Senior Policy Advisor, EU Foreign Policy, Climate Diplomacy & Geopolitics, Brussels

SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR, EU FOREIGN POLICY, CLIMATE DIPLOMACY & GEOPOLITICS, BRUSSELS

E3G is recruiting a Senior Policy Advisor to advance our work on EU foreign policy, geopolitics and climate diplomacy. This is an exciting time to join E3G and influence the EU’s foreign policy strategy in a context of heightened geopolitical tensions and the unfolding climate crisis. The position is critical in spurring action within EU governments and institutions to ensure that climate outreach and cooperation remain a top international priority in Europe. The Senior Policy Advisor role will be based in E3G's office in Brussels.

Context

Climate change is a defining force of geopolitics today. It has a profound impact on global security and is a driver of crises worldwide such as famines, mass displacements and increasingly conflicts over resources and threats to global supply chains. Transitioning to a clean, fair and resilient economy is thus not only a necessity to avoid climate collapse but also to maintain global stability.

The next year is central to global climate cooperation in a world where multilateral cooperation is under strain. Countries must implement COP29 outcomes on international climate finance and present their new national transition plans while providing a forward vision and commitment for implementation. Indeed, the success of this implementation cycle of the Paris Agreement will lock in climate ambition until at least 2035 hence is crucial to avert the worst climate scenarios and sustain trust in the value of international rules-based cooperation.

The EU has been a major international climate leader for decades thanks to its domestic ambition and support to international cooperation. It is fundamental that it keeps pushing forward to ensure other major emitters match its ambition. This is not only critical to reduce emissions and stay within the Paris Agreement temperature goals, but to strengthen the competitiveness of the EU’s clean economy and regain the trust of its international partners.

In the coming years, EU institutions and governments will work closely to establish an ambitious 2040 target and ensure it is the basis for the EU’s own NDC submission ahead of COP30, establish new mutually beneficial economic partnerships and a revamped Global Gateway that spur a fair race to the top. While geopolitical dynamics ar shifting – within Europe, with China, the US, and emerging economies – it is crucial how Europe understands and navigates these dynamics for greater climate impact.

Background

E3G is a world-leading strategy think tank working on the political economy of climate change with a global outlook. We work on the frontier of the climate landscape tackling the barriers and advancing the solutions to a safe climate for all. Our goal is to translate climate politics, economics and policies into action. We pride ourselves on bringing independence to an extremely polarised discussion and holding policy makers to account on their promises. E3G’s diplomatic work extends across the whole climate regime, including the UN negotiations and cooperation on the energy transition, financial reform and increasing resilience. E3G particularly focuses on understanding and influencing the connections between climate politics and global agendas in foreign, security and economic policy. E3G is consistently ranked as one of the top-ten most influential environmental think tanks in the world by the University of Pennsylvania’s Global Go To Think Tank Index. E3G offers a dynamic and fast-paced working environment that will value your insight, initiative and collaboration wherever you are in the organisation.

Role Overview

It is against this backdrop that E3G is recruiting a highly versatile and experienced practitioner to serve as Senior Policy Advisor for EU foreign policy and climate diplomacy.

This position will sit in E3G’s Climate Diplomacy and Geopolitics department, under the supervision of the Programme Lead for EU and German foreign policy and overseeing the work of one staff at the time of hiring. The role will be situated in the Brussels office and work closely with the local Executive Director and wider European team focused on European politics, energy transition, industrial decarbonisation, and trade.

Key responsibilities include

• Lead the development and delivery of E3G’s strategy on EU foreign policy to centre climate and clean economy cooperation in third countries in collaboration with relevant E3G teams.

• Lead the development and delivery of E3G’s strategy on EU climate diplomacy supporting ambitious EU positions and outreach to key international partners within and outside of the UNFCCC in collaboration with relevant E3G teams.

• Monitor political, policy, and geopolitical developments relevant to EU foreign policy and act as internal referent on EU climate diplomacy and foreign policy.

• Produce, and oversee production of, internal and external communications materials and undertake short pieces of wider analysis.

