Policy Officer for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship

Policy Officer for Cancer Prevention and Survivorship

ECL – Association of European Cancer Leagues

Brussels, Belgium

Reports to: Senior Cancer Control Officer or Executive Director TBC
Deadline for applications for priority consideration: 25 February 2024 (for priority consideration – we may continue to review applications after this date)
Starting date: April 2024/ASAP

About ECL:

The Association of European Cancer Leagues (ECL) is one of the most prominent civil society organisations active in policy at the European level.

ECL is the umbrella organisation of cancer leagues across the WHO European region and a driving force to advance cancer prevention, access to medicines and patient empowerment, as well as to influence EU health policies. ECL was founded in 1980 as a non-governmental, non-profit organisation, with a secretariat based in Brussels.

ECL currently unites, supports and represents 32 members, which are national and regional cancer societies, who together employ more than 8,000 people and over 300,000 volunteers. They provide services to over 570 million citizens. ECL engages in advocacy and lobbying and participates in EU-funded projects and joint actions. We also organise educational and policy events, and capacity-building initiatives.

About the position:

ECL is seeking to hire an ambitious, dynamic and enthusiastic professional to join our tight-knit team in Brussels to coordinate ECL’s working groups on Prevention and Early Detection (P&ED WG) and on Patient Support (PSWG), as well as our dynamic and versatile advocacy and policy activities, ensuring that the views of ECL and its members are heard, considered and impactful throughout the EU decision-making process.

The Policy Officer for Cancer Prevention & Survivorship is a pivotal position, working closely with ECL’s members to deliver strategic objectives based on ECL’s working groups’ action plans. We are looking for an experienced professional with a sound educational and professional background during an exciting period for EU cancer policy.

The position reports directly to the Senior Cancer Control Officer or Executive Director, and works in close collaboration with all others in the team.

Main tasks and responsibilities:

Policy and Advocacy Work

Policy work is a key component of this role. It will focus on two broad areas:

• Cancer prevention, currently focusing on: tobacco control; vaccination and early detection; alcohol, food and obesity; environmental hazards;
• Patient support, currently focusing on: cancer and employment; cancer and financial services; supportive cancer care.

We are seeking for a new colleague to independently lead ECL’s policy work in these area, including by:

• Monitoring, analysing and strategically engaging with EU legislation and policy developments in relevant areas;
• Communicating these developments effectively to ECL staff and ECL members;
• Contributing to the development and implementation of ECL advocacy and communication strategies, in collaboration with the ECL Secretariat and ensuring that ECL members’ priorities are reflected in ECL’s outputs;
• Conceptualising, executing, and ensuring the timely dissemination of advocacy communication collateral (e.g. position papers, statements, op-eds, leaflets, fact sheets, consultation responses, letters, etc), in close collaboration with ECL members and the Communication Officer;
• Identifying and meaningfully engaging with key stakeholders, across the EU institutions, industry, and non-governmental organisations;
• Ensuring that ECL is represented in relevant stakeholder networks, public events, conferences, and meetings;
• Drafting position papers, statements, reports, answers to public consultations, minutes, and other communication materials for internal and external use;
• Review policy papers, statements and letters towards which ECL is invited to contribute;
• Assisting in the coordination of the MEPs Against Cancer (MAC) Interest Group at the European Parliament with the Senior Policy Officer, including organising stakeholders’ meetings on prevention and survivorship issues and coordinating follow-up, in collaboration with ECL’s Communications Officer;
• Work closely and provide support as needed to ECL’s Senior Policy Officer;
• Liaising with the other ECL staff members to explore synergies with other policy and thematic areas (e.g. access to medicines, research, inequalities etc.).

Working Group Coordination

In close connection to the policy work, the new colleague will independently lead the coordination of ECL’s Patient Support Working Group and the Prevention & Early Detection Working Group, including:

• Developing and executing strategies and work plans for the two Working Groups;
• Coordinate, organise, and facilitate regular working group meetings, ensuring members’ active participation and engagement;
• Set agendas, manage discussions, and encourage collaboration among group members;
• Work with the working groups to establish activity timelines and milestones. Follow up on task completion, providing support and addressing any obstacles;
• Liaising with ECL members on a regular basis, ensuring timely reaction to their requests and that their priorities are reflected in ECL’s outputs;
• Conduct desk research and provide briefing material on key topics to ECL members;
• Ensuring timely delivery of all agreed actions;
• Conduct regular reviews to identify lessons learned and best practices;
• Document and share insights to enhance the efficiency of future working group coordination.

