(23 Nov 2017) – ECOLISE is now at an exciting stage in its development and is currently recruiting for the post of Policy Coordinator. The Policy Coordinator will join an existing team, comprising an ECOLISE Executive Director, Communications Coordinator, Knowledge and Learning Coordinator, and two Research Advisers. Together, this team is responsible for helping to develop strategy and coordinate activities across the three key pillars of ECOLISE activity – policy, communications, and knowledge and learning.
Are you committed to demonstrating the critical role that bottom-up, community-led action can play in creating positive change? Do you have the resilience and imagination to work with our Council and Executive Board to develop the policy role and help shape and coordinate a fast-evolving Europe-wide organisation?
Read on for more details on how to apply…
ECOLISE
ECOLISE is a coalition of organisations engaged in promoting and supporting local communities across Europe in their efforts to build pathways to a sustainable future. The members of ECOLISE include international, national and regional networks of community-led initiatives, as well as other organisations engaged in European-level research, training, communications or other activities to support community-led climate action and sustainability. You can read the current ECOLISE strategy here and see our website here.
Established in 2014, ECOLISE is now at an exciting stage in its development, having secured some core funding to advance its strategy. To complement the existing team, we are currently recruiting for the post of Policy Coordinator. This post will initially be offered on a part-time, temporary basis (nine-month contract), with the possibility of a further extension.
Because of the nature of the work, and the need for ongoing engagement with EU partners and institutions, it is envisaged that the successful candidates will be Brussels-based and work on a freelance basis. It is expected that the candidate will be able to work from home, although office space may also be available, hosted by an ECOLISE partner organisation.
There will be scope for successful candidates to shape their own role, working with interested volunteers from member organisations, and to help develop the strategy, systems and working practices of ECOLISE as a whole. The Policy Coordinator will report to the Executive Director of ECOLISE. You will be supported and steered by an active Executive Board and an engaged Council with good links to, and knowledge of, wider networks of community-led action on sustainability.
Person Specification
The post-holder will need to be a:
- Self-starter with a willingness and capacity to work remotely;
- Strong collaborator, willing to learn and adapt to changing situations, and able to maintain momentum on a project while engaging with busy stakeholders and responding to their feedback, energy and interest;
- Good communicator with the ability to represent ECOLISE in different public fora;
- Fluent English speaker, ideally with an ability to communicate in other European languages;
- Aligned to ECOLISE aims and values (see the ECOLISE strategy for more information).
Additional information and criteria are set out below:
Position: Policy Coordinator
Working with the ECOLISE members and secretariat, the Policy Coordinator will oversee the implementation of the policy/advocacy aspects of the ECOLISE strategy, which aims to influence European and national policy development and delivery to empower, enable and build upon the benefits of community‐led action. The successful candidate will develop and implement a policy action plan, which will build on ongoing activities to develop the capacity of ECOLISE members, open channels of communication and develop relations with key institutions, organisations and partners, and facilitate ECOLISE input on selected policy initiatives.
Profile sought:
The candidate sought will have a good knowledge of EU and national policy making processes, as well as an understanding of, and capacity to engage with, grassroots community-led initiatives. Other desirable characteristics include:
- Experience in working in an NGO environment and in facilitating processes to support the emergence of common positions or opinions;
- The ability to build partnerships and alliances to support ECOLISE policy positions and strategies;
- A good capacity to inspire target audiences (including policy and decision-makers) to explore and navigate the ECOLISE narrative, and to position ECOLISE as a credible and trusted partner in the policy making process;
- A good knowledge of and interest in community-led action on climate change and sustainability.
Salary and conditions
To be negotiated within the parameters of our overall funding. ECOLISE is not seeking to become a direct employer of staff at this stage, so we are keen to discuss potential hosting arrangements with member organisations and/or to recruit people on a freelance basis.
To apply:
Please send your CV and letter of motivation, explaining how you meet the relevant person specification, to (referring to the position applied for in the subject) not later than 5.00pm (Central European Time) on the 13 December 2017. If you have any questions or concerns in relation to this position that you would like to discuss informally, please contact us at the above email address.