• Establish E3G as a voice and thought leader on geopolitics, EU foreign policy, and implication for climate politics. Develop propositions and lead advocacy towards European institutions and stakeholders.

• Lead engagement towards EU institutions, select national governments, and stakeholders. Build and manage critical relationships such as within the European Commission, the European Parliament, member state governments, media and across international civil society networks and in relevant international for a.

• Contribute to coordination on E3G work across all external aspects of the EU’s climate transition including climate diplomacy, foreign policy, trade, and energy diplomacy.

• Travel will be required, but we are open to discussing this if this would otherwise become a barrier to your application.

Person Description

You are intellectually curious and enthusiastic about working with others to develop solutions in the transition towards climate neutral and resilient economies. You are committed to high quality outputs even when under pressure and use collaboration to get to better outcomes. You are able to reflect on your own strengths and weaknesses and work in a team of diverse personalities.

You are a creative thinker and able to learn fast. You are enthusiastic about working across complex and disparate issues, and pride yourself in prioritising impact over activities. You will be able to help identify and engage with a range of external stakeholders to understand their perspectives and communicate ideas and findings.

Experience and Skills

The successful candidate will demonstrate

• A high-quality degree or professional qualification in a relevant area.

• At least 5 to 8 years experience in one or more of: EU diplomacy, foreign policy, climate change policy, international relations, EU trade or development policy.

• Ability to operate confidently at high/political and expert/technical level, in the worlds of government, business, the media and civil society. Experience in operating internationally, with a high degree of cultural sensitivity, and a track-record of building, leading and managing stakeholder relationships and partnerships with an ability to connect to and understand the interests of different political audiences.

• Strong personal networks at European level in relevant areas would be an advantage. Experience working with and in national or EU climate diplomacy teams is highly desirable.

• Demonstrable experience developing and implementing outcome-focused strategies on EU foreign or climate policy with a track record of thought leadership and problem solving, including authorship of briefings and comment pieces, ideally in areas directly relevant to EU climate and/or foreign policy.

• Strong written and spoken English is a must. Fluent knowledge of at least one other EU language would be an advantage.

• Be a strong team player, committed to achieving E3G’s objectives and capable of inspiring and facilitating action by others. Ability to work effectively to support shared team outcomes and to work in an innovative and entrepreneurial manner. You prioritise achieving outcomes over running activities.

What we offer

• Permanent, full-time position.

• Work-life balance. Enjoy a 35-hour work week with flexible working arrangements and a hybrid work model.

• 25 vacation days + additional leave between Christmas and New Year.

• Additional Employers pension contribution plan.

• Mobile phone and mobile phone contract .

• Hospitalisation and travel insurance.

• Gross monthly salary range for this position is €3811 - €4242 in Brussels depending on the candidate’s professional experience and skills.

• Yearly process for remuneration review.

You will be required to have the right to work in Belgium . E3G is unable to provide any relocation assistance to candidates who would need to move in order to take up this position. E3G will require candidates to demonstrate that they have the right to live and work in the jurisdiction in which E3G employs them.

How to apply

Please include:

• A CV of maximum two pages

• A cover letter of no more than one page outlining your motivation to apply and the skills and experience you are bringing to the role, as well as your earliest possible start date.

The deadline for applications is Midnight 10 February 2025. First round of interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis from mid-January .

Whilst we very much appreciate the time you will have taken with your application, unfortunately due to the level of response we receive we will not be able to reply to every candidate.  Therefore, if you have not heard from us with 2 weeks of the closing date, please assume that on this occasion you have been unsuccessful.

E3G values diversity and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of age, gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion or ethnic background. We aim to build an inclusive workforce that is reflective of the populations we support, and actively seek applications from those who are marginalized and underrepresented. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities.

Keywords

Policy AdvisorClimate DiplomacyGeopoliticsEU Foreign PolicyStrategyClimate ChangeGlobal SecurityEnergy TransitionEU DiplomacyInternational RelationsClimate PolicyThought LeadershipProblem Solving