Policy Officer

Position description

Rural Youth Europe is recruiting a Policy Officer. The Policy Officer will be responsible for shaping and driving Rural Youth Europe’s advocacy efforts, ensuring that rural youth issues are effectively represented in European policymaking. This includes policy research, drafting position papers, engaging with policymakers, and contributing to advocacy campaigns on diverse key rural youth issues, including sustainability and energy transition.

Additionally, the Policy Officer will have to (co-)manage policy-oriented projects of Rural Youth Europe, so the standard project management tasks might be included in their tasks (project development and implementation, organisation of activities and workshops, policy inputs in the fundraising work of the organisation etc.).

The Policy Officer reports to the Secretary General of Rural Youth Europe. The position is based in the Brussels office of Rural Youth Europe, with possibility of remote working occasionally and it includes occasional travels outside of Belgium.

Responsibilities and tasks

• Developing and implementing RYE’s advocacy strategies to influence policy on rural youth issues at the European level;
• Conducting policy research and developing intellectual outputs, like position papers, reports, toolkits and contributions to relevant consultations;
• Representing RYE in advocacy spaces, including meetings with institutions, policy makers, and other stakeholders;
• Building and maintaining relationships with key decision-makers, partner organisations, and networks in the youth and rural development sectors, in Brussels and beyond;
• Monitoring policy developments affecting rural youth and identifying opportunities for engagement;
• Supporting the board and secretariat in integrating policy perspectives into projects, events, fundraising applications and communications;
• Organising events, activities and workshops, and meetings to raise awareness and build alliances for rural youth advocacy;
• Working together with the rest of the secretariat and the board to ensure the smooth implementation of projects and activities, both online and face-to-face;
• Undertaking other day-to-day tasks within the organisation, depending on shifting needs.

Qualifications

We are looking for a motivated applicant who has:

• Experience in international youth work/NGO work (either as a paid staff member or as a volunteer);
• Experience or strong interest in rural youth issues;
• Experience in policy analysis, advocacy, and/or political engagement, particularly in youth or rural development. A focus for the next period will be on sustainability and energy transition in relation to rural youth, so any background on these areas will be an advantage;
• Experience in drafting policy briefs, position papers, and advocacy materials;
• Strong knowledge of policymaking processes and institutions, especially EU ones;
• Very good knowledge of English (both written and oral);
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with policymakers and stakeholders;
• Flexibility and willingness to travel and work occasionally during weekends and evenings;
• Computer literacy (including experience with Microsoft Office365);
• Ability to work under pressure, independently and responsibly, and with good organisational skills;
• Willingness to support and work with a team of volunteers and other employees.

The ideal candidate shall:

• Have excellent time management and organisational skills, able to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks;
• Be committed, motivated, and passionate about rural youth issues, political engagement, and policy advocacy;
• Have the ability to identify policy opportunities and respond strategically;
• Be confident in speaking and presenting in advocacy settings;
• Have experience in networking and coalition-building.

Application instructions

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