Internship – Policy Assistant on EU Policy Coherence for Development (PCD)

Start date: 3 June 2013
Duration: 6 months
Duty station: Conservation International Europe, Brussels

General background

Conservation International (CI) is an organisation with global reach and impact. Building upon a strong foundation of science, partnership and field demonstration, CI empowers societies to responsibly and sustainably care for nature for the well-being of humanity. CI works in more than 30 countries on four continents.

CI Europe is the organisation’s Brussels based office in charge of policy work and engagement with governments in Europe. Established in 2011, this office reflects CI’s recognition that the EU and its member states have a growing influence in the international environmental policy arena, and that influencing the EU institutions is a critical component of efforts to achieve CI’s mission.

Context

The revised Treaty of the European Union adopted in Lisbon 2009 recognizes Policy Coherence for Development has an official principle of the Union, creating an obligation to ensure that sectorial EU policies do not undermine development and human well-being in recipient countries. The European Commission has put in place a unit within DG Development, in charge of coordinating the implementation of this principle. In order to be successful, this effort needs to receive substantial input from partner countries, institutions and civil society.

Conservation International believes that sustained natural capital is key pillar of PCD, and that CI can contribute to demonstrate it and support the PCD effort, using its base of field experience, science, expertise and convening capacity. CI Europe aims at developing its PCD engagement, gathering and coordinating input from the whole organisation and partners to feed into the PCD process at EU level and ultimately generate change in sectorial policies at EU and national levels. In order to support this strategy, CI Europe is currently gathering information about key sectorial policies and how they relate to PCD.

Main Tasks

Policy analysis and support (80%)

Provide assistance to the Director for EU Policy to inform and influence the definition and launch of CI’s engagement on EU Policy Coherence for Development.

The main responsibility will be to research and synthesize information on key sectorial EU policies and how they relate to PCD and to CI’s mission. Using existing research and data, the intern will look into the incidence of:

• EU imports of key commodities (soy, palm oil, biofuels, timber);
• Trade and association agreements;
• EU fisheries.

on:

• land-use change and deforestation;
• natural capital and ecosystem services essential to water and food security;
• ocean health.

He/she will report to the Director for EU policy and will work in close coordination with the rest of the CI Europe team and relevant colleagues within CI. Together with the Director for EU Policy the intern will produce a synthetic report with for each thematic area:

• A summary of existing knowledge about documented impacts on the ground, focusing on CI geographies when possible;
• A list of key stakeholders and potential partners;
• A description of existing efforts in place to tackle the issue, if any;
• A list of institutions, policy streams and instruments CI may need to engage in order to achieve sectorial outcomes.

As the analysis progresses the intern will assist the Director for EU policy in putting in place an advocacy strategy as well as any tool or initiative that will be appear appropriate.

Communication support (20%)

The intern will be asked to support the CI Europe team in communication activities: gathering input from the team for internal and external communication tools, using information provided by team members to write short texts for communications purposes, supporting the creation of communication material.

Other

The intern will also have the opportunity to represent CI Europe at relevant meetings/seminars and report back. He/she may occasionally be asked to bring other types of support to the CI Europe team, including administrative and logistical.

Conditions

This internship will be taken within the framework of a Belgian “Convention d’Immersion Professionnelle” (link here). The internship is unpaid but €751 per month will be provided to cover living costs according to rules of a Belgian “Convention d’Immersion Professionnelle”. Candidates should be EU nationals or have a valid work permit for Belgium.

Qualifications required

• Strong knowledge on one or more of the issues listed above;
• Knowledge of global environment and biodiversity issues;
• Understanding of European and global policy agendas;
• Excellent English is compulsory, good level of another European language is an asset;
• Good ability to clearly analyse and summarise large amounts of information;
• Organisational skills, team spirit, willingness to learn and work in a dynamic and international environment, under occasional tight deadlines;
• Used to flexible working hours.

Information and Applications

For any questions, please contact us by email at europe@conservation.org.

If you wish to apply, please send by May 17:

• A CV with at least three references;
• A letter of recommendation from a former employer or supervisor;
• A cover letter in English.

Applications should be sent by email only at europe@conservation.org.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview.