Innovation & Sustainability Expert – Center of Expertise team – ING Real Estate Finance BB NL

As a member of the Center of Expertise team (“CoE”) you will work on the innovation and sustainability propositions for the ING Real Estate Finance organization and its clients.

ING Real Estate Finance Business Banking NL (“REF BB NL”) has a clear goal to become and remain frontrunner in sustainability and innovation in the real estate (finance) market. Therefore, we want to continuously create new initiatives and policies to streamline our financing processes, improve our product offering and support our clients in tackling the sustainability challenge. In this role, you will work on the areas of innovation and sustainability, which have many aspects and challenges in common.

Innovation: REF BB NL has its own IT delivery organization (>80 FTE) and roadmap, focused on further improving its digital and automated offering and processes. As an Innovation expert, you will work on several projects within the REF BB NL organization in which all business segments are involved (Front office, CoE, Delivery and Operations). As the Innovation Expert you will set a clear innovation strategy for the coming years. Scanning both internal (ING) and external (competition/market/legislation etc.) environment, you initiate and execute several strategic projects for REF BB NL. Your role will be to translate internal and external developments to new ideas and initiatives, represent the “voice of the customer” and be involved in the roll-out. And to prepare REF BB NL for the digital and innovation challenges that lie ahead. 

Sustainability: it is the aim of REF BB NL to give clients guidance (a.o. via clear target setting), inspire them and support them via concrete products and initiatives in their challenge to become Paris Proof by 2045. As a Sustainability Expert you will coordinate several strategic (sustainability) projects of the REF BB NL organization. Furthermore, you will work on existing and new REF sustainability initiatives (such as Vastgoedbos, Sustainable Loan, Sustainable valuations and free energy scans and labels).

Innovation and sustainability are already closely linked within our organization, and you will ensure this will be even more so. You will do this together with the two other Sustainability Experts in the CoE team, whereas on the innovation topic, you will be solely responsible within the team. You will work together with the REF Delivery organization and our innovation and sustainability colleagues within the wider Business Banking and Wholesale Banking organization.

Within REF BB NL, you will be a part of the Center of Expertise team (“CoE”), which consists of 7 colleagues. The CoE team is responsible for sustainability, marketing & communication, innovation and distribution of loans. It is an ambitious and dynamic team, with an entrepreneurial mind-set. With its wide range of topics, the CoE will give you an even broader picture of REF BB NL. You will work closely with our Delivery area. It’s your role to translate strategy to concrete plans and collaborate on the solution design with the Delivery area. The Delivery area assures realization and implementation of the solution, in this phase you will be an important stakeholder that assures that the business value is delivered.

Internal/external contacts and nature of contacts

You will work in a dynamic environment within REF BB NL, with predominantly Dutch clients, yet also several other (international) stakeholders:

• Internal: REF Delivery and Operations, REF Front Office (Relationship management and Lending Specialists), innovation colleagues/teams within the bank, BB Sustainability, WB Sustainable Finance, REF Risk TA&A, Groenbank, Legal
• External: (consultant) partners of REF, clients, innovation networks, banks, government, European Investment Bank, sustainability advisors

Your key responsibilities

As an Innovation & Sustainability Expert in the CoE team you have a.o. the following responsibilities:

• Monitoring internal and external developments, regarding innovation and sustainability
• Set up an innovation plan for the REF BB NL organization;
• Translate the plan to concrete initiatives and create solution designs;
• Coordinate the process of writing down the customer journeys linked to the initiatives;
• Set up outside-in analysis of innovation, a.o. scan and monitor innovation developments within the (real estate) financing market, what do our competitors do, what will come our way and what happens within ING;
• Ensure that innovation and sustainability initiatives are well implemented within the REF Delivery organization;
• Support on sustainability reporting (both internal and external) of the REF loan portfolio;
• Improve and monitor sustainability data handling;
• Educate and assist REF BB NL colleagues on innovation & sustainability related topics;
• Develop a strong network within the relevant Business Banking and Wholesale Banking team who work on innovation & sustainability;
• Come up with new (innovative) ideas and find ways how we can better support our clients in their sustainability challenge; and
• Assist on several other strategic initiatives of REF BB NL and ING.

We are looking for

We are looking for a colleague with a strong affinity for, on the one hand, innovation and change management, whilst on the other hand the sustainability challenge that is facing us. With your enthusiasm, ideas, creativity, and involvement you can make a difference. In an ideal candidate, we are looking for someone with the following nice-to-have’s:

• Entrepreneurial and energetic mind-set;
• Working experience within a consultancy firm or role within a banking organization;
• Experience with sustainability and/or innovation/change management;
• Affinity with real estate and/or its clients;
• You are a team player; and
• You are a curious and ambitious person, driven to learn quickly.

With a proven track record and technical skills:

• Master degree in Business related studies;
• >5 Years’ experience;
• Good Excel and PowerPoint skills; and
• Fluent in English and Dutch

Rewards and benefits

We want to make sure that it’s possible for you to strike the right balance between your career and your private life. You can find out more about our employment conditions at https://www.ing.jobs/netherlands/Why-ING/benefits.htm

The benefits of working with us at ING include:

• A salary tailored to your qualities and experience
• 24-27 vacation days depending on contract
• Pension scheme
• 13th month salary
• Individual Savings Contribution (BIS), 3.5% of your gross annual salary
• 8% Holiday payment
• Hybrid working to blend home working for focus and office working for collaboration and co-creation
• Personal growth and challenging work with endless possibilities
• An informal working environment with innovative colleagues

About us

With 60,000 employees and operations in approximately 40 countries, there is no shortage of opportunities for people with initiative who want to help people take a step ahead in life and in business. Do you want to work at the cutting edge of what’s possible and at the same time ensure you work with integrity and hold the customer’s interests at heart? Do you want to be surrounded by progressive, inspiring, diverse and supportive colleagues? Then there is no better place to invest your talents than at ING. Join us. Apply today.