Policy and Advocacy Officer – Social Policy – Caritas Europa

With a view to further develop its advocacy work, Caritas Europa is seeking to recruit a (m/f):
Policy and Advocacy Officer – Social Policy
(Full time, permanent contract)
Starting December 2014

Objectives:
Caritas Europa are looking for a policy and advocacy officer who:

• contributes to the overarching values, priorities and goals of Caritas in Europe
• monitors and analyses European policy developments and their impact on poverty in Europe
• supports member organisations (MOs) in their advocacy work at national level and prepares policy briefings for them
• advocates for European action in the fight against poverty and consults with experts in the network
• facilitates one of the Caritas Europa Advocacy Working Groups
• contributes to the Caritas Europa training events and
• contributes to the Caritas Europa communication work
• contributes to the design, implementation and evaluation of Caritas Europa projects

Tasks:
Policy development:

• To monitor EU policy developments in the areas of Europe 2020, the impact of the economic crisis on people, the European Platform against Poverty and Social Exclusion, the Social Investment Package, and any other relevant policy process that affects poverty and social inclusion.
• Support Caritas Europa member organisations in their advocacy work at national level. Inform and brief the member organisations of European policy developments.
• Participate in the creation and implementation of the Caritas Europa work plans.
• Prepare well-informed advocacy on social policy issues, mainly by collecting input from member organisations and in consistency with Catholic Social Teaching.

Advocacy:

• Design and implement result-oriented advocacy strategies for the different working lines
• Prepare and/or ensure representation of Caritas Europa at relevant events and meetings
• Carry out efficient internal and external communication on social policy issues in cooperation with the Communication Unit

Public campaigning:

• Contribute to the concept, elaboration and implementation of Europe-wide public Caritas Europa campaigns

Capacity building:

• Prepare and participate in capacity-building events for MOs in the field of advocacy
  Horizontal tasks, like organisation of meetings, contribution to projects, networking, reporting, etc.
  are part of the daily work. The main work will be developed in Brussels, but travel to other European
  countries will be part of the work. The Advocacy Officer, as part of the Advocacy Unit, reports to the
  Head of Unit.

Caritas Europa (CE) is the network of 49 organisations from 46 European countries. It is one of the seven regions of Caritas Internationalis, a confederation of 165 Catholic relief, development and social service organisations. Their vision is of a civilisation of love and justice where every human person can flourish and live in peace and dignity as part of one human family. Caritas Europa has a heartfelt commitment to analyse and fight poverty and social exclusion; and to promote true integral human development, social justice and sustainable social systems in Europe and throughout the world. Caritas Europa advocates for, and with, people in need in order to transform society into a more just and inclusive civilisation. Caritas Europa recognises the need for mutual learning and innovation in all they do.

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Application deadline: 24 October 2014 24:00 Brussels time

Read more and apply here.