Policy Officer

Reporting to the Secretary-General, the Policy Officer will develop and maintain strong networks with the EU institutions to articulate and advocate The Guild’s research and higher education agendas. A priority for this position is to strengthen our work in a number of policy areas in research and (potentially) higher education policy. With 1-3 years of relevant professional experience, the candidate will demonstrate an understanding of, and a passion for, engaging with current policy developments and trends for higher education, as well as research.

The postholder will be expected to contribute to a range of issues in collaboration with team members, and coordinate selected working groups of The Guild. While the precise areas to be covered will be finalized depending on the qualifications of the selected candidate, these areas may include Academic Freedom, Social Sciences and the Humanities, and the European Research Area (ERA). There may also be a possibility to work on Higher Education. The Policy Officer will liaise and collaborate with other relevant institutions, influencing groups, and like-minded organizations in Brussels to promote the Guild’s priorities. The postholder will work closely with other members of the team, and will liaise particularly closely with the Head of R&I Policy, as well as the Head of Higher Education Policy.

This position is projected to start as soon as possible, but no later than 1 January 2027.

The position will include the following responsibilities

• Maintaining up‐to‐date knowledge of policies in research and higher education, as appropriate to this position.
• Coordinating the activities of the relevant working groups and facilitating the formulation of the network’s policy positions, building on our existing positions. Setting the agenda for the working groups and producing reports, policy analysis and minutes to support the work of the groups.
• Supporting our governance meetings (General Assembly, Vice-Presidents’ meetings), including through writing the conclusions.
• Supporting the organisation of events with experts from our member universities and relevant policy-makers.
• Collaborating with the other members of the team, sharing information, and feeding into their work as appropriate.
• Creating good working relations with appropriate representatives of European Institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, and the Council of the EU) and other networks in Brussels.
• Engaging with The Guild’s communications activities proactively, in conjunction with the Guild’s Communications Team.
• Fulfilling other responsibilities and tasks as directed by the Secretary-General.

Education & required experience

• University degree, normally at Master’s level or higher.
• Good knowledge of the organisation, structure and working procedures of the European Union, its institutions and decision-making processes, in research policy. Knowledge of higher education policy may be an additional advantage.
• Excellent command of spoken and written English, knowledge of another European language is a strong asset.
• Relevant professional experience of 1-3 years.

Specific Competencies

• Experience and knowledge in EU research and/or higher education policy (Horizon Europe, the European Research Area, European Higher Education Area, Erasmus+) will be considered an advantage. alternatively, having worked in a university setting fostering collaboration and supporting committees would be considered beneficial.
• Experience in developing, reviewing, and synthetizing policies and EU documents, and communicating outcomes to a diverse and broad audience.
• Ability to foster collaboration and discussion in working groups.
• Ability to handle confidentiality within the network, and externally.
• Excellent organization, presentation, and communication skills.

Other Competencies

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, to high professional standards, on multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to tackle challenges in a creative and dynamic manner.
• Prepared to travel and undertake additional duties as required.
• Ability to network and build relationships with outside organisations.
• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills within a multi-national context.

The Guild offers

• Open-ended employment contract under Belgian law.
• Start date: As soon as possible, and no later than 1 January 2027.
• 2 days per week of teleworking.
• A European working environment located in Brussels.
• Unless a national of the ‘EU and EEA’, candidates must be eligible to work in Belgium and have a work permit at the time of application.

Applications (and further enquiries) should be submitted to [email protected]. We ask the applicants to include a cover letter, a CV in English, the names of two referees who can provide a reference in English (referees will be contacted at the final stage, with the applicant’s consent). The letter of application should reflect why candidates are interested in the post, and what they can contribute to it that is distinctive.

The deadline for applications is 5 October (12.00 CEST).

The Guild is committed to maintaining the security of your data mentioned in your application throughout the selection process. If you are not selected, your messages and attached documents will be deleted.