The European Environmental Bureau, a network of more than 180 environmental citizens’ organisations, is recruiting for a new (Senior) Policy Officer on Circular Economy and Waste.

The successful candidate will have experience and ambition in how to mobilise circular economy policies and instruments to reduce waste generation and save resources. They will be motivated to help set a transformative pathway for designing out waste from various value chains in the context of the development of EU and international policy.

With at least four years’ experience in the development and implementation of waste policy and circular economy, they will work towards waste avoidance, including hazardous waste prevention and be able to interface with other policy areas, notably Chemicals, Climate and Biodiversity. They will also be opened to work at global level and explore how to best adapt policy to fit different socio-economical situations.

They will feel comfortable with designing and implementing campaigns with various partners within and outside the Civil Society/NGO community.

Experience with fundraising and/or involvement in past campaigns to promote sustainable development is considered an asset.

The work consists of:

• Working independently to progress waste policy with priority on waste prevention, and seize political and project opportunities to deliver this objective with the highest ambition;
• Actively cooperating with the relevant units of the EEB, the EEB members and relevant external partners and experts, leading on the administration and facilitation of the EEB Waste Working Group;
• Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of the issues related to circularity, sound material management and waste, cross fertilizing between various sectors (construction, textiles, electronics, packaging and automotive), mobilizing experts, carrying out specific in-depth research where required and helping to promote methodologies/measurement to monitor progress on environmental and social impacts of waste management and policies;
• Contributing to advocacy activities towards policymakers on legislative matters – the European Commission, European Parliament, the Council of the European Union, the European Economic Environmental and Social Committee and Member States, notably engaging a timely manner in the revision of the Packaging and Packing Waste Directive, the Waste Framework Directive, the End of Life Vehicle, the Waste of Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive and acting as a supportive waste expert for other potential policies;
• Contributing to the design and development of campaigns and communication materials supporting advocacy activities or aiming at triggering new policy routes to reduce limit hazardous and non hazardous waste generation, in close collaboration with the EEB communication team;
• Building and/or joining ad hoc coalitions with various stakeholders to support the advocacy, campaigning and communication efforts; notably bridging with communities working on health, labour conditions and sustainable development goals;
• Contributing to relevant internal and external (eg. European Commission, OECD, United Nations) expert groups and develop related EEB positions and advocacy/campaigning materials in collaboration with EEB members and partners;
• Helping to organize EEB working groups and events in Brussels and in member countries;
• Representing the EEB in public events, in multi-stakeholders platforms and with the media ; preparing public presentation, defending EEB’s positions and co-designing events with other stakeholders;
• Providing input to general EEB documents and processes (e.g. memoranda to Presidencies, reports to EEB Board, relevant web pages, articles in EEB publications etc);
• Helping to seize funding opportunities related to Circular Economy, waste prevention and waste management within and outside EU.

Qualities and experiences required for post:

• Have a relevant academic degree (additional work experience may be accepted in lieu of this);
• Have at least four years of work experience with EU/National circular economy, waste and/or environmental field, including analysis and formulation of policy;
• Be capable of understanding and presenting, in written and oral form, key scientific, economic and legal dimensions of a topic;
• Have good communications and networking skills, feel confident to take the floor at public events and with media;
• Be capable to handle life cycle assessments and other scientific and engineering data, and understand how they can influence products, processes and waste management performances;
• Be experienced in facilitating multi-stakeholder groups and integrating various point of views (e.g. different stakeholders, various economic actors along value chains);
• Have a sound grasp of the operation of EU institutions and EU environmental law and a good understanding of key elements of EU environmental legislative processes;
• Be able to speak and write English fluently, with fluency in other EU languages being considered an asset;
• Be well organised and a team player, while able to work independently;
• Share the core values of the EEB and can demonstrate knowledge of and commitment to environmental protection and social justice.

Candidates with less than 4 years’ experience may be considered when they demonstrate a high level of motivation and very relevant work experience.

EEB offers:

• A competitive salary (gross monthly salary in the range of €2809 – €3433 depending on level of experience) coupled with various benefits: holiday bonus, 13th month, pension scheme, luncheon vouchers, teleworking indemnity;
• A 3-year full time work contract / project-based contract with a clear intention to extend, subject to funding;
• A worthy cause, working for a better future where people and nature thrive together;
• An organisation committed to values of democracy, fairness, integrity and sustainability
• A friendly and respectful work environment.

The (Senior) Policy Officer will be based in the EEB headquarters in Brussels. We offer Belgian contracts under Belgian law. The candidate must commit to being officially registered in Belgium and working partially from our office in Brussels. This currently entails structural teleworking scheme (with at least 1 day in the office per week depending on the position) and will work as part of the EEB’s Policy Division, under the supervision of the EEB Circular economy team manager and in close cooperation with other EEB Officers.

Application process:

Please email your application in English to personnel@eeb.org including a CV, a letter of motivation and your response to the annexed questionnaire. Only applications that include these three components will be considered.

Please clearly mark: “(Senior) Policy Officer on Circular Economy and Waste” in the subject of your application. Please note that we will ask shortlisted candidates to provide two references.

Due to limited staff resources and numbers of CVs anticipated, only candidates selected for interviews will receive a reply.

Place for interviews:                     Virtual interview (first round) and at EEB office in Brussels (second round)

Deadline for Application:            16 April 2023

Interviews first round:                  Second half of April

Proposed starting date:              As soon as possible after the interviews

The EEB is an equal-opportunities and family-friendly employer. We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates.

Please read our recruitment privacy statement before applying:

https://eeb.org/eeb-recruitment-privacy-statement/