Senior Advisor: Country Lead & Strategic Stakeholder Engagement: EU Climate Dialogues (EUCDs2) (m/f/d)

Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations. GIZ promotes complex reforms and change processes. Its corporate objective is to improve people’s living conditions on a sustainable basis. GIZ International Services (InS) is the company’s business department offering services to international clients such as the European Commission.
GIZ International Services (InS) Brussels is currently looking for a Senior Advisor for the position of a Country Lead and Strategic Stakeholder Engagement (m/f/d) to strengthen our Brussels unit in the management of the EU Climate Dialogues project phase 2 (EUCDs2), which started in January 2025.

EUCDs2 is as an instrument to promote EU’s leadership in addressing climate change internationally, based on the EU’s legislative framework to achieve the European Green and Clean Industrial Deals and Fit for 55 package. EUCDs2 serves as a targeted, yet flexible EU instrument of diplomatic engagement, promoting effective and ambitious climate policies and actions in partner countries. It is anchored within and led by the Directorate General (DG) in charge of Climate Action and funded by DG International Partnerships (see Cooperation on climate action with non-EU countries – Climate Action; Climate change – International Partnerships – European Commission).

The project targets 26 countries worldwide using tailormade thematic approaches for a constructive, results-orientated and opportunity-driven dialogue. The project has a complex institutional set-up, based on inclusive participation of EU delegations and multiple European Commission (EC) services in activity design, implementation and closing. EUCDs2 enables showcasing EU’s good practices and experiences, seizing political and business partnership opportunities, building and expanding on the Team Europe approach. The project uses different delivery modes such as organising study tours, seminars, workshops, conferences, trainings, knowledge gathering, outreach and advocacy, engaging multiple stakeholder groups.

The Senior Advisor/Country Lead & Strategic Stakeholder Engagement (m/f/d) is responsible for the strategic oversight and quality assurance of EUCDs2 activities in a defined portfolio of countries, and for stakeholder engagement, aligned with EU climate policy priorities. The position reports to the Team Leader and works in close coordination with 3 other Country Lead Experts, the Project Manager and locally based Country Coordinators.

Your main tasks:

Country/ multi-country work:

• Responsible for processes related to activity development, implementation and closing in designated countries in collaboration with team members, including locally based country coordinators (currently Türkiye, Egypt, Morocco, Ukraine, Kazakhstan).
• Supporting/ (co-)leading multi-country activities as identified and in collaboration with the team.
• Traveling to target countries as needed.

Stakeholder engagement:

• Guiding and co-management of EUCDs2 stakeholder engagement in line with project needs and strategic advocacy, focusing on Team Europe and EU climate related policy priorities.
• Assuring regular consultation with key project partners of relevance and providing feedback to the team.
• Attending/ preparing/ reporting regular meetings with the contracting authority team, the project’s steering committee and ad-hoc working groups as needed.
• Attending relevant networking meetings in Brussels/Europe as agreed upon.

Knowledge management & outreach:

• Supporting EUCDs2 knowledge management and outreach work in consultation with other team members.
• Providing thematic oversight of identified climate policy areas.

Requirements:

Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in public affairs, international relations, business administration, sustainable development, climate or energy policy, environmental sciences, or a closely related field.
• Excellent writing and oral communication skills in English.
• Working knowledge of French or Spanish is considered an asset.

General Professional Experience:

• Minimum of 8 years of relevant professional experience in international cooperation within an international organization, government institution, private sector or non-profit sector organisation.
• Demonstrated multi-year operational experience working in EU institutions or in the context of EU-funded activities or programmes.
• Strong organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently and deliver results under tight timelines.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills, with proven ability to collaborate effectively in multicultural and geographically dispersed teams.

Specific Professional Experience:

• Demonstrated experience in international policy advisory work; knowledge of international climate and/or energy policy is a strong asset.
• Solid experience in stakeholder engagement and relationship management, including senior government officials, multilateral organizations, private-sector actors and civil society.
• Experience in the use of knowledge management, monitoring, and reporting systems and tools.
• Prior experience with EU and/or EU Member State diplomatic approaches is considered a key asset.

Please note: This is a full-time Brussels-based position, under a Belgian employment contract.

• The position requires a work permit for Belgium, as the location of the work will be Brussels. Only applicants eligible to work in Belgium will be evaluated.
• Your application and CV must not indicate your date of birth and must not include a photography.
• Applications from persons with disabilities are most welcome.

Applicants are asked to submit their updated CV in English by 31 January 2026 via THIS LINK .