Legal Policy Officer for Industrial Pollution Prevention
Legal Policy Officer for Industrial Pollution Prevention
EEB - European Environmental Bureau
Brussels, Belgium
The EUROPEAN ENVIRONMENTAL BUREAU,
a network of more than 170 environmental citizens’ organisations,
has a vacancy for a full-time
Legal Policy Officer for Industrial Pollution Prevention.
Are you passionate about making a difference during a transformative time for protecting people and the environment from industrial pollution? Do you subscribe to our values? Then we might have just the right job for you.
The opportunity
Pollution from large industrial activities cause severe environmental and human health damage. Cutting pollution at source - such as through strict pollution prevention and control standards - is key to guarantee cleaner air, protect water availability and quality, achieve the non-toxic environment goal and also help industry to play its part on achieving climate neutrality.
In April 2022 the European Commission did present its proposal for the reviewed Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) as well as its revised industrial reporting regulation (E-PRTR). The reviewed IED proposal is estimated to yield health benefits worth €7.3 bn a year, but the EEB want to strengthen that framework so it delivers even more public benefits.
About us
The European Environmental Bureau (EEB) is the largest and most inclusive European network of environmental citizens’ groups - and the only one that works on such a broad range of issues. We advocate for progressive policies to create a better environment in the European Union and beyond, for ambitious EU laws and their proper implementation and enforcement by Member States, in line with the EU’s Green Deal.
About you
We are seeking a talented and committed Legal Policy Officer for Industrial Pollution Prevention to join the EEB’s dynamic and expanding (zero pollution) industrial production team:
- You are a creative, resourceful, and self-motivated professional, bringing solid skills in legal issues, preferably on EU environmental law. You can bring experience, motivation and smart ideas for promoting stronger laws and inclusive governance. You are not shying away from confronting industry and high-level decision makers;
- You are keen to turning the precautionary, prevention at source and polluter pays principles to concrete and measurable actions credos taken to that end in EU’s permitting and enforcement culture;
- You are pro-active in carrying out legal research, are rigorous in assessing and interpretating findings on technical topics and skilled in translating those relatable to a broad audience (EU decision makers and other stakeholders);
- You are organized, attentive to detail, self-driven and happy to work autonomously but as part of a team of NGO networks active on the file;
- Because interaction with decision makers is expected, an experience in EU advocacy work would be an asset. You are ready (and happy) to work from Brussels;
- We want to interview candidates who care about the environment, but also understand how to influence policy and bring solutions-oriented proposal(s) with robust legal arguments to that end.
The work mission
The work consists of supporting policy development with legal focus in relation to the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) review and related policy files to help achieving the zero-pollution ambition within an improved framework on governance, public accountability and strengthened rights for the public. The position is anchored within the industrial production team. You will report to the Policy Manager on Industrial Production and work closely with the Industrial Production Team as well as colleagues engaged in climate and water protection as well as environmental democracy and Aarhus related topics relevant to industrial pollution.
The activities will include the following tasks:
- Research, in particular legal research, on related topical questions that arise in the IED revision process;
- Carrying out joint NGO advocacy activities towards the European institutions as well as key Member States, and establishing and maintaining close working relations with key decision-makers and other stakeholders such as industry/academia or other partners;
- Generate policy briefings and other communications material to advocate for the policy suggestions;
- Work on specific amendments of the IED proposal, following the discussions of co-legislators;
- Organisation and participation to relevant workshops;
- Co-organizing and cooperating within NGO coalition.
Qualities and experience
- Preferably three years’ experience in working in EU advocacy/campaigning/legal policy work;
- Legal training/degree in preferably (EU) environmental law, familiarity with EU policy;
- Familiarity with the Aarhus Convention is an asset;
- Proven strong writing and analytical skills;
- Meticulous and thorough while being capable of creative, critical thinking in legal matters;
- Solutions-oriented research skills;
- Experience in producing high quality output under time pressure;
- Good negotiation and persuasion skills;
- Experience with dealing with industry lobby groups and governments;
- Good knowledge of EU processes as well as environmental and sustainability matters;
- High level of written and spoken English (native speaker or equivalent); other European working languages an asset;
- Prepared and able to work in a dynamic working environment, sometimes under pressure;
- Subscribes to the EEB’s values.
The EEB offers
- A competitive salary (gross monthly salary in the range of €2700 - €33001 depending on level of experience) coupled with various benefits: holiday bonus, 13th month, pension scheme, luncheon vouchers;
- A one-year contract, with the possibility to extend subject to funding;
- A dynamic, friendly, flexible working environment.
Location: During COVID-19 times, the EEB follows government recommendations to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all its staff. We offer Belgian contracts under Belgian law. The candidate must commit to being officially registered in Belgium and working most of the time from our office in Brussels (due to the pandemic this currently entails a maximum occupancy for the office with a largely work from home in Belgium arrangement).
Deadline for Application: 29 May 2022
Interviews: 2nd half of May 2022 (virtual)
Starting date: Ideally Mid-June 2022
Application process
Applications consisting of:
1) a letter of motivation 2) a comprehensive CV and 3) a written exercise (see below) should be sent to personnel@eeb.org. Only applications comprising these three elements will be considered. Please clearly mark: “Legal Policy Officer for Industrial Pollution Prevention” in the subject of your email.
Written exercise for the post
Please answer the following questions:
- IED permits do currently not include GHG emission limit values for GHG and large industrial installations that fall at the same time under the ETS Directive (see Art. 9(1)) of Directive 2010/75/EU). Given the objectives of the IED, what speaks in favor of the inclusion of GHG in future and does industry have a point to argue about “double-regulation”? (max. 1 page/400 words);
- What information would you consider as information that may be protected by confidential business information (CBI) or considered as sensitive business information within the context of defining industrial pollution prevention standards (EU BREF as per Article 13 of Directive 2010/75/EU)? Do you consider that the sharing of installation specific energy efficiency, fuel consumption, water consumption data would breach EU competition law/potentially harm a legitimate CBI concern? (if so please explain the legal situation/possible solutions to make this possible) (max. 2 pages/800 words).
The EEB is an equal-opportunities and family-friendly employer. We encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates.
Please note that we will ask shortlisted candidates to provide two references.
Due to limited staff resources and numbers of applications anticipated, only candidates selected for interviews will receive a reply.
Please read our recruitment privacy statement before applying: https://eeb.org/eeb-recruitment-privacy-statement/.
European Environmental Bureau AISBL
Rue des Deux Eglises 14-16, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
Tel: +32 (0)2 289 10 90
E-mail: personnel@eeb.org – Website: http://www.eeb.org
International non-profit association - Association internationale sans but lucratif (AISBL)
EC register for interest representatives: Identification number: 06798511314-27
BCE identification number: 0415.814.848
RPM Tribunal de l’entreprise francophone de Bruxelles
1 A higher salary could be considered for candidates with higher levels of experience.
