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Policy Officer Climate Change and Development

APRODEV - Association of World Council of Churches Related Development Organisations in Europe

Brussels, Belgium


Reports to:
 The General Secretary
Work closely with: The APRODEV Working Group on Climate Change and Development, the APRODEV secretariat, and the ACT Alliance.
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About APRODEV

APRODEV is the association of World Council of Churches related development organisations in Europe. At present, 15 development and humanitarian aid organisations cooperate through APRODEV. The main aim of APRODEV is to represent the members and to influence EU development and related policies. More about APRODEV can be found on the web site www.aprodev.net.
At present, APRODEV and the ACT Alliance are in a process of integration. The objective of this process is for the present APRODEV office to become an ACT related office in Brussels by 2015, which will be governed by the sub-regional Western Europe Forum of the Europe Forum of ACT. For the climate change and development programme, this means that activities are carried out in close cooperation with the ACT Climate Change Officer and the ACT Climate Change Working Group.
A number of APRODEV members cooperate through the Working Group on Climate Change and Development with the objective of promoting European Union policies with regard to climate change that are coherent with the European Union’s development policies and promote synergies with the objectives of poverty eradication, food security and gender equity.
The major objective for work in this area is to ensure that APRODEV’s points of views are taken up in all EU policies which have an impact on climate change. In addition, APRODEV follows the UNFCCC processes and other related international climate change negotiations. In this, APRODEV focuses mainly but not exclusively on the role of the European Union in these processes and negotiations. For APRODEV it is important that the EU recognises its historic responsibility for climate change and its responsibility to contribute to the realisation of sustainable development in developing countries in general, and the obligation to respect, protect and contribute to the fulfilment of human rights in these countries in particular.

Overall job summary

On the EU climate and energy policy, the Policy Officer (PO) will:
1. Monitor EU climate and energy policies, with regard to EU development policy, to ensure coherence;
2. Monitor EU budget and finance policy priorities in regard to climate change related activities (equity, adaptation, mitigation and transfer of technology);
3. Lobby EU institutions on topics based on the APRODEV climate change policy, selected in cooperation with the APRODEV Climate Change working group;
4. Assist and facilitate members in acquiring information about political processes and decision in EU institutions, as well as representing APRODEV agencies in relevant Brussels based meetings.
On the UNFCCC negotiations, the PO will:
1. Monitor EU positions and policy towards the negotiations leading up to the COPs in 2013, 2014 and 2015;
2. Lobby EU institutions to include APRODEV Climate Change policy targets, in the coordinated EU position in the UNFCCC negotiations;
3. Assist and facilitate members in acquiring information about political processes and decision in EU institutions related to the UNFCCC negotiations.

Position in the organisation

The PO is appointed for the period until mid-2015.
The post is based at the APRODEV secretariat in Brussels.
The PO reports directly to the General Secretary and works closely with the other colleagues in the APRODEV secretariat, with the Working Group on Climate Change and Development, and with the Climate Change Officer in the ACT Alliance.
The PO liaises closely with other appropriate ecumenical and church-related organisations (such as the World Council of Churches, the Conference of European Churches, and ECEN), as well as secular organisations (such as Climate Action Network Europe and CONCORD), which focus on issues related to EU climate change policies.

Key tasks and responsibilities

Development and implementation of lobby strategy
1. Support the APRODEV Working Group on Climate Change and Development to develop, implement, monitor and adjust its policy and advocacy strategy in alignment with the ACT climate strategy;
2. Establish and lead on contacts and working relations with relevant civil servants and policy persons in European Union institutions and selected Member States;
3. Lead the implementation of the Working Group’s influencing strategy towards the EU, promoting agreed policy by:
a. Developing and presenting position papers to EU institutions in line with the agreed strategy;
b. Identifying possibilities and moments for advocacy within the overall strategy as decided upon by the Working Group;
Identification of lobby and advocacy opportunities and adjustment of strategies
1. Monitor policy preparation and implementation of the EU institutions regarding its climate and energy policies, and its positions regarding the subsequent COP meetings in 2013, 2014 and 2015;
2. Monitor relevant developments at the global level and provide analyses as appropriate;
3. Keep agencies informed of relevant developments.
Coordination and liaising with relevant stakeholders
1. Support the establishment of connections between advocacy initiatives in the EU;
2. Support the establishment of connections between advocacy efforts and campaigns at national levels and between national levels and the (APRODEV) EU level;
3. Help align APRODEV climate work with the ACT (Action by Churches Together) Alliance climate strategy and work in close collaboration with the ACT Alliance Climate Change Policy Officer;
4. Establish and maintain contacts with other networks, development agencies, institutions and other likeminded organisations working on related issues including CIDE, CONCORD and CAN Europe;
5. Represent APRODEV in EU institutions, in the media and in public as appropriate.
Support to the Working Group
1. Prepare regular briefings of progress made, lessons learnt and lobby achievements as a means for the Working Group to monitor and decide adjustments in the strategy;
2. Service meetings of the Working Group, including facilitation of gatherings, distributing timely reports for preparation before each meeting, providing minutes within 2 weeks after each meeting and other co-ordinating efforts.
The Policy Officer may be asked to take on additional duties, tasks and responsibilities in agreement with him/her to fulfil the mandate and purpose of APRODEV.
The job description may change but any change will be made in consultation with the post holder.

Achievements expected from the Policy Officer

The Working Group expects the Policy Officer to achieve the following:
  • APRODEV is seen by EU stakeholders as a professional contributor to policy analysis and debate on the issues at stake;
  • Impact resulting from APRODEV’s advocacy strategy can be demonstrated within EU policy;
  • APRODEV has enhanced quality and depth of engagement with key interlocutors on the EU’s policy concerning the issues at stake;
  • Enhanced effectiveness of the Working Group co-operation to influence change on the EU’s policies on climate, energy and UNFCCC;
  • Enhanced cooperation with the ACT Alliance.
The Policy Officer’s expectations towards the APRODEV Working Group may include the following:
  • The APRODEV secretariat will provide daily logistic and operational support to the PO;
  • The Working Group will maintain a close strategic dialogue with, and provide expertise, guidance and support to the PO.
Professional Profile of the Policy Officer on Climate Change and Development
An EU national or holder of a valid work permit

Knowledge

  • Knowledge of the EU institutions and policies in general;
  • Knowledge of the EU’s climate and energy policies;
  • Familiarity with NGDOs and ecumenical organisations;
  • Knowledge of, and experience with equity/solidarity/justice agendas.

Skills

  • Good communication skills;
  • Solid analytical, planning and strategising skills;
  • Ability to work proactively, ensuring that opportunities to influence decisions and policies are optimised and that lessons learnt are fed back into further strategising and planning;
  • To prioritise work effectively and to work to deadlines;
  • Adaptability to new areas of knowledge, policy issues and country situations;
  • Experience of work in politically managed organisations;
  • Ability to work both independently and as a member of a team of highly motivated colleagues;
  • Fluent in English and preferably also in French.

Experience

  • Advocacy, communication, lobbying around international issues, preferably including European/EU level;
  • Networking;
  • Facilitating the work of working groups or decision making bodies;
  • Carrying out research tasks which require demanding levels of accuracy and analytical clarity.

Commitment

  • Must be in sympathy with the aims of APRODEV, ACT Alliance and the broader ecumenical movement;
  • Ability to travel, mainly but not only within Europe, including at short notice.
Applicants should send their CV, references and a cover letter addressing the competencies required to:
APRODEV
Boulevard Charlemagne 28
B-1000 Brussels