Policy Advisor

About Us

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is an award-winning independent think tank working to accelerate solutions for a stable climate, sustainable resource management, and fair economies. Our work inspires better decisions and sparks meaningful action to help people and the planet thrive. We shine a light on what can be achieved when governments, businesses, non-profits, and communities come together. IISD’s staff of more than 300 experts come from across the globe and from many disciplines. With offices in Winnipeg, Geneva, Ottawa, and Toronto, our work affects lives in nearly 100 countries.

IISD hosts the Secretariat of the Coalition on Phasing Out Fossil Fuel Incentives Including Subsidies (COFFIS), a group of 16 countries led by the Netherlands working toward reforming their fossil fuel subsidies (FFSs) while engaging with international processes that support domestic action. Fossil fuel subsidies are at historic highs in Europe and globally. In addition to environmental benefits through emissions savings, FFS reform can also create fiscal space in domestic budgets, improve energy security, and contribute to a level playing field among industrial sectors.

The Policy Advisor will support a new Contact group on FFS reform comprising select European Union (EU) member states, both COFFIS and non-COFFIS members, to strategically engage with European policy on FFS reform. The Contact group will also engage with relevant EU Directorates General on their mandates to reform FFSs. The Policy Advisor will provide technical research and advice on FFS reform within the EU with a focus on practical legal and policy options that member states and the Commission can adopt. The Policy Advisor will also directly engage with relevant stakeholders to advance this agenda.

The Policy Advisor will report to the Manager of the COFFIS Secretariat and will be part of the International Strategy workstream in the Energy Program at IISD. The successful candidate will ideally be located in Brussels. Other European locations with easy access to Brussels will be considered (e.g., Paris, the Hague, Bonn).

The Policy Advisor is expected to:

• Lead on and contribute to policy briefings and other research and advisory projects on FFS reform in EU countries and globally with in-depth expertise on European tax law, policy-making procedures, and relevant institutions.
• Engage representatives of the EU member governments, European civil servants, and policy-makers with the aim of developing concrete policy proposals on the phase-out of FFSs across the EU or individual member states.

Responsibilities

Strategy, Vision, and Team Leadership

• Collaborate with the COFFIS Secretariat Manager and other staff to identify challenges, opportunities, and solutions related to COFFIS and its Contact Group on FFS reform in the EU and its member states; define and implement appropriate strategies to address them.
• Contribute to COFFIS’s strategic outputs, for the purposes of this contract, defined as an IISD project, and the broader International Strategy workstream of the Energy Program.

Research

• Lead the delivery of primary and secondary research required for the successful completion of the COFFIS Workplan, working with contractors as required.
• Deliver research and other project outputs to the required standard, including research reports, policy briefs, and technical reports. Ask for guidance and advice as required to ensure the successful delivery of outputs.
• Undertake research and assist in managing secured funding.
• Develop and conduct capacity-building provisions for governments and regional and national parliamentary bodies on laws and policies related to COFFIS.
• Contribute to tracking and influencing normative processes for relevant institutions and prepare commentaries, reports, and paper contributions for different processes.
• Work with other colleagues of the Energy Program and to build synergies across IISD.

Fundraising and Donor Relationships

• Support fundraising efforts by contributing to proposals for funding and business development materials.
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  Find and pursue opportunities based on existing work or new ideas.

Operations and Program Management

• Develop and implement COFFIS activities in collaboration with IISD staff, affiliates, partners, and consultants.
• Set up and manage parts of COFFIS activities and projects as required, ensuring that delivery risks are highlighted and escalated as appropriate.
• Participate in COFFIS travel missions, arranging elements of travel, meetings, and events as appropriate.
• Manage the organization and documentation of webinars, meetings, and public consultations as required.

Communications and Outreach

• Work with IISD’s Communications team to develop relevant communications materials to communicate the work and its components to a broader audience.
• Represent IISD and the COFFIS Secretariat to stakeholders and at relevant events.
• Maintain and identify new contacts from domestic and international partners of COFFIS.
• Serve as a main liaison with EU governments, European institutions, and other European bodies that collaborate with COFFIS.
• Develop, maintain, and deliver content relating to laws and developments for online networks, including the COFFIS quarterly newsletter, webinars, and blogs.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years of experience working in international policy-making or influencing, of which at least 3 years is working on EU law and policy-making.
• A master’s degree in European public law or a related area (e.g., LL.M. in European and international law or European legal studies, MA in European public affairs, MSc in European studies), or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge and Skills Requirements

• Experience in European law and policy processes related to the areas of energy, climate, and transport, such as the Governance Regulation and the European Tax Directive, as well as strong knowledge about European institutions and how they work.
• Proven ability to establish relationships with government stakeholders in order to engage with policy issues.
• Excellent research and writing skills, including proven experience designing and carrying out policy-oriented research with minimal supervision.
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  Ability to work independently to produce analysis and writing that is “publication ready” with a limited degree of oversight and editing.
  
• Experience in designing and delivering training seminars and explaining unfamiliar concepts to groups clearly and with impact.
• Working fluency in English. Working capacity in French or other European languages is considered an asset.

Skills (Essential)

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple activities with competing deadlines, work collaboratively with a multicultural team, and take the initiative in advancing or leading projects with minimal supervision when needed.
• Leadership skills.
• Confident and engaging communication skills, including an understanding of various communication approaches tailored to different audiences; experience with diverse approaches to managing and conducting engagement with policy stakeholders and project partners will be considered a strong advantage.
• Excellent computer skills, including Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and automated referencing software.

Behavioural Competencies (Essential)

• Confidence in working collaboratively with the representatives of COFFIS member governments, IISD staff, affiliates, partners, and consultants.
• An entrepreneurial approach to work, taking initiative within the team and ready to develop new skills, increase responsibility, and build experience in fundraising.
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously, managing workload and producing deliverables on time and within budget.
• Results-focused with an ability to prioritize and work quickly and accurately over a range of tasks.

Location: Brussels

Salary: Salary commensurate with experience.

Employment type: 1-year contract with the possibility of renewal at 80% or 100% full-time equivalent.

Start Date: ASAP

Closing Date: July 18, 2025 4pm CST

Candidates must hold appropriate work authorization for location where they expect to be based without any sponsorship from IISD.

Application Procedure

All submissions must be in English.

Applications will only be accepted through Bamboo HR.

• A CV (no longer than two pages)
• A one-page letter of motivation
• IISD Voluntary Self-Identification Questionnaire (optional)

Only those candidates we wish to interview will be contacted. Resumes will be kept on file for 1 year.

IISD is committed to fostering a more equitable and sustainable world and welcomes candidates who uphold our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. In addition, to correct the conditions of social injustice and disadvantage in employment around the world, we encourage candidates from historically marginalized groups, including women, Indigenous Peoples, people with disabilities, people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, and those who identify themselves as 2SLGBTQIA+, to apply for this position. Preference will be given to the equity-deserving groups during the hiring process. We offer reasonable accommodations in our recruitment process and seek applicants’ advice on how best to accommodate their needs. Please self-identify and answer our employment equity questionnaire on our applicant tracking system when you apply.

IISD does not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, caste, ethnicity, religion, colour, disability, marital status, pregnancy, gender expression or identity, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected status.

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