Policy & Advocacy Officer

Position description

EAPN is looking to work with an experienced and enthusiastic individual to support its Policy and Advocacy work.

The main tasks are:

General:

• To be responsible for collecting and analysing policy intelligence and take the lead on drafting position papers/reports and carrying out advocacy work related to the identified area/s of EAPN’s policy work in coordination with the specific EAPN working group/s and the Policy team;
• To analyse and monitor relevant legislation, policies, measures, projects and studies at EU and national level, relevant to the designated policy area/s and produce policy briefings and analytical reports in consultation with the relevant working group/s;
• Support the Policy and Advocacy Coordinator with the management of EAPN’s internal policy expert group, the EU Inclusion Strategies Group.

Advocacy and policy tasks:

• To develop and implement advocacy strategies towards the most relevant institutions, in particular the EU institutions, for political change on key issues;
• To build and strengthen coalitions and alliances, relevant to the different policy areas, in particular, related to energy poverty and climate justice, digital poverty and income inequality;
• To develop and implement policy and advocacy proposals relevant to the specific work areas agreed together with EAPN national and European members, according to EAPN annual Workplan and strategic vision;
• To contribute to the capacity-building of EAPN members, in relation our development and membership officer;
• To support the meaningful participation of people experiencing poverty in all aspects of EAPN’s policy and advocacy work in collaboration with our participation officer;
• To draft position papers/articles/op-eds/letters/reports and support their dissemination in collaboration with our communication officers;
• To contribute to EAPN’s campaigns, ensuring they are built around solid policy analysis;
• To support EAPN’s external communication, through our website, newsletters, etc.;
• To represent EAPN in key events and take up speaking engagements in different settings, as required and according to our internal procedure;
• To contribute to developing an effective team approach with colleagues and partners to achieve EAPN’s mission and objectives;
• To support the fundraising efforts made under the leadership of the Director.

Qualifications

Experience:

• Between 7 years of experience at the EU or national level in policy, research and/or mobilisation work.

Essential:

• Experience in working with Social Justice grassroots, human rights issues, NGOs and/or in European or national membership-based organizations;
• Experience working on policy/advocacy, including in building and implementing lobbying/advocacy strategies, in an EU or national context;
• Experience in coalition building with civil society organisations at the European or national level.

Desirable:

• Experience on Economic or Social Justice civil society organisations
• Experience working with national civil society organisations tackling poverty and social exclusion, discrimination or social injustice in general
• Experience in policy analysis related to social rights

Skills:

Essential:

• Knowledge of EU or national social inclusion policies and practices;
• Knowledge of EU institutions and the decision-making process;
• Strong interpersonal skills;
• Excellent organisation skills;
• Sense of initiative and ability to be self-supporting;
• Ability to analyse and synthesize complex material into digestible advocacy documents to disseminate to partners and strategic stakeholders;
• Ability to develop lobbying/advocacy strategies involving national and EU members;
• Ability to build relationships, networks and alliances with partners and members;
• Excellent ability to communicate to a variety of audiences in writing and orally;
• Both written and oral fluency in English, any other language is a plus;
• Ability to work well within a small team;
• Ability to cope with competing deadlines and priorities while being able to manage competing priorities;
• Group facilitation skills;
• Public speaking skills;
• Ability to adapt to a changing policy environment.

Desirable:

• Facilitation skills;
• Project management skills;
• Grant application and management skills.

Application instructions

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