We are seeking a Policy Officer to strengthen our European policy work and support members in engaging with EU institutions and processes. The Policy Officer will monitor and analyse EU legislative and political developments, produce high-quality policy content, coordinate our national platform working group on civil society regulation, and contribute to ECF’s advocacy and campaigns on issues including the Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), EU-level attacks on civil society and EU democracy instruments.
This role is ideal for someone with strong interest in EU policy, excellent analytical and writing skills, and a deep commitment to defending civic space and civil liberties in Europe.
Main responsibilities
- EU policy monitoring, analysis, and reporting
- Monitor, analyse and report on EU policy developments relevant to civic space, civil society funding, democracy instruments, and participation.
- Monitoring and analysing EU-level developments relating to the MFF, NGO-funding debates and attacks on civil society, keeping the team and members up to date with the latest information.
- Map EU political developments, Council and Parliament timelines, and keep updated internal mapping of MEP positions and EU Presidency priorities.
- Analyse risks and opportunities for ECF advocacy and regularly update members via newsletters, briefings, and dedicated communications.
- Maintain the internal calendar of key EU political and legislative processes (votes, Council discussions, national elections, institutional milestones).
- Policy development and advocacy support
- Produce policy briefs, background notes, speaking points, internal memos and draft amendments to support advocacy actions.
- Carry out consultations and research, and gather member inputs, to feed into ECF policy work.
- Under the supervision of the Advocacy and Programme Management Director, contribute to ECF advocacy actions and campaigns, ensuring advocacy actions are grounded in strong evidence and policy assessments.
- Represent ECF at meetings with civil society networks, members, and partners.
- Support preparation of advocacy events, roundtables, and EU Presidency-related activities.
- Members’ engagement in the policy work and coordination of the National Platform Working Group
- Coordinate the national platform working group – composed of national networks and coalitions representing the interest of the sector at the national level – on civil society regulations, together with the Administration & Network Development Director.
- Support information sharing, joint strategising, and collective responses on regulatory and policy threats affecting civil society at the European level.
- Facilitate exchanges between national members and contribute to strengthening cross-border policy cooperation.
- Support dialogue, information-sharing and joint advocacy among national platforms.
- Organise capacity-building activities and informative sessions for members on EU policy files, advocacy opportunities, and political developments.
- Support members in navigating EU processes and understanding the implications of EU-level debates for national contexts.
The job description gives a general outline of the main tasks and responsibilities and is not exhaustive. As a multi-task position, it includes the possibility to contribute to other ad-hoc projects and support your teammates as necessary.
Requirements for the position
- 1–4 years of relevant experience, preference for previous experience in EU policy monitoring and analysis.
- Solid understanding of EU institutions and legislative processes.
- Academic background in law, European studies, political science, international relations, public policy or related fields (law studies/background strongly preferred given the legal dimension of EU civic space and regulatory files).
- Experience drafting policy documents and advocacy positions.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills in English (French is an asset).
- Experience working within or with civil society organisations and/or networks.
- Ability to navigate multicultural and membership-based environments.
- Availability for occasional international travel.
- Right to work in the EU.[1]
Skills
- Strong analytical and political monitoring skills.
- Excellent drafting and synthesis abilities.
- Ability to manage several files simultaneously and meet deadlines.
- Strong organisational and coordination skills.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the diplomatic skills to engage constructively with members and diverse stakeholders.
- High degree of proactiveness, with the ability to take initiative and drive processes forward, while enabling collaboration and being a strong team player.
- Commitment to civic freedoms, democratic participation and human rights.
What we offer
The ECF is an equal opportunities employer, committed to workplace diversity and the inclusion of people from diverse backgrounds, abilities, and experiences. We strongly encourage qualified candidates from all backgrounds to apply!
As we are very keen on ensuring a good work–life balance, we implement a 4-day work week every other week (see details below) and ensure flexibility in the organisation of working hours both timewise and remote/office presence.
Location: Hybrid — Brussels office (Rue du Congrès 13) and remote (2 teleworking days per week).
Duration: 10 months, full-time position. Possibility of extension depending on success of fundraising efforts.
Reporting to: Deputy Secretary General & Director of Advocacy and Programme Management
Working hours: You are employed on a 38 hours/week contract. An effective 35-hour work week is achieved through the allocation of 18 compensatory rest days per year, to be taken by the whole staff team (almost) every second Friday.
Remuneration (gross):
- € 3,423.77
Benefits package:
- Teleworking fee: €60/month net.
- 100% coverage of Brussels public transportation season ticket: €55/month net.
- Meal vouchers: €8 per effective workday.
- Home office kit: One-off reimbursement for home office equipment up to €200
- Holiday bonus (“pécule de vacances”): around 60% of the monthly salary, in May.
- End of year bonus: around 40% of the monthly salary, in December.
- Personal-life-friendly job: flexibility for family, activism, health, and other reasons; flexible remote working days.
Holidays: 20 days of legal annual paid leave, plus 5 days of paid extra-legal holidays. New staff that are not entitled to paid holidays in their first year under Belgian law are offered compensatory paid leave by ECF. Bank holidays that fall on Saturdays or Sundays are recovered on the following Monday.
How to apply
Please submit:
- CV (max 2 pages)
- Short written answers (one paragraph each) to the three questions below:
- Based on your knowledge of EU policy processes and developments, what do you see as the key current risks and opportunities for civic space related to EU level policies, in particular the Democracy shield and the new EU multiannual budget negotiations? (1-page A4 max; Font: Open Sans; Font size: 10)
- Which of your previous experiences best demonstrates your ability to analyse complex policy files and engage with diverse stakeholders? (Half page A4 max; Font: Open Sans; Font size: 10)
- Why do you want to join the European Civic Forum, and what motivates you for this role? (Half page A4 max; Font: Open Sans; Font size: 10)
Format:
Please send your application (CV + short answers in a single PDF) to recruitment@civic-forum.eu with the subject line: Application – Policy Officer.
Timeline
- Deadline for applications: 4 January 2026, at 23h59m CET
- Interviews: Mid-January
- Final decision: End of January/beginning of February 2026
- Start date: as soon as possible, preferably 1 February 2026
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for interviews.
[1] Because of the short-term nature of this post, we will not be able to carry out the necessary sponsorship procedure.