AEIDL is seeking to add to our RTD (Rural and Territorial Development) contingent of experts a full-time Territorial Development Policy Analyst with experience in Economic, Geographical, or Applied Sciences/ICT.
We welcome applications from candidates looking for either a freelance or an employee post. The post will be offered on a permanent (open-ended) contract.
Role and responsibilities
-
Project manage two Horizon Europe projects (in principle SMART ERA or FUTURAL / RURACTIVE).
-
Lead two Work Packages relating to rural and/or urban development (organise in person and online policy events, undertake policy analysis and develop EU policy recommendations).
-
Undertake project financial management and prepare implementation reports.
-
Contribute to the development and implementation of other EU funded projects in the fields or economic, social or digital inclusion, Smart Villages/Cities, Smart Specialisation and Local Innovation.
-
Contribute to AEIDL corporate and advocacy work.
Desirable skills and experience
Essential
-
Excellent (C1/C2) English academic writing skills (candidates may be asked to provide their publications and/or academic works).
-
Master’s degree or equivalent in Applied Economics, Economic Geography or Applied Sciences/Social Sciences. Considerable relevant professional experience in this field of public policy (Territorial Development, economic, social or digital inclusion, Smart Villages/Cities, S3), – in public administration, consultancy, academia, or social partners.
-
Substantial relevant professional experience in the field of public policy (Territorial Development Strategies, Smart Villages/Cities, economic, social and/or digital inclusion), – in public administration, consultancy, academia, or social partners.
-
Relevant experience in project management, including project financial management, client satisfaction and teamwork, particularly EU funded projects (e.g. European Commission, Horizon Europe, etc.).
-
Experience in communications and stakeholder engagement.
-
Minimum 2 years of relevant experience.
-
Willingness and enthusiasm to work on a wide range of issues.
Desirable
-
Good working knowledge of other EU languages.
-
Demonstrable experience in some of these tools: Data Analysis (Excel, R, or Python for statistical analysis and data visualization; SPSS, Stata, or SAS for econometric and survey-based research); Geospatial Mapping (QGIS or ArcGIS for spatial analysis and mapping), EU Policy and Legal Analysis (Eur-Lex, OEIL, Eurostat, ESIF Open Data).
-
Understanding of geospatial data in economic and environmental contexts, Policy Modelling (EViews, MATLAB, or GAMS for forecasting and policy simulations).
-
Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present findings clearly. Comfortable in carrying out fieldwork (interviews, in-person workshops) and organising in-person and online policy events.
-
PhD studies (close to completion or completed) will be an asset.
-
Brussels based.
-
A very good knowledge and understanding of the functioning of EU institutions and key EU policies.
-
Previous experience in developing Horizon 2020/Europe and other EU funded proposals.
-
Personal background or volunteering in urban or rural community development.
Application process
Send your CV in English in the Europass format with a short cover letter to [email protected] with the subject line Territorial Development Policy Analyst, by Monday, 27 October 2025, 18h. Your cover letter should include a description of how you meet the essential requirements of the post. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted, and that interviews may begin before the closing date. Early applications are encouraged.
Working at AEIDL
People are the most important asset of AEIDL, and we practice internally what we advocate externally – providing a working environment where we care for our staff in a culture of cooperation and collaboration.
At AEIDL we seek to provide a healthy work-life balance, with a strong emphasis on cooperative teamwork. We have a human-centred approach to work, including flexible working hours, options for home working and regular social gatherings.
We empower our staff to lead, decide and show initiative, embracing our “culture of co”. Our culture of cooperation, co-creation, community-leadership, and caring for the common good is an inherent part of the AEIDL brand.
At AEIDL you will benefit from our staff development programme, in which our team members contribute to designing and planning cooperative approaches to learning, mentoring and individual development. We value the development and sharing of skills, knowledge, and experience.
We welcome ideas for our working and associative activities. Such staff-led initiatives include team building days, outreach activities, the European Local Innovation Forum, and our eco-team, which ensures we practice what we preach.
For employees we offer competitive remuneration packages, indexed on an annual basis, including a thirteenth month, double holiday pay (as per Belgian regulation), a home-working allowance, meal vouchers and a contribution to local transportation costs. We also offer affiliation to a private pension plan and a high-coverage hospitalisation insurance.
In a standard year, employees are entitled to 20 days of annual leave, 12 days of compensatory rest, 10 Belgian bank holidays as well as Europe day, equivalent to up to 43 days of annual paid leave.
Who we are
AEIDL is an association that learns from and fosters community-led innovation in areas such as territorial development, employment, entrepreneurship, social inclusion, environment, climate action and green growth.
We add value by supporting and facilitating peer learning among local and national actors across Europe, analysing and evaluating relevant EU policies and advocating for enhanced support to community local action to help build a Europe for citizens.
