Policy Manager

Position description

EuroHealthNet is the European Partnership for health, equity and wellbeing. It consists of over 70 bodies from European countries responsible for public health and health promotion in Europe. From our office in Brussels, we coordinate policy, advocacy, research, and capacity building activities which help address health inequalities and positively affect the determinants of health. There are currently 21 highly skilled colleagues in the office plus rotating internships, all of whom contribute to an active, diverse, and dynamic work environment. You can read about our work at www.eurohealthnet.eu.

About the position

EuroHealthNet’s activities take place across three complementary Platforms covering Policy, Practice, and Research. A core management and operations team unifies and builds connections between the Platforms. Within the core team, communications activities amplify the messages and expertise of the EuroHealthNet Partnership.

The core team is responsible for EuroHealthNet governance, strategic planning, and member outreach efforts, as well as administrative matters such as finance, human resources and operations. The Programme Managers, in close cooperation with the Director, oversee the links between EuroHealthNet’s core operating grant and our other European projects and alliances while ensuring the overall coherence of the business plan and alignment with strategic objectives. Project work enables collaboration with members and key stakeholders, supports policy design and advocacy, drives implementation and advances research in the field of health inequalities and determinants of health.

In line with the ‘health in all policies’ approach, EuroHealthNet’s Policy Platform provides policy monitoring and analysis for the EuroHealthNet Partnership. It aims to ensure that WHO/Europe and EU initiatives contribute to better health now, and in the future. It advocates for national and European policies and approaches relating to  health equity, social rights and the wider determinants which affect health and wellbeing, based on evidence and good practice.

EuroHealthNet is currently looking for a motivated highly-skilled Policy Manager to join its dynamic team in Brussels. The experienced Policy Manager will lead EuroHealthNet’s policy and advocacy work towards improving health, equity and wellbeing in EU and international policies and approaches, including social, employment, economic, environmental, digital and other relevant policies.

The Policy Manager plays a crucial role in managing EuroHealthNet’s policy and advocacy activities, including by conducting policy research and analysis in cooperation with colleagues, engaging with EuroHealthNet members, health and social stakeholders, providing expert advice to the European Commission, supporting the development of projects and grant proposals, and representing EuroHealthNet at relevant EU and international stakeholder groups. The Policy Manager oversees the development of EuroHealthNet’s annual policy and advocacy plans, oversees the Policy Platform and supports the policy team in its implementation, and ensures coherence with EuroHealthNet’s work in the Practice and Research Platform.

The successful candidate will join our Management Team, currently composed of the Director and three Programme Managers. This is a position of high visibility and high responsibility, providing ample opportunities for professional growth and development. The Policy Manager will work on specific tasks as set out below, but would also be encouraged to contribute with its experience and knowledge to ensure credible, accurate and high-quality outputs across EuroHealthNet’s work programme.

Accountability

The post is directly accountable to the Director, with constant liaison and coordination with the Programme Managers, as well as the Policy Platform team and Operations and Communications teams.

Responsibility

The successful candidate will:

• Lead EuroHealthNet’s policy and advocacy work on improving health, equity and wellbeing in EU and international policies, with a particular focus on health and social policies, including:
  • Strategic policy and advocacy planning;
  • Monitoring and engaging with relevant European policy developments, respond to policy consultations, identifying opportunities and threats for EuroHealthNet, its members and partners work;
  • Providing political intelligence, analytical insights, strategic support and expertise;
  • Contributing to the development of policy and advocacy strategies in close cooperation with EuroHealthNet’s Communications team: advocacy materials, social media use, policy papers, briefings, and other relevant publications;
  • Supporting the organisation of EuroHealthNet’s external and internal events and capacity-building seminars in relation to relevant EU and international policies;
  • Ensuring collaborative work and policy contribution across the organisation, in Practice and Research Platforms, as well as in Core and Communications’ activities.
• Building, maintaining and nurturing strong professional relationships with EuroHealthNet members, officials of the European Institutions, European civil society actors, and other key stakeholders (e.g., academia) to further strengthen the partnership;
• Representing EuroHealthNet externally in high-profile events at international, EU, national and regional levels across Europe, and serving as a chair or moderator in relevant events;
• In order to ensure effective implementation of EuroHealthNet’s annual business plan and the European Commission ESF+ operating grant agreement, other responsibilities may be assigned, based on the successful candidate’s profile.

