EU Policy Advisor (m/f/d)

at  ZOE Institute for Futurefit Economies

Brussels-based | November 2024 | full-time
Who we are
ZOE, the Institute for Future-Fit Economies, is an independent think & do tank based in Cologne founded in 2017. We are dedicated to policy-oriented research and evidence-driven advocacy for a future-fit economy. At the interface of politics, research, and civil society in the EU, we develop impulses for an economy that enables people to live well within planetary boundaries.
We are a small team that values an appreciative atmosphere and good communication.

FURTHER WE OFFER:

• A motivating working environment in a small think & do tank that has made it to the top ofEU politics in a short space of time
• A strategic, agile, value and purpose-oriented working style
• Flexibility of working time and place, supporting a healthy work-life-balance
  Tasks
  Key responsibilities

We are looking for a strategically minded colleague who can support our political work across all topics and teams. As part of a motivated and impact-driven team you will carry out a variety of tasks, including:

• Coordinate and manage stakeholder engagement: Map and manage relationships within our partner organizations and policy-makers networks strategically and coordinate across our teams.
• Coordination of policy engagement: coordinate across ZOE’s teams in implementing,

adapting and aligning policy engagement strategies, ensuring a unified approach for effective implementation and impact.

• Policy engagement and relationship building: cultivate relationships with EU and Member State policymakers to advocate for our key priority areas.
• Policy process monitoring and coordination: monitor key policy process across the

Commission, Parliament, Council, and Member States related to our key priority areas.

• Strategic planning and support across teams: offer strategic guidance, foresight planning, and advise to ZOE’s teams, ensuring alignment with our organizational objectives.

The specific set of priority tasks and responsibilities will be decided together based on the list above and the selected candidate’s specific background and skills.
Requirements
Who we are looking for

We are looking for people that share our core principles: value orientation, sustainability, agility, self-responsibility, and flat hierarchies. Your profile would include the following skills, background, and knowledge:

• Expertise in the EU policy-making process including internal decision-making processes, the policy and institutional cycle with particular focus on the Commission
• At least 3 years of professional experience in policy consulting, advocacy, as a policymaker or in comparable fields
• At least 2 years of experience of monitoring policy processes and mapping policy

developments and timelines, or coordinating this process

• At least 1-2 years of experience coordinating within and across teams
• Strategic thinking capabilities to design projects, plans and strategies for impact
• Excellent relationship building and networking skills with people in the policy arena at all levels and existing contacts within the EU policy-making landscape
• Good communication and presentation skills (written and verbal) when explaining research results to a non-expert audience
• Capability to work on several projects in parallel and to work with ease also across projects
• Fluency in written and spoken English; also working capability in German and/or French is a big plus

In addition, some of the following competencies fit well into our team but are not a requirement:
Master’s degree in economics, political economy, EU policy and governance or equivalent policymaking knowledge and skills acquired through other demonstrable means; and knowledge of participative and co-creative processes such as design thinking.
Benefits
Conditions
The weekly workload can be arranged between 32-38 hours whereby working hours can be arranged flexibly. ZOE uses 38h as full-time working hours. The position is planned to start by 1st of November.
We wish for a regular presence in Brussels; however, we support a hybrid work environment. This role is a mid-level position in our salary and competency frameworks and therefore gross wage will be between €3,980-€4,890 per month, depending on the competences and experience and pro-rata based on percentage of full-time hours. The contract will be for one year initially; however, the position is intended to contribute to the long-term development of the organisation. For this reason, we aim for a longer-term fit after the first year.
Diversity
We believe that our society’s behaviour disproportionately hurts the most marginalized people – including people of colour, people from working class backgrounds, people with disabilities, women and LGBTIQ people. We are committed to challenge this through our work for socially just development and by creating a diverse workplace at our organisation. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people who are members of marginalized communities.
Application procedure
We are continuously accepting applications. Please send your CV (max 3 pages), a motivation letter (400–500 words), and a work sample which shows your understanding of the policy-making process (power point slides, publication, or anything similar). Please do not attach a photo to your application. Please state “EU Policy Advisor” in the subject line. If we consider your application to be suitable, we will get back to you as soon as possible with dates for an online interview

• Coordinate and manage stakeholder engagement: Map and manage relationships within our partner organizations and policy-makers networks strategically and coordinate across our teams.
• Coordination of policy engagement: coordinate across ZOE’s teams in implementing