Freelance Esg Data Analyst Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Novata is a public benefit corporation created and funded by a unique consortium of foundations and private sector companies including the Ford Foundation, the Omidyar Network, S&P Global, and Hamilton Lane. We are a for-profit, mission-driven company with a goal of empowering the private markets to build a more inclusive and sustainable form of capitalism. By bringing together expertise in financial data, private equity, social justice, and responsible investing, we build the best technology and advisory services for private markets to collect, analyse, benchmark, and report ESG data. We are a certified B Corp and have an experienced, diverse team as ambitious about growing a successful company as about making an impact.

Novata is proud to have acquired Atlas Metrics to expand our global reach and expand our product innovation. Together, we make sustainability even simpler for private markets. Now, 400+ clients and over 13,000 companies worldwide count on Novata to make collecting, reporting, and acting on sustainability data easy.

Backed by platform data and insights from more than 13,000 private companies, Novata Advisory enhances our market-leading technology solution with a suite of offerings that maximise the value of the Novata experience, partnering with private equity GPs and their portfolio companies to translate ESG data into decisions that drive measurable value. The Advisory team works across the full ESG spectrum, from carbon accounting and climate risk to governance, social, and impact reporting, delivering engagements that are directly integrated with Novata's technology platform.

Advisory is purpose-built to challenge the traditional consulting model: AI-led offerings and workflows, vibe coding, prototyping, custom solutions, and a tight feedback loop with Product mean that Advisory operates as both a client delivery function and an engine for innovation. The Advisory team is intentionally lean, tech-enabled, and strategically linked to Novata's product roadmap, enabling efficient client delivery, building custom AI solutions for clients, and setting a new standard for what ESG advisory can look like in private markets.

As a Senior Analyst, Advisory, you will support project delivery across the full breadth of Novata's ESG and sustainability offerings, spanning climate risk, carbon, ESG reporting, and regulatory workstreams. You will also play a core role in Novata's ESG due diligence work, supporting research and analysis for private markets diligence engagements. This role will engage directly with the clients and be responsible for preparing client-ready deliverables.

This is a generalist role suited to someone who is ready to build upon their existing experience and expand their expertise , or transitioning into this work from an adjacent field.

You will report directly to an Advisory Director and work closely with a small, high-performing, US-based team. This role is for a practitioner who is analytically rigorous, detail-oriented, and energized by the intersection of private markets, sustainability, data, and technology, while considering how new AI tools can drive greater efficiency and innovation. You should also have a strong ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable insights that help clients make informed decisions and drive meaningful outcomes.

This role is based in the US - NYC preferred in a hybrid capacity.

• Support end-to-end delivery on ESG advisory engagements with client-ready deliverables across climate risk, carbon, and regulatory workstreams, including data quality checks, data analysis, reporting deliverables, materiality assessments, carbon accounting, and climate risk. This will include project management and require ownership over certain workstreams, with support from the Advisory team.
• Deliver portfolio-level ESG analysis and benchmarking using Novata's platform and proprietary datasets.
• Guide clients through data collection processes and iterative improvement of their ESG programs, including the use of AI tools, as directed by engagement leads.
• Support ESG due diligence engagements for investor transactions, including regulatory scans, risk identification, and drafting memos.
• Leverage AI tools and workflows for client delivery while maintaining rigorous QA standards.

• Build working knowledge across core ESG and sustainability frameworks (e.g., GHG Protocol, TCFD, SFDR, PRI, EDCI, GRI, SASB) relevant to Novata's Advisory offerings.
• Monitor regulatory and market developments across the ESG landscape and flag implications for ongoing client work.
• Contribute to internal methodological resources, technical guidance documents, and training materials under the direction of senior team members.

• Provide input on the design and refinement of Novata's ESG advisory offerings based on client feedback and delivery experience.
• Support commercial activities as needed, including research for proposals, scoping materials, and pitch preparation.
• Collaborate with Product and Customer Success teams to relay client needs and support platform improvement.

• Collaborate across Novata teams on an ongoing basis to ensure high-quality outcomes, continuous platform improvement, and an excellent client experience. This is fundamental to how the Advisory team works with Product, Customer Success, Sales, and Marketing.
• Support the development of new product solutions based on delivery experience and user feedback.

• At least 2 years of industry experience in a related field, e.g., ESG advisory, sustainability, private equity, or an ESG/carbon data and technology provider.
• Advanced degree in relevant field strongly preferred.
• Broad exposure to ESG topics preferred over deep specialization in a single area; candidates with backgrounds spanning environmental, social, governance, impact, or regulatory disclosure work are encouraged to apply.
• Demonstrated proficiency with core ESG frameworks and standards (e.g., GHG Protocol, TCFD, SFDR, PRI, GRI, SASB); comfortable interpreting and applying guidance across industries and levels of company maturity.
• Exposure to due diligence work (M&A, transaction support, or portfolio company risk assessment) is a plus but not essential.
• Experience working with or alongside technology platforms, AI solutions, SaaS products, or digital data solutions, either as a user or implementer, is required, as is comfort operating in a tech-enabled, data-driven environment.
• Prior experience working with or for private equity firms, institutional investors, or their portfolio companies is a plus but not essential.

• Data fluency; comfortable identifying, pulling, and analysing datasets and translating insights into actions and stakeholder narratives.
• Adept at synthesising feedback from various stakeholders into actionable input for product and offering development.
• Strong analytical and writing abilities to help articulate ESG topics to novices and experts alike.
• Excellent Excel skills and/or other analytical software.
• Motivation and interest to undertake research across the ESG space, including regulatory and diligence research.
• Hands-on experience using AI tools in a professional context, for example, using LLMs for research synthesis, drafting, or analysis.
• Proactive, with the ability and confidence to use initiative.
• Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent workstreams and deadlines.

• Intellectually rigorous and detail-oriented; you take care with accuracy and are comfortable asking questions rather than guessing.
• Proactive and self-directed; comfortable operating in a lean, fast-moving team.
• Adaptable and eager to build breadth across ESG topics rather than narrow specialisation, at least in the early stages of this role.
• Curious and technology-enabled; actively seeks out new tools, technologies, and AI capabilities to improve the quality, efficiency, and scalability of their work.
• Mission-driven; genuinely committed to making private markets more sustainable and solving complex problems.
• Client-focused; takes pride in producing high-quality, accurate work that supports the broader team's client relationships.
• This role is based in New York, with hybrid working arrangements (2 days in office).
• Applicants must be located in and eligible to work in the US. Unfortunately, we are unable to support visa applications or relocation at this time.
• Competitive salary plus stock options
• Generous PTO policy including public holidays
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) plan with employer match
• Purpose-driven, inclusive culture
• The opportunity to be part of a growing team at the forefront of ESG and private markets innovation

Novata is a mission-first company built to enable the private markets to drive more impact. We are at the unique intersection of ESG, the private markets, and mission driven impact. We are well-funded, have a top tier executive leadership team. We have a highly aggressive growth plan to establish ourselves as the industry leader of ESG with immediate plans for product and international expansion.

Members of our leadership team have been globally recognized for their success as leaders of large public companies, founders of successful startups, leaders of established ESG organizations, and builders of robust tech platforms. We are passionate, highly motivated, and experienced individuals who embrace our diverse backgrounds. Together, we will become the platform of choice and a catalyst for a change in the way business is done.

The pay range for this role is:

100,000 - 110,000 USD per year (New York, NY)