MISSION OF THE UNIT:

WWF’s Sustainable Finance Unit works to contribute to shift EU public and private financial flows from the unsustainable to the sustainable economy, accelerate the transition and end support to unsustainable economic activities.

MAJOR FUNCTIONS:

The Sustainable Finance Policy Officer will focus on the following area of work: EU sustainable finance policy. Building on the recommendations of the High-Level Expert Group on sustainable finance, the Commission’s renewed sustainable finance Action Plan and legislative packages on sustainable finance, NGO analysis and demands, and wider issues, WWF, jointly with other civil society organisations, is working on current EU sustainable finance policy opportunities and advocating what should come next in term of EU sustainable finance policy reform. Being part of the WWF Sustainable Finance team, the policy officer will focus on five key generic issues: active policy engagement, joint work with civil society organisations and other partners, close coordination with WWF national offices, media outreach, and fundraising. The Policy Officer will work in particular on retail lending policy, lending to energy efficiency renovation of buildings, the implementation of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the review of the Mortgage Credit Directive.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Policy Officer will organise and coordinate WWF EPO’s activities related to the above-mentioned area.

This generally involves developing relevant materials, joint work with relevant NGOs and organisations, support to communication activities with the communication team, coordination with national WWF offices and other relevant organisations, advocacy activities, and other relevant activities.

Duties include

• Contributing to the EPO strategy on EU sustainable finance policy where relevant;


• Contributing to joint work with CSOs and other partners on EU sustainable finance policy in various ways (organising meetings, calls, webinars, etc,following relevant CSO coalitions, joint advocacy work, and others);


• Organising meetings/calls with decision makers and taking part in the relevant meetings/calls;


• Exploring various communication opportunities on above mentioned issues, with the responsible WWF communication officer;


• Monitoring relevant policy initiatives and developments on the EU level, to prepare the next steps;


• Doing background research on EU regulatory opportunities on private finance and sustainability, where relevant;


• Organising or participating in external meetings and events, where relevant, to raise WWF questions and recommendations;


• Identifying relevant contacts in EU institutions, relevant EU finance associations and other relevant EU stakeholders;


• Drafting or inputting various WWF EPO briefing documents, consultation responses, minutes, summaries, analyses, and recommendations;


• Contribution to funding proposals and follow up (for instance, narrative reports);


• Following Parliamentary meetings and events, where relevant;


• Following up with WWF national offices.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A Master’s degree and/or equivalent work experience in environmental policies;


• 2 year’s work experience on finance issues is a substantial asset;


• Previous experience of working with policy-makers (for example an internship in an EU institution) or in CSOs is an asset

REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES:

• A very good understanding of the functioning of the European Union and its legislative processes;


• Very good organization skills;


• Impactful communication: excellent written and verbal communication skills in English, and an ability to communicate complicated messages clearly to different audiences; active listening and empathy skills;


• Flexible task management: well organised and flexible with a high sense of initiative and the ability to work independently and take on additional responsibilities when required. Ability to plan, prioritise and manage a heavy workload and a flexible and positive approach to problem solving;


• Effective collaboration: good team player prepared to contribute proactively to a variety of tasks. Ability to develop good working relationships. Ability to coordinate and manage networks and networking skills;


• Strategic and analytical thinking: excellent research skills and ability to present extensive technical information in a simplified form. Compile ideas into concise proposals and verify own conclusions; knowledge and understanding of the use of databases;


• Balanced resilience: keep performing with high quality and calm when put under the pressure; daring to go out of personal comfort zone and still securing a healthy work-life balance;


• Excellent word processing skills in MS Word, MS Excel, MS PowerPoint;


• English proficiency is essential; other EU languages are an advantage;


• A firm commitment to WWF’s mission (“to stop the degradation of the earth’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature”) and the core values: Courage, Integrity, Respect & Collaboration.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:

• Internal: Interacts constantly with Sustainable Finance team leader and team, relevant European Policy Office staff, several national WWF offices on issues related to private finance, and any other staff as required in fulfillment of duties;


• External: Interacts with EU institutions, NGOs, think tanks, relevant financial institutions and EU finance associations and other relevant stakeholders as required in fulfillment of duties.

This job description covers the main tasks and conveys the spirit of the sort of tasks that are anticipated proactively from staff. Other tasks may be assigned as necessary according to organizational needs.

REMUNERATION PACKAGE:

WWF European Policy Office offers a full time indefinite contract and a competitive package of pay and other benefits. The indicative base salary range for this role would be around 3.000 to 3.200 € gross per month, with the final figure depending on the skills, competencies and experience of the successful candidate. WWF European Policy Office also offers a range of additional benefits, including allowances for lunch, public transport, flexible and hybrid working conditions, health insurance, pension plan, paid holiday and additional month of pay in accordance with Belgian law.

Please consult the attached job description for more information on the position.

HOW TO APPLY:

Please send your application to recruitments@wwf.eu and write “Application Sustainable Finance Policy Officer” in the subject line, and include:

• A single PDF document with your up to date CV (with no picture and birth date) together with a cover letter outlining why you would be a suitable candidate for the role (letter of maximum 400 words);


• Please also indicate whether you have the legal right to work full time in Belgium and tell us when, if selected, you would be able to start.

Applications deadline: 8 September 2024 midnight

Please note that we can only respond to successful candidates.

WWF European Policy Office is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to creating a diverse, inclusive and equitable working environment for all our employees. We welcome applications from all people regardless of background, and strongly encourage people with disabilities, people of non-European ethnic origin and nationality, people over 45 years old, to apply. Applicants will not be discriminated against because of age, ethnic or social origin, gender, disability, nationality, sexual orientation, religion, or any other protected characteristic under EU law. We’ll strive to make adjustments to accommodate accessibility needs during the application process.