Junior Policy Officer for Food Security

Junior Policy Officer for Food Security

The European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM) in Maastricht is looking for an entrepreneurial junior-level professional to execute activities that will contribute to the impact of the Centre’s dialogue, research and partnership building activities.

 

Position description

 

The right candidate will have a Masters Degree and at least 2 years of relevant work experience, preferably in settings that involved linking research, policy and practice, in the areas of food security in developing countries, rural economic development, regional integration processes in Africa and political economy dynamics of economic reforms and development. An interest and ability to facilitate and engage in policy processes and institutional development is required.While academically accomplished the candidate will understand the pragmatic nature of policy work, and have the ability to independently conceptualise, plan, undertake and produce practical research in a clear writing style against tight deadlines. The candidate will have knowledge of international food and nutrition security debates and the role of regional and international agricultural markets. A good knowledge of European and African policy institutions, processes, current debates and an established network related to them would be an asset. Some experience with the Common African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) would be an advantage. Fluency in English and French are required.

 

ECDPM activities

 

ECDPM is a “think and do tank”. Our main goal is to broker effective partnerships between the European Union and the Global South, especially Africa. ECDPM promotes inclusive forms of development and cooperates with public and private sector organisations to better manage international relations. It also supports the reform of policies and institutions in both Europe and the developing world. We use a combination of roles and methods to link policies and practice. ECDPM organises and facilitates policy dialogues, provides tailored analysis and advice, disseminates timely information, participates in South-North partnerships and carries out policy-oriented research with partners from the South. One of ECDPM’s key strengths is its extensive network of relations in developing countries, including emerging economies. Its partners embrace multilateral institutions, international centres of excellence and a broad range of state and non-state organisations.

 

Building upon more than twenty-five years of experience as an independent foundation, ECDPM’s 2012-2016 strategy defines 5 programmes, chosen because they are at the heart of major transitions affecting international cooperation.

5 Programmes

Strengthening European external action Deepening overall responses to conflict, security and resilience Economic transformation and trade Africa on the move: understanding and building dynamics for change Regional and local markets for agriculture and food security

ECDPM’s Food Security Programme works on supporting ACP regional organisations and processes, particularly in Africa, to strengthen their contribution to food and nutrition security and to assist development partners, in particular the EU, to adopt coherent and effective approaches that foster thriving agriculture markets and promote food security.   The global financial crisis and rising food prices have worsened the vulnerability of developing and African, Caribbean, Pacific countries in particular, and made food security an urgent concern for governments and development partners. Sustainable agricultural development is crucial to achieve food and nutrition security, especially where a large majority of the population depends on small-scale agriculture. Trade enables farmers to capitalise on the economic potential of their produce, helping them to turn agriculture into a motor for income generation and pro-poor growth. However, in many cases, local and national markets and institutions are too small to bring about the required transformation in the agriculture sector. Markets within national boundaries are often isolated and too limited to justify investments, due to inadequate input supplies and an insufficient client base (demand). Creating synergies between regional integration and agricultural market development thus offers great potential, particularly in the context of increasing traction for comprehensive food security policy and investment frameworks such as CAADP.

The Junior Policy Officer will support the Food Security Programme, develop projects within the team’s mandate, manage activities and externally represent the programme.

 

Key commitments of the ECDPM Junior Policy Officer

1. To contribute effectively to team work for delivery on projects/policy processes
2. To assist in developing relevant contacts, contributing to relevant ECDPM strategic networks and partnerships
3. To help develop funding proposals for assigned projects and/or policy facilitation activities
4. To contribute to ongoing activities through research, assembling content, and brokering knowledge

The Junior Policy Officer will be expected to work closely with the Head of Programme, Deputy Head of Programme, other Policy Officers and Research Assistants of the Food Security Programme and with the Centre’s administration. Taking into account specific personal competencies and experience, and in accordance with the needs of ECDPM’s other programmes, activities beyond the Food Security Programme may be assigned to his or her portfolio as well.

 

Requirements

 

We are looking for a practically-oriented, flexible, social and politically aware individual able to deal with time pressure and conflicting demands to take forward various key tasks and activities, which require a variety of knowledge, experience, skills, traits and personal competencies. To this end, the candidate should have:

 

Requirement	Essential	Desirable
1.     A Masters degree in a relevant academic discipline such as international economics, agriculture economics, political economy of development, development studies, or any other field related to the areas of work	X
2.     At least 2 years of full-time equivalent professional practical experience in development cooperation, economic policy-making or advice, institutional development or reform processes, preferably with some experience of working in a developing country	X
3.     Good understanding of economic and political realities in developing countries and the food and nutrition security challenges they are facing	X
4.     Proven experience in conducting policy-relevant research and policy analysis and formulation	X
5.     Proven competencies to conduct policy-related interpersonal work, including good moderating (workshops), facilitation (policy-making process) and presentation skills		X
6.     Fluency in English and French	X
7.     Good, creative and independent writing skills, including the ability to structure persuasive arguments and present options to policy-makers in a non-partisan way and the commitment to write (technical) papers, position statements, briefings, undertake and synthesize reviews of relevant policies and programmes, and interpret relevant trends in practice	X
8.     Willingness to carry out detailed policy-relevant research and to develop a solid understanding of issues such as the multiple dimensions of food and nutrition security challenges, regional integration, political economy of reforms, business facilitation and private sector development, and policy coherence for development	X
9.     Knowledge of the EU external trade and economic relations and development programmes of the European Commission and European Member States, especially those with the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries and regions		X
10. Understanding and practical experience of ACP and African economic and agriculture processes, notably the CAADP and regional integration		X
11. A familiarity with utilizing social media in a professional context and with communication tools more widely		X
12. Mature personality committed to non-hierarchical, team-based styles of work in a multi-cultural environment	X

 

Conditions

 

ECDPM offers a lively and attractive multi-cultural working environment (over 20 nationalities), space for autonomy and personal growth, and ample opportunity for participating in an exciting emerging area of policy development for international development cooperation.

 

Contracted by ECDPM (an initial 36-hour/week ‘probation’ contract of one year, with possibilities of a longer term extension upon good performance), the gross annual salary offered ranges between € 34,477.46 and € 38,541.34 depending upon amount and relevance of experience and networks, with an additional generous package of leave and other benefits, such as a 8% holiday allowance, admission to a pension fund with an employer contribution, an end-of-the-year allowance and more. This post is based in the Maastricht office of ECDPM with frequent travel to Brussels and occasional overseas travel.

 

Applicants should fill in the application form that can be downloaded from www.ecdpm.org, under work with us. Applications should be submitted electronically to the email address kg@ecdpm.org, to the attention of Ms. Karen Gielen, Corporate Officer Human Resources by 11 January 2015, the latest. Please mention “Application for Junior Policy Officer for Food Security” in the subject line. Late applications and applications without an application form (i.e. just a CV) will not be taken into consideration.

 

Short-listed candidates for this vacancy will be required to undergo an interview and a written exercise in the second half of January, and may be asked to share evidence of previous written work. The final two candidates will have to provide the contact details of three referees.

 

More information on ECDPM, its strategy and programmes can be found at www.ecdpm.org

 

Please find more information in the full job announcement.  Interested candidates are invited to download the application form here and send it to Ms Karen Gielen, Corporate Officer Human Resources by 11 January 2015, the latest.