Overview

BirdLife Europe and Central Asia (ECA) is looking for a dynamic, passionate and committed policy professional to support BirdLife Partners on EU agriculture and bioenergy policies.

BirdLife ECA is a Partnership of 48 national conservation organisations and a leader in bird conservation. Our unique local to global approach enables us to deliver high impact and long term conservation for the benefit of nature and people.

BirdLife ECA is one of the six regional Secretariats that compose BirdLife International, the global authority on the status of bird species. Based in Brussels, it supports the European and Central Asian Partnership and is present in 47 countries including all EU Member States.

With more than 4.100 staff in Europe, 2 million members and tens of thousands of skilled volunteers, BirdLife Europe and Central Asia, together with its national Partners, owns or manages more than 6,000 nature sites totalling 320 000 hectares.

In Brussels, the BirdLife ECA team works mainly on EU policy issues and aims at improving EU legislation relating to the environment and biodiversity.

2   OVERALL PURPOSE OF THE JOB

The purpose of the job is to help BirdLife ECA’s Partners and the BirdLife Agriculture Task Force achieve the formulation and delivery of policy work on the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), biofuels related policies and other related policies linked to biodiversity, including Land Use, Biofuels and Climate Adaptation and Mitigation in the EU and to represent BirdLife ECA’s position at the Brussels institutions.

Background is available on the webpages:

https://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/policy/eu-agriculture

https://www.birdlife.org/europe-and-central-asia/policy/bioenergy

https://www.living-land.org/

3   DUTIES

  1.  Assist and contribute to the formulation and promotion of the BirdLife positions on CAP and Agriculture in the EU under the guidance of the BirdLife Agriculture Task Force, to support the work of the Task Force and its coordinator and to keep abreast of legislative and  policy developments in that field.
  2. Implement the BirdLife ECA agricultural strategy.
  3. Assist the EU Bioenergy Policy Officer on biofuel related issues.
  4. Assist in developing constructive working relationships with key influential bodies, especially the European Commission & European Parliament, and other NGOs, and to win their support for our programmes and policies individually and collectively, including providing briefs and papers for decision-makers.
  5. Represent BirdLife ECA at technical and advisory EU committees, working groups and other meetings, as appropriate, in relation with the areas described in Overall Purpose of Job.
  6. Participate and represent BirdLife ECA at external conferences and seminars.
  7. Help with media relations on agricultural and biofuels policy.
  8. Contribute to the BirdLife ECA newsletter.
  9. Help identify opportunities for funding for agriculture work, in collaboration with specialist fundraisers, (other) European division staff and Partners.
  10. Co-operate with relevant colleagues, including the Head of EU Policy, other policy and conservation officers, the other Task Force Coordinators and the specialists from Partners and to fully involve them in relevant discussions to promote BirdLife ECA’s position and to help them as necessary in the effective completion of their work.

4    WHAT WE OFFER

Duration: 1 year (renewable) Belgian contract

Working hours: full-time

5   HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a full CV and a comprehensive cover letter (all in English) setting out your reasons for applying for the post and outlining the qualifications experience, knowledge and skills that you feel you can bring to the role to: recruitment.europe@birdlife.org

Please include in the email subject: EU Agriculture and Bioenergy Policy Officer.

Closing date: 1st September 2017 at midnight CET. Please consider that applications received after the closing date will be automatically discarded.

6    SHORTLISTING AND INTERVIEW

Shortlisting is based on CV and cover letter. Successful candidates will be asked to attend face to face interviews. A possibility of remote interview may be offered to candidates from abroad.

Please note that due to the large number of expected applications only successful candidates will be contacted.