The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is looking to recruit a recent graduate to support its work on agricultural policy in close collaboration with colleagues in the Agriculture and Food Policy team. We are looking for a highly motivated self-starter, eager to learn and contribute to the EEB’s work. The position will be a 6 to 12-month paid internship contract (convention d’immersion professionnelle) based in the EEB office in Brussels.

Within the Agriculture and Food Policy team, you will help advocate for greener agricultural and food policies to protect and restore Europe’s environment. The EEB advocates for EU policies that support a comprehensive transition to sustainable, fair and healthy food systems, and a better implementation and enforcement of EU environmental and agricultural laws in all Member States.

The Policy Assistant for Sustainable Food Systems will:

• Support the agri-food policy team in its policy and advocacy activities, including analysing policy documents, keeping abreast of political developments, carrying out relevant research, supporting colleagues in preparation of speeches and interventions, drafting briefings and reports, and responding to needs as they arise.
• Contribute to keeping the EEB’s Agriculture Working Group’s informed on agri-food policy matters, including liaising with EEB members and helping organise working group meetings.
• Support the organisation of workshops and external events, in coordination with the EEB’s events team.
• Contribute to the implementation of projects, including coordination with external partners, participation in workshops, drafting of project deliverables and administrative tasks.
• Support the team in its work within the EU Food Policy Coalition.
• Attend meetings and events and report relevant outcomes to colleagues.
• Coordinate the drafting of the EEB’s monthly AgriFish Council letters.

Qualities and experiences required for the post:

• Master’s degree in a relevant field
• Strong interest in, and sound knowledge of, food systems, related environmental issues, and EU policy-making
• Proven research and analytical skills, ability to process and summarise complex information
• Strong organisational skills, ability to work independently, to take the initiative, communicate proactively and to meet deadlines
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills
• Excellent written and spoken English, additional languages are an asset
• Prepared and able to work in a fast-moving working environment
• Interest in working in an environmental NGO and in an international working environment
• Subscribes to the EEB’s values.

The EEB offers:

• A 6 to 12-month contract - “convention d’immersion professionnelle” paid around 1150€ net/month coupled with various benefits: transport costs reimbursement, luncheon vouchers, working from home indemnity
• The chance to learn about EU decision-making and about the functioning of an environmental non-governmental organisation
• A stimulating and friendly international working environment
• An opportunity to work for a worthy cause.

Application process:

The candidate should submit via email a letter of motivation, a CV in English, and reply to the question below. Please save the application as a pdf or docx file with the following file name: “Lastname.Firstname.PA.Agri-Food” and send it to: personnel@eeb.org before 4 July 2024.

In the email, please confirm that you have not been employed on a convention d’immersion professionnelle (CIP) contract in the past and that you are not currently enrolled in university. 

Questionnaire for the post of “Policy Assistant for Sustainable Food Systems”:

• What should the new European Commission propose to address the environmental impacts of the EU's agri-food system? Please answer in maximum 300 words.

Location:                                      As our contracts fall under Belgian law, the candidate must commit to being officially registered in Belgium and working part of the week from our office in Brussels. This currently entails structural teleworking (with at least 1 day in the office per week depending on the position).

Deadline for Application:           4 July 2024

Interviews first round:               15th – 19th July 2024

Proposed starting date:              As soon as possible

The EEB is an equal-opportunities employer. We respect our employees’ private life, including where they are taking up care roles. We strive to be an inclusive organisation and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates.

Due to limited staff resources and numbers of CVs anticipated, only candidates selected for interviews will receive a reply.

Please have a look at our Diversity, Equality and Inclusion Policy.

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