ZEP Secretary General - EU Director

ZEP Secretary General - EU Director

CCSA - Carbon Capture and Storage Association

Brussels, Belgium

Description

The CCSA is looking to appoint an EU Director to act as Secretary General for the EU Zero Emissions Platform and lead our Brussels team.

Who we are

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time and the ability to capture, transport and store or utilise carbon dioxide will be crucial to ensure a sustainable, competitive and equitable transition to a climate neutral Europe.

Through its Brussels office the CCSA provides the secretariat for the Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP) and the CCS and CCU platform for Research and Innovation (“Implementation Working Group 9”) under the EU’s CCUS SET-Plan). Both programmes support the coordination and collaboration of a wide range of stakeholders, including EU institutions, national governments, industry, researchers and civil society to provide technical advice to the EU on the deployment of CCS and CCU.

The Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) is the trade association accelerating the commercial deployment Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (or CCUS) through advocacy and collaboration. Our ambition is to see CCUS developed and deployed at the pace and scale necessary to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and deliver sustainable growth across regions and nations. We represent a wide variety of organisations with an interest in the development and deployment of CCUS across many applications to decarbonise heavy industries, power and hydrogen production, and remove carbon dioxide directly from the atmosphere. The CCSA team works across two offices, with staff based in London and Brussels.

The role

The CCSA’s EU Director will be the ZEP Secretary General, working with the ZEP Advisory Council to further establish the ZEP as trusted advisers on CCS and CCU in Europe and will lead the CCSA’s Brussels-based team as the most senior role in the Brussels office, working closely with the CCSA’s Senior Leadership Team and CCSA Board on the CCSA’s European advocacy work.

Responsibilities

As Secretary General of the Zero Emissions Platform (ZEP):

• Ensure effective and timely delivery of the work programme, including engaging with the forthcoming EC Communication on CCUS and associated legislative programme; and managing delivery of relevant studies on behalf of ZEP;
• Engage with ZEP members on activities linked to the development and deployment of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) and Carbon Capture and Utilisation (CCU);
• Represent ZEP towards relevant bodies, including the European Commission/Parliament/Council, national governments, industry, researchers and civil society;
• Build and maintain a strong and broad network of organisations and individuals that are active in CCUS;
• Manage the overall administration and finances of the platform, including reporting and auditing requirements under the grant;
• Coordinate the platform of eleven countries collaborating on CCS and CCU Research and Innovation.

The CCSA’s EU Director will:

• Lead the work of the Carbon Capture and Storage Association (CCSA) in Brussels – delivery of the secretariat for ZEP and IWG-9 and the association’s advocacy on European policy;
• Develop our small Brussels team of five into a high performing team and optimise the collaboration of CCSA and ZEP to benefit of their members and stakeholders;
• As the only member of the CCSA’s Leadership Team based in the Brussels office:
  • Develop and manage the CCSA Brussels team, outsourced providers, work programmes and budgets, EU Grant and linked funding;
  • Develop and deliver a policy advocacy programme to support CCSA members with an interest in European CCUS developments;
  • Represent the CCSA to EU institutions and stakeholders and collaborate with a broad network of organisations and individuals that are active in CCUS across Europe.

The EU Director will report to the CEO of the CCSA and will be based in our Brussels office.

As the Secretary General of ZEP, the role will report to the ZEP Advisory Council and the ZEP-Communications Board of Directors.

Required skills and experience

• Understanding of CCS/CCU technologies and their importance in tackling climate change;
• Excellent understanding of EU policy making processes;
• Strong interpersonal skills and diplomatic style – able to curate and manage effective discussions between organisations with diverse viewpoints;
• Outstanding relationship management skills – can quickly establish trust and build relationships across a range of different stakeholders;
• Proven delivery track record – has delivered at pace in a changing environment with a small team, leveraging a wider network of resources;
• Experience of managing a collaborative European policy initiative;
• Exceptional organisational skills – ability to balance both immediate term priorities and longer-term goals;
• Strong analytical skills – ability to receive technical information and translate it into a strategic policy context;
• People management – create a working environment where people can achieve their best;
• Financial planning and management skills – experience of managing multiple externally audited budgets with different reporting requirements;
• Native English speaker or equivalent level. Other European languages are a valuable asset;
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills.

Closing Date: 9 June 2023

The Carbon Capture & Storage Association has engaged Odgers Berndtson Brussels to support in this recruitment process - to apply, please send a CV AND motivation letter to brussels@odgersberndtson.com by 5pm 9 June 2023, with “CCSA EU Director” in the subject field. Please note that only qualified candidates will be contacted for an initial interview, which will be held in Brussels.

We want to create a diverse and inclusive team, so we particularly encourage applications from people who are underrepresented within our sector. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible.

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