Policy Director

The Position

The Policy Director is responsible for the advocacy strategy and its implementation. She / he acts in close cooperation with the CEO to turn EU and national political agendas into support and opportunities for OEE members.

The Policy Director is an external face of the Association. His / her aim is for the Association to remain the go-to organisation for ocean energy worldwide, for industry and decision-makers. This requires delivering best-possible service to members and providing accurate and compelling information and messages to European and national policymakers.

Responsibilities

Policy & Lobbying

• Define the yearly policy / advocacy strategy in line with OEE objectives – with CEO.
• Act as a public spokesperson for the sector – in several languages – and ensure the Association is well represented at sectoral, EU or global events.
• Plan and execute / manage lobby campaigns at all levels, with or without sector representation.
• Engage with external stakeholders – industry coalitions, other renewables, NGOs.
• Engage with the press in collaboration with the Communications Director / CEO.
• Write/manage policy documents – from position papers to fully-fledged published reports such as the Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda or the ‘Target 2025’ report.
• Conduct / manage policy analysis to generate data and define main messages.
• Provide input to EU-funded projects, both in the proposal stage, but also in their implementation and management.
• Line-manage the policy team.

Membership Services

• Regularly inform and engage with the membership to ensure they benefit from OEE work.
• Maintain a deep and up-to-date understanding of how the EU funding landscape can support OEE member activities.
• Answer policy queries from members / Lead Partners.
• Write / manage the writing of regular briefings for members.
• Help design sessions and propose speakers for the annual conference.
• Consult members when appropriate on policy dossiers.
• Actively generate ideas to improve membership benefits.
• Proactively seek to increase the number and status of members.

Other

• Coordinate OEE Board reporting, prepare policy input, manage Board with CEO.

Qualifications

• University degree in relevant field (political sciences / economy / environment…).
• Mandatory: Minimum 7 years experience.
• Mandatory: Excellent oral and written English (proven).
• Mandatory: Proven track-record in working with EU institutions and national authorities; excellent knowledge of EU structures and decision-making processes.
• Asset: Speaker-level in other languages, particularly Spanish and Dutch.
• Asset: In-depth understanding of Energy / Renewables / Ocean Energy at EU and global level.

Profile

• Highly driven, self-motivated and ambitious for the organisation and the sector.
• Sound judgement. Able to provide rapid analyses of data & issues and present clear recommendations to internal and external audiences.
• Team-player, sharing and caring.
• Open, transparent and joyful personality, good presence on and off-stage.

We assume all candidates will be able to prioritise, work under pressure, on budget and to tight deadlines, have an eye for detail, etc…

Conditions

Ocean Energy Europe offers an attractive salary and benefits package under Belgian law.

• Open-term contract, starting on 1^st October or ideally.
• Based in Brussels at OEE offices – significant travel.
• Possibility to work from home.

How to apply

• Send CV and motivation letter to OEE CEO (r.gruet@oceanenergy.eu) by THURS 28 SEPTEMBER COB.
• Applications will be considered on a ‘first come first serve’ basis.
• CVs in “Europass” format or other institutional templates will not be considered.
• The recruitment process is expected to be complete by mid / end-September.

About Ocean Energy Europe

Ocean Energy Europe is a well-established membership organisation representing an exciting, fast-paced and growing sector at European level. It is the main hub for ocean energy information, networking and works closely with the Commission, Parliament and Member States.

OEE boasts a strong team of EU renewable energy experts, creative, dynamic and driven to provide the ocean energy sector with the best possible visibility and support. Together, we managed to gather support from the entire sector, work with policymakers up to the highest levels, and create from scratch the largest EU conference and exhibition on ocean energy.

In the past years we have secured an ambitious EU Offshore Renewable Energy Strategy and hundreds of millions of euros of additional support for the sector.