any formal training as part of the role – you will be learning a huge amount from working alongside Michael on the most pressing energy, transport and finance issues of the day. However, we will consider requests for any training courses that you think might benefit you, however peripherally, in fulfilling the job requirements.
• Travel: This role will require some travel. It is important for the Content Analyst to meet and network with delegates of conferences, discuss the topics with others and, on occasion, meet the clients to whom Michael will be presenting. There may also be opportunities for the Content Analyst to participate in their own right in events on topics of particular interest – either in technical areas like financial modelling or energy forecasting, or in specific sectors of the energy, transportation or financial industries.
• Inclusion: We are 100% committed to being an equal opportunity employer. The only thing that matters is your character, commitment to the role, your ability to excel at the job, and your willingness to learn from doing it.
• Term: The appointment will be for a fixed term of two years, including a three-month probationary period, and with a rolling 1-month notice period either way. After one year, a successful Content Analyst would expect to be promoted to Associate. After two years, the expectation is that you should want to move on to a new role, either within Liebreich Associates, one of Michael’s other enterprises or elsewhere.
• This role is based on remote working, however, you should be able to easily get to West London 1-2 times per week, if required.
• Visa status: We have strong preference for candidates with a UK work permit as this will enable them to participate in a broader portfolio of activities beyond just desk-based analysis. However, we will consider applications from overseas candidates for remote working, provided they can get to London on an as-needed basis.

Process and timing

The recruitment process will be managed, as follows:

• Please send a resume and short cover note detailing your reason for applying and what, you feel, makes you a suitable candidate for the role (no more than 300 words) to jo@liebreichassociates.com with the subject: Full Name / Content Analyst Application 2022, before the end of September 2022.
• Michal Grabka, current Content Associate and Piotr Pajda, Venture Associate at Liebreich Associates, will assess and undertake an initial screening. Please note – with our apologies – that only candidates that reach this stage will be given personal feedback.
• Michael will conduct final interviews and, following his selection of the successful candidate, we will require two professional references and one personal reference.
• While the deadline for submitting applications is 30 September 2022, we will be reviewing applications on rolling basis. We hope the new Content Analyst will be able to assume the role during October or November 2022. The incumbent Associate will remain on board until year end and will be available to help get the successful candidate up to speed, provide coaching and answer questions.