Policy Officer - EU Foreign and Development Policy

Position description

Are you interested in how Europe engages with the rest of the world - Africa in particular - and do you have experience in policy-oriented research and project leadership? We are looking for a policy officer to join our team on EU foreign and development policy in Maastricht or Brussels.

Who are we?

The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) is a leading independent think tank that wants to make policies in Europe and Africa work for inclusive and sustainable development. We have two offices: in Maastricht (the Netherlands) and Brussels (Belgium).

Our more than 60 staff members from over 25 countries worldwide provide independent research, advice and practical support to policymakers, advisors and practitioners in Europe, Africa and beyond. Our focus is on EU foreign policy and policies related to conflict, migration, governance, climate and green transformation, sustainable food systems, regional integration, digitalisation, business, finance and trade.

About the EU foreign and development policy team

The EU is dealing with a number of challenges close to home, while at the same time seeking to play a more significant global role. Our EU foreign and development policy team explores the implications of the EU’s growing geopolitical focus and wants to contribute to a more coherent and integrated EU foreign and development policy. For more information, have a look at our team page.

What will you be doing?

As a policy officer in the EU foreign and development policy team, you will:

• Conduct policy research and analysis on key policy issues related to EU external affairs, notably development and international cooperation and EU-Africa relations;
• Develop knowledge by creating content, conducting research and brokering knowledge, and taking the lead in publishing;
• Lead the design, implementation and management of complex and high-profile research projects/policy processes, including in response to external demands of partner institutions or other stakeholders;
• Manage small project teams and budgets for effective delivery of projects;
• Contribute to building, expanding and maintaining relevant strategic networks and partnerships;
• Identify new funding opportunities, develop funding proposals and effectively secure funds for assigned projects and/or policy facilitation activities;
• Supervise and coach junior team members and contribute effectively to teamwork as required;
• Represent ECDPM to third parties and at events and engage in outreach/communication activities;
• Travel within Europe and Africa to present the team’s work and ECDPM and/or meet with our partners.

Depending on your experience and in accordance with the needs of ECDPM’s other teams, other activities may be assigned to your portfolio as well. This will be particularly sought to link our work to African processes and actors more systematically.

You will report to the team lead and will be based in our head office in Maastricht or our office in Brussels.

Who are we looking for?

Our ideal candidate:

• Has a master’s degree or Ph.D with a strong academic record in international relations, European external affairs, political science with an international political economy focus;
• Has at least six years of professional experience in a policy or academic environment (post-master’s) covering issues broadly related to ECDPM’s international and development policy focus;
• Has comprehensive knowledge and proven expertise of EU foreign and development policy, including policy formulation, and the programming, implementation or evaluation of international cooperation;
• Has good knowledge of EU-Africa relations and/or an interest in developing expertise in this area;
• Has proven experience in carrying out and publishing policy research, facilitating policy change or providing advice to policymakers in the area of international relations and/or development cooperation;
• Has proven experience leading and managing complex donor-funded research or policy projects (timelines, deliverables, budgets, quality control), including delivery of quality work to demanding partners;
• Has good fundraising skills, some knowledge of the funding environment for policy-oriented research and clear motivation to further develop these;
• Has a thorough acquaintance with the relevant stakeholders, institutions and networks, notably within the European Union and the African Union;
• Is proficient in English (good knowledge of French would be a plus);
• Has excellent oral and written communication skills (writing, reporting, presenting and facilitating);
• Is enthusiastic, motivated, flexible and able to work across a number of different policy domains and quickly familiarise themselves with new topics;
• Is a team player with strong interpersonal and intercultural communication skills;
• Experience working in Africa would be a plus;
• Is available to start in September. The preferred work location is Maastricht or Brussels.

What do we offer you?

• We initially offer a two-year contract (Dutch or Belgium contract for 40 hours a week) which can be converted into a permanent contract, upon proven suitability and available budget;
• A competitive salary package commensurate with experience;
• A holiday and end-of-year allowance;
• A very generous leave package of 47.6 days based on a 40-hour work week;
• An individual professional development budget of 0.2% of your salary;
• A strong and professional organisational support team (IT, communications, travel, administrative and finance-related support);
• Flexible working hours and flexibility between office and home working;
• A collegial working environment with centre-wide activities for staff and their families (COVID-19 permitting).

Application instructions

If you are interested in the position, please send us a completed application form before 4 July 2022, 12:00 CEST clearly explaining your motivation and how you meet the job criteria.

Please send your completed application form to [email protected]. The subject line of your application should read: ‘Policy officer - EU foreign and development policy’. We will only consider applications that are complete, on time and in English.

Selected candidates will be invited for an interview through video call, during which they will be asked to give a presentation based on a short writing sample to send in advance. More information will be communicated to shortlisted candidates in due time. Interviews will take place on 14 July 2022.

More information

We believe that diversity is good for our people and our business. We promote and value diversity and inclusion among our staff and candidates - irrespective of their gender, age, nationality, race, culture, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or disability.

If you would like to receive more information about the position or working at ECDPM, please get in touch with Marleen Ackermans via [email protected]. For more information about the position, you can get in touch with Alexei Jones via [email protected] or Mariella Di Ciommo via [email protected].

For more information about ECDPM and our areas of work, please have a look at our website.

Privacy statement

We will treat the information you submit with respect. We will store your information on a confidential section of our cloud storage, which is only accessible by our human resources and ICT departments, as well as members of the inclusive governance and accountability team. After the vacancy has closed, we will keep your information in our system for one year. After this period, your details will be deleted. If you wish that we do not keep your details after the vacancy deadline has passed, you may indicate this in your application. For more information, have a look at our privacy policy.

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