Project management and reporting

Should opportunities arise, the Policy Officer is expected to take on project management and reporting tasks linked to the two lines of work outlines above, with support and in collaboration with the project officers.

• Contribute to the drafting of compelling and well-organised grant proposals to fund the activities foreseen for the areas of work, supporting in handling budgets for the Working Groups;
• Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation frameworks for grant-funded activities. Prepare comprehensive reports on the achievements, challenges, and lessons learned. Draft narrative reports, providing detailed updates on activities milestones and outcomes;
• Contribute to ensuring that reports are submitted in a timely manner and comply with reporting requirements;
• Maintain a centralised repository for working group documents and resources. Ensure that documents are organized and accessible;
• Regularly report on the progress of working group activities and opportunities for engagement to the ECL’s Secretariat and Executive Board.

Required Education and experience:

• University degree (Master’s level) preferably in a relevant field, such as Health Promotion, Public Health, Health Economics, Law, European Affairs, Public policy or Political Science;
• 2 years of professional work experience, working with the EU institutions and other stakeholders in Brussels, with an excellent knowledge of EU processes, interactions and the dynamics of EU policymaking;
• Proven ability to analyse, draft and develop positions, coordinating a range of views and collating these into succinct and relevant points of view;
• Experience in collaborating effectively with relevant stakeholders;
• Experience in drafting advocacy communication collateral and policy documents;
• Experienced in being able to prioritise a busy and varied workload;
• Competent with MS Office and other PC applications;
• Work well in a team setting.

Personal Skills:

• A positive and kind person with a “can do” attitude as an effective team leader and player;
• Experienced self-starter;
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work autonomously, as well as within a small team;
• Friendly and professional attitude, able to engage and motivate project partners and collaborators;
• Strong attention to detail;
• Full fluency in spoken and written English is essential;
• Flexible and willing to travel occasionally, including during non-official hours;
• Authorised to work legally in Belgium;
• Fully dedicated to the cause and willing to lend a hand to others as needed in a small team.

Desired – you will stand out with:

• Educational background or professional experience in the health field;
• Experience working in the pan-European context;
• In-depth understanding of and experience working with the European institutions;
• Work experience in health, policy and EU public affairs;
• More than two years’ experience in policy formulation in a health-related field;
• Experience in drafting policy documents and briefings;
• Fluency in more than one European languages.

What do we offer?

• A friendly and flexible working environment, with the opportunity to take initiative and drive work;
• A dynamic and supportive multicultural team;
• Access to experts and a large diverse network of cancer leagues;
• Opportunities to meet and work with EU institutions and leading European and global cancer organisations;
• Experience in EU-oriented advocacy work and exposure to a broad range of cancer-related issues;
• Learning and training opportunities;
• Benefits package (e.g. meal vouchers, five additional extra-legal vacation days, time off between Christmas and New Year’s).

Terms of Employment:

• Open-ended contract (CDI) for this permanent position;
• Salary offered will be commensurate with experience and be supplemented with extra benefits;
• Applicants must have the legal right to work in Belgium. We are not able to sponsor work visas nor provide relocation assistance to Brussels;
• The position is fully based in Brussels. Presence is split between an office in 1030 and another in the EU quarters;
• ECL is a smoke-free workplace, compliant with Belgian regulations.

How do I apply?

Send an email to Vacancy(at)cancer.eu (no telephone calls accepted) with the subject line: Application for Policy Officer – [Your name & surname], with attachments:

1. Curriculum vitae, no longer than two A4 pages, with two professional references (preferably line managers, contacted only at a later stage with your agreement);
2. Letter of Motivation, maximum two A4 pages, which includes your 1) gross (brut) salary expectations and 2) earliest availability.

Applications received at the above email are in confidence and screened only by Board members and the ECL Senior Cancer Control Officer and Director.

IMPORTANT: applications that do not have the above information will not be considered.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 25 February 2024 (23:59 CET) (deadline extension may be possible but priority will be given to applications received by this date)

Short-listed candidates will be informed by 08 March and invited for face-to-face interviews between 18 – 28 March.

Due to the high volume of applications, we are unable to provide individual feedback. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

This job posting can also be found on our website here: https://www.cancer.eu/vacancies/.