JOB DESCRIPTION

 

Selection reference ECHO/COM/2025/1911

Policy Assistant

DG ECHO of the European Commission

Selection reference: ECHO/COM/2025/1911
Domain: Civil Protection, Emergency Response and Humanitarian Aid
Where: Unit B.1 – Strategy, international and inter-institutional relations, Brussels
Staff category and Function Group: Temporary agent 2b
Grade: AST 1- 3
Publication deadline: 26.09.2025 – 12.00 (Brussels time)

WE ARE

Unit B1 leads on strategic questions for DG ECHO regarding both humanitarian aid and civil
protection. It facilitates the alignment of DG ECHO policy work with the Commission overall
strategy, work programme and political agenda.

With regard to international relations on civil protection, disaster risk reduction and humanitarian
aid, the unit represents DG ECHO in relevant international and multilateral fora such as the UN,
including through its staff members in the EU Delegations in Geneva, New York and Washington
DC. It also coordinates the DG’s overall relationship with the UN system as well as the World Bank,
OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) and other international financial
institutions. The unit coordinates the DG’s strategic relationships with OCHA (Office for the
Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs), UNDRR (United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction)
and IFRC (International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies). The unit is also
responsible for the G7/G20 as well as bilateral relations, notably with AU, CA, CN, IS, JP, KR, NO, NZ,
UK, US, and coordinates the overall relations with UCPM participating states as well as international
cooperation on civil protection and disaster risk reduction.

The unit is responsible for DG ECHO’s interinstitutional relations (EU Member States, Presidency,
Council, European Parliament) including through the coordination of the relevant Council working
parties and committees (Working Party on Humanitarian Aid and food Aid (COHAFA), Humanitarian
Aid Committee (HAC), Council working party on Civil Protection (PROCIV), Civil Protection Committee
(CPC) and ensures DG ECHO participation at the pre-GRI. The unit acts as DG ECHO focal point for
relations with the EEAS and the Commissioners’ Group on a Stronger Europe (CGSE) as well as for
the External Action Coordination Group (EXCO).

The unit is also in charge of the civil protection annual work programme. The unit covers initiatives
to close the humanitarian financing gap by reducing the needs, improving the effectiveness and
efficiency of the humanitarian action and expanding the donor base. In this context it leads on the
humanitarian-development peace nexus, the Grand Bargain, promoting positive reform of the
humanitarian aid system with its quality funding and localisation caucuses, programmatic

Selection reference ECHO/COM/2025/1911

partnerships, multi-year and country-based pool funding, innovative financing and private sector
engagement and driving efficiency through cash and strengthened partnerships with local actors.

WE PROPOSE

Unit B.1 of DG ECHO is seeking to hire an Assistant Policy Officer to help designing, develop and
implement policies related to innovation, technology and private partnerships in humanitarian
assistance.

The position will consist of several tasks including:

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Assist in developing and mainstreaming humanitarian aid policies and projects across DG
ECHO in relation with innovative financing, relations with the private sector as well as
digitalisation, technology and innovation.
Support the drafting of policy proposals, background papers, briefings, speeches,
replies to correspondence and parliamentary questions; contribute to the
negotiations with other services and organisations.
Ensure the internal dissemination of developments in the assigned policy areas and
report on the achieved results.
Assist in establishing close cooperation with stakeholders; Contribute to the
organisation of events related to the assigned policy areas targeting either
internal or external stakeholders.
Ensure policy monitoring regarding the designated EUMS (Ireland, Luxembourg) in the
area of Humanitarian Aid, Civil Protection and Crisis management. Update the
corresponding country fiches on a regular basis, liaising with relevant units and
services to gather relevant policy lines and developments.

WE LOOK FOR

We are looking for:

– A dynamic colleague with an experience of at least 3 years in EU external relations with a good
understanding of innovative financing/private sector in the field of humanitarian or development
aid.
– Previous experience with grant management is an advantage.
– An experience of at least 1 year in civil protection, emergency response and humanitarian aid is
desirable.
– A flexible team-player who is able to liaise with several colleagues inside and outside of the unit.
– A very good command of written and spoken English; knowledge of French will be considered an
asset.

Selection reference ECHO/COM/2025/1911

HOW TO EXPRESS YOUR INTEREST?

You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order:
1. your CV
Please send these documents by the publication deadline to [email protected]
indicating the selection reference ECHO/COM/2025/1911 in the subject.

2. completed application form.

No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline.

Selection reference ECHO/COM/2025/1911

ANNEX

1. Selection

 Am I eligible to apply?

You must meet the following eligibility criteria when you validate your application:

Our rules provide that you can only be recruited as a temporary agent at the European Commission
if you:

General criteria:

• Are a citizen of a Member State of the EU and enjoy full rights as a citizen;
• Have fulfilled any obligations imposed by applicable laws concerning military service;
• Are physically fit to perform the duties linked to the post;
• Produce the appropriate character references as to suitability for the performance of the

duties.

Qualifications:
In order to be recruited for this position, you must have at least either a level of post-secondary
education attested by a diploma, or a level of secondary education attested by a diploma giving
access to post-secondary education, and appropriate professional experience of at least three
years.

Only qualifications issued or recognised as equivalent by EU Member State authorities (e.g. by the
Ministry of Education) will be accepted. Furthermore, before recruitment, you will be required to
provide the documents that corroborate the eligibility criteria (diplomas, certificates and other
supporting documents).

Languages:

• have a thorough knowledge (minimum level C1) of one of the 24 official languages of the

EU2

• AND a satisfactory knowledge (minimum level B2) of a second official language of the EU,

to the extent necessary for the performance of the duties.

2 The official languages of the European Union are: BG (Bulgarian), CS (Czech), DA (Danish), DE (German), EL
(Greek), EN (English), ES (Spanish), ET (Estonian), FI (Finnish), FR (French), GA (Irish), HR (Croatian), HU
(Hungarian), IT (Italian), LT (Lithuanian), LV (Latvian), MT (Maltese), NL (Dutch), PL (Polish), PT (Portuguese),
RO (Romanian), SK (Slovak), SL (Slovenian), SV (Swedish).