Profile

Essential:

• Demonstrable experience (8-10 years) in policy, advocacy and coordination at EU level, and a solid background in policy development and implementation;
• Excellent understanding of, and affinity with health and health-related issues, in particular with social determinants of health, health systems, social justice, climate, environment and food;
• Understanding of, and affinity with EU policy making processes and institutions; experience in design and delivery of effective advocacy strategies;
• Exceptional written and oral communication skills in English; other languages are a plus;
• Minimum master level degree in a relevant field such as (European) public health, health and social or political sciences;
• Capacity to deliver high-quality results in a timely fashion and to work independently and in teams; ability to foster collegial and supportive relationships with colleagues;
• High level of organisation and attention to detail; ability to prioritise and work efficiently on diverse and fast-moving tasks;
• Proactive mind-set and pragmatic approach to problem-solving;
• Demonstrable team management and leadership skills;
• Passionate about reducing health inequalities, advancing social justice, and a good understanding of policy measures needed to do so;
• Politically savvy, socially engaged and proactive, enjoying public presence, including on social media.

Desirable:

• Previous experience working on EU-funded projects and in international settings (e.g., with EU Member States authorities);
• Experience in event planning and project management;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools, including Teams and SharePoint;
• Pre-existing professional relationships with civil society networks, European Institutions officials, and other stakeholders relevant for effective implementation and dissemination of EuroHealthNet policy and advocacy activities;
• Knowledge of other European languages.

Practicalities

EuroHealthNet offers:

• A permanent position according to Belgian national legislation;
• The position is open as part-time (80%) or full-time (100%);
• A competitive salary ranging between €5.000 and €5.500 monthly gross depending on experience and qualifications;
• Various legal and extra-legal benefits such as meal vouchers, financial support towards the use of public transport to work, working from home allowance, and hospital insurance;
• A multidisciplinary and multicultural working environment dedicated to health, equity and wellbeing;
• A non-routine job, with opportunities for professional growth and development.

All applicants must be qualified, eligible, and able to work in Belgium, with Belgium as their residency location. We are unfortunately not able to provide financial assistance to relocate to Brussels or Belgium.

The post will combine in-office and remote work, as well as travel within Europe. The successful candidate will be supplied with necessary materials to work remotely, as required (e.g., laptop).

We value diversity, gender equality and inclusivity

Diversity is a core value of EuroHealthNet. We are passionate about building and sustaining an inclusive and equitable working and learning environment. Every member on our team enriches our diversity by exposing us to ways to understand and engage with the world, identify challenges, and to design and deliver solutions. We offer a flexible working environment, in line with our gender, diversity, and inclusion strategy, and reasonable accommodations will be made for people who identify as living with a disability.

Specific measures are taken to eliminate (unconscious) bias and make the recruitment process more objective. These include anonymising applications during the initial selection; using a point-based system based on the job criteria for rating applications and interviews; making sure all applicants are asked the same interview questions; and offering an opportunity to receive personal feedback to all applicants.

Read our Workplace Gender, Equality and Diversity Policy for more information.

This is an important post for us. Please do not hesitate to apply, also if you do not fulfil all selection criteria.

Application instructions

Applicants should send an email to Chris Russ, Operations Assistant ([email protected]), with the following subject line: “POLICY MANAGER”.

Please include the following two files as attachments (do not include any other attachments):

1. Your CV, with its filename: “SURNAME_FIRSTNAME_CV”. (Please do not include personal details such as your picture, personal situation or birth date);
2. A motivation letter, 1-page maximum, with filename: “SURNAME_FIRSTNAME_ML”. In your letter, please address the ways you are suited for this position and what your ambitions are for EuroHealthNet.

Please note that applications that do not follow the above instructions will be automatically disregarded.

The closing date for applications is 19 February 2024 (midnight CET).

Interviews (preferably in person, but online is possible) with short-listed candidates are intended to be held between 26 February and 8 March 2024, with the appointment to begin as soon as possible after that.

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