ECN / EBA advertisement for an EU Policy Officer

Terms of Reference for ECN / EBA ‘EU policy officer’

Founded in October 2002, the European Compost Network (ECN) is the leading European membership organisation promoting sustainable recycling practices in composting, anaerobic digestion and other biological treatment processes of organic resources. ECN has 61 members, comprising of industry organisations, private companies, NGOs, research institutes and consultancy firms across Europe. ECN represents approx. 4.500 biological waste treatments plants (composting and anaerobic digestion) with a treatment capacity over 45 million tonnes of biowaste per year. ECN’s office is based in Bochum, Germany.
Founded in February 2009, the European Biogas Association (EBA) is the leading European association in the field of biogas and biomethane production covering the anaerobic digestion, gasification and power-to-gas industries. Committed to the active promotion of the deployment of sustainable biogas, biomethane and digestate production and use throughout Europe, EBA has created a wide network of established national organisations, scientific institutes and companies. In 2019, the association counts more than 100 members from all over Europe and has established co-operation with biogas associations from outside Europe.
ECN and EBA wishes to strengthen their advocacy activities at the European level and their expertise on political topics around nutrients recycling and circular bio-economy. To lead this, ECN and EBA are looking for a shared EU policy officer.

Main responsibilities

• Raise the profile of the bio-waste industry and of ECN and EBA in Europe, especially the role in the circular economy;
• Identify and build relationships with relevant key EU decision makers;
• Represent and promote ECN and EBA, in agreement and cooperation with ECN’s Executive Director and EBA’s Secretary General, with external partners and networks in the EU, particularly in Brussels;
• Following EU media and developing media contacts;
• Drafting and editing policy papers, presentations and documents for Board meetings;
• Support the Boards of the associations, ECN’s Executive Director and EBA’s Secretary General in defining their lobby strategies & messages, and in setting priorities;

Specific responsibilities in 2019

The EU Policy Officer will lead the advocacy efforts on environmental and agricultural policies for EBA and ECN with regard to

• Achieving a favourable position for compost and digestate in the implementation and delecated acts of the EU Fertilising Product Regulation;
• Achieving a favourable position of compost and digestate in the review of the Common Agricultural Policy by respecting the value of organic matter and nutrient availability of recycled organic resources.
• Achieving a favourable position of compost and digestate in the EU Nitrates Directive.

In case of ECN, the EU policy officer will lead the advocacy efforts on

• Supporting the development of a European Directive on Soil by initiating a soil organic matter alliance ‘SOS’ (Save Organic Matter in Soils).
• Supporting the implementation of separate collection and biological treatment of bio-waste in the member states as laid down in the circular economy package/waste framework directive (adopted on 4 July 2018).

In case of EBA,the EU Policy Officer will lead the advocacy efforts on

• Achieving a favourable position for biogas and digestate in the Best Available Techniques (BREFs),
• Achieving a favourable position for agricultural by-products in environmental and agricultural policies.

The EU Policy Officer will be working in the EBA office in Brussels, in a small international team. He/she will work closely together with technical experts specialised in nutrients recycling and with the both directors of EBA/ECN (Secretary General of EBA/Executive Director of ECN). He/she would liaise directly with EBA’s and ECN’s members, help to organise events and write occasional press articles.

Profile of the candidate

• Demonstrable working experience in undertaking international level advocacy, media and communications in a relevant field, in Brussels and in the European region;
• Active relevant policy and technical networks in EU institutions;
• Thorough knowledge of EU formal and informal decision making processes;
• An excellent command of written and spoken English. Skills in one or more additional European languages (preferably French or German) would be favourable;
• Familiarity and interest in issues related to biological treatment of organic materials (agricultural residues and bio-waste), application of compost and digestate-based products, agriculture and soil management, circular economy and resource management,
• Based in Brussels, prepared to travel occasionally within Europe.

How to apply

Send your application, including a CV (no europass format!) and a motivation letter, to ecn-eba-recruit@european-biogas.eu by 24 April 2019