Senior Policy and Public Affairs Officer

Location: Brussels, Belgium
Application deadline: February 28
Earliest starting date: As soon as possible

• Are you passionate about environmental and climate policy?
• Do you believe that non-state actor action is vital to inform EU lawmakers to create a conducive and coherent policy framework on corporate reporting and governance, sustainable finance and sub-national/local government action that drives the implementation of the European Green Deal’s goals?

We are seeking a highly motivated individual to support CDP’s Policy and Public Affairs work at EU institution level as well as with EU member states and EFTA countries.

CDP Europe’s Policy and Public Affairs team engages policymakers with analyses, capacity-building and expertise on non-state actor climate and environmental transparency, action and progress towards the Union’s climate and environmental goals.

The role includes:

• Responsible for developing and coordinating CDP’s external messaging and outputs in relation to policy processes at EU and Member State level;
• Monitor the policy landscape, identify relevant opportunities for engagement such as through public consultations, and coordinate and author responses, briefings and reports, and support drafting speakers’ briefings and input to events of other teams;
  
• Engaging directly with EU and Member States policymakers and to entice them to participate in the CDP government partnerships program by making phone calls, sending personalized emails, organizing webinars, in-person meetings, networking at relevant external events, and other outreach methods;
  
• Developing and pro-actively providing information and assistance to CDP colleagues on using the policy context for their own understanding and in the communication with companies, capital market actors, cities, states and regions;
  
• Responsible for organization and execution of high-quality roundtables, workshops and webinars from A to Z in virtual and in-person setting, securing high-level speakers, and vice versa opportunities for raising CDP’s profile through e.g. securing speaking slots for CDP at external events;
  
• Representing CDP and supporting CDP representatives in NGO groups, CDP partner networks and governmental expert groups;
  
• Management of internal tools and processes, including the policy contacts database, and responsible for grant reporting;
  
• Recruitment and management of interns and assisting with ad-hoc tasks as required.

The successful candidate will have:

• Minimum BA/BSc degree or similar work experience;
• 3+ years’ relevant experience and interest in working with European governments; additional experience in working with subnational governments, companies, financial institutions or NGOs is an advantage;
• A good understanding of EU policy advocacy and the issues of climate and environmental engagement of non-state actors in its wider range: climate mitigation and adaptation, sustainable finance, resilient cities, renewable energy, water management, forests, sustainable supply chains, etc;
  
• Track record of outputs for policy audience (e.g. public submissions) and of event management;
  
• Strong personal drive, demonstrable ability to take initiative, multi-task, prioritise and work under pressure;
  
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal; ability to explain complex or challenging topics clearly and succinctly;
  
• At ease in stakeholder-facing situations, excellent sense for interpersonal contact, and confidence in interacting with high-level representatives from public and private sectors, using determination and diplomacy;
  
• Project management experience, especially in the context of government-funded projects, is an advantage;
  
• Attention to detail with good research, writing and drafting skills;
  
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (esp. Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Word);
  
• Ability to work with teams in a multi-national setting;
  
• Ability to quickly grasp and master new IT systems;
  
• Proficiency in English; further European languages such as Spanish, French, Italian, Polish or Dutch, are a strong advantage.

What we offer:

• Exciting and challenging tasks in a dynamic, innovative and highly motivated team;
• Working with many dedicated and passionate people for a good cause;
• Competitive NGO salary and annual bonus (depending on company results);
• 30 days annual holidays;
• Flexible working hours;
• Monthly contribution to public transport in accordance with Belgian labour laws;
• Modern office with free hot beverages and considerable networking opportunities.

The successful candidate will work five days per week and must be able to work legally in Belgium. This full-time role is based at our office in Brussels, Belgium, and will work closely with and report to the Policy Engagement Manager, CDP Europe.

Interested? Interested candidates should submit their complete application documents (motivation letter addressed to Mona Freundt, CV, references/certificates and salary expectations) in English, as a single PDF file and via email to [email protected] with “Policy & Public Affairs Officer – First name Last name” in the subject line. Please also attach a file with prove of track record of outputs for policy audience (e.g. public submissions) and of event management (as pdf attachments or direct links) to the email or directly to the application documents.

Before you apply, we’ll only use the information you provide to process your application. For more details on how we use your information, see our applicants privacy notice. By emailing us your CV and covering letter, you are permitting CDP to use the information you have provided for recruitment purposes.

Please note that we only provide feedback to shortlisted candidates due to the sheer volume of applications. If you do not hear from us within 21 days of the closing date, please assume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. Thank you for your understanding.