European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), Brussels
Policy Officer - Refugee Inclusion
Deadline for application: 18 January 2017

The European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is a European network of 90 NGOs in 38 European countries. It protects and advances the rights of refugees, asylum seekers, and displaced persons. Its diverse membership ranges from large international NGOs with global scope to small organisations of dedicated activists; members work on humanitarian relief, social service provision, legal assistance, litigation, monitoring policy and law, advocacy, and campaigning.

ECRE is currently recruiting a Policy Officer - Refugee Inclusion
Key responsibilities
1. Leading ECRE’s work on refugee inclusion
The Policy Officer will lead ECRE’s work on refugee inclusion, developing objectives and a strategy for the next three years based on analysis of the wider field of organisations working on inclusion/integration and assessing what ECRE can add. They will take the lead on the issue internally and externally, developing initiatives and helping to secure funding.

2. Influencing EU policy and practice 
The Policy Officer will analyse EU (and other European) policy and practice on inclusion and integration and develop recommendations for change. They will prepare policy analysis in the form of ECRE publications (ECRE Comments, Policy Notes, etc) and advocate to influence targeted policy-makers and opinion-formers. Areas of interest in 2017 include new initiatives and new actors working on inclusion, implementation of the EU Action Plan on Integration, and the implications for integration of proposed reforms of the Common European Asylum System.

3. Monitoring and influencing EU funding for inclusion/integration
The Policy Officer will monitor the EU funding available for inclusion and integration, with a focus on the Mid-Term Review of the Multiannual Financial Framework and new funding coming on stream. The Policy Officer will prepare recommendations for reform and seek to influence EU funding to ensure that it is spent in a way that maximises benefit for refugees.

4. Support to inclusion of refugees in ECRE’s work 
The Policy Officer will identify opportunities for the inclusion of refugees in all areas of ECRE’s work, this will include support for and promotion of refugee-led initiatives.

5. Supporting and mobilising ECRE membership 
The Policy Officer will work with ECRE members in order:
• to support and promote national and international initiatives on inclusion
• to mobilise members to be involved in collective advocacy activities on inclusion
• to channel information and evidence from ECRE members’ work into policy-making
• to support sharing of information and good practice by ECRE members
• to provide members with information about EU policy developments.

6. Networking 
The Policy Officer will work with ECRE’s partners and other important stakeholders, including cities, regional governments, community organisations, other networks etc in order to share information and work collectively to support refugee inclusion whenever that is in line with ECRE’s own objectives. The Policy Officer will participate in research projects and lead ECRE’s cooperation with research institutions, including channelling evidence into policy making.

7. Contribution to ECRE’s overall work
The Policy Officer will provide expertise and information on inclusion to inform ECRE’s work as a whole, including contributing to other policy areas, research, communications (e.g. media interviews and reviewing content), and to ECRE’s work more broadly.

Person specification 
Education/Qualifications 
• University degree or equivalent experience; additional training is an advantage.

Experience 
• Minimum five years' experience of work for a non-profit or within a comparable policy environment with a focus on inclusion and the rights of refugees.
• Extensive experience of advocacy and influencing EU policy-makers.
• Experience of production of policy material, including policy papers, policy notes, etc.
• Experience of working for a network would be a strong advantage.

Essential skills 
• Drafting skills in English.
• Public speaking skills – strong ability to present in English including at high level events is essential; ability to present in French or German would be a strong advantage.
• Organisational skills: workplanning, workload and stress management skills; ability to prioritise, effective reporting.
• Proactive, with a problem-solving approach; reliable and responsible; flexible and able to contribute to office life.
• Ability to work within a complex civil society alliance (open-minded, innovative ideas, patient, resilient, good negotiation skills and the ability to draft and promote compromises).

Languages
• Fluent written and spoken English and fluency in at least one other EU or UN language; German and Arabic are of particular relevance.

Specific knowledge
• Excellent knowledge of policies and practice on inclusion and integration of refugees.
• Good knowledge of broader refugee protection and the political context of ECRE work.

Terms and conditions 
Fixed-term contract for 12 months from starting date with the possibility of renewal and eventual transition to a permanent contract (subject to satisfactory performance). Salary range: EUR 2200 to 2700, plus additional holiday pay, insurance, transport and meal allowance.

ECRE aims to ensure that no prospective or actual employee is discriminated against on the basis of race, sex, nationality, marital status, sexual orientation, employment status, class, disability, age, religious belief or political persuasion, or is disadvantaged by any condition or requirement, which is not demonstrably justifiable. Persons with a refugee background are strongly encouraged to apply for all positions at ECRE.

How to apply
Please send a copy of your CV (maximum two pages) and a cover letter explaining why you are qualified for the position and the date you are available to start work to Catherine Woollard (cwoollard@ecre.org) by 18 January 2017, stating 'Policy Officer' in the subject heading.

• Announcement on the ECRE website