Job level:            Policy Manager, Embodied Carbon
Location:            Brussels
Deadline:            February 18, 2022

Do you want to help catapult construction, buildings and their materials into the 21st-century? No more emissions, no more noise? Bellona Europa is looking to recruit a Policy Manager who will be our embodied carbon, buildings and lead markets expert.

Your role will be to participate in relevant EU policy debates on building standards and whole lifecycle assessments for buildings, and coordinate with our national offices in Norway and Germany to help deliver frameworks and projects to drive the uptake of green building materials and revolutionise the construction sector.

Who we are:

The Bellona Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation that aims to meet and fight the climate challenges, through identifying and implementing sustainable environmental solutions. Founded in 1986 as a direct-action protest group, we have become a recognised solution-oriented organisation with offices in Oslo, Brussels, Berlin and Russia, and activities across other countries, including the Netherlands, Central-Eastern Europe, the USA and the UK. Altogether, some 60 engineers, ecologists, nuclear physicists, economists, lawyers, political scientists and journalists work at Bellona. We are engaged in a broad spectrum of current national and international environmental questions and issues around the world.

Description: 

Embodied carbon emissions are a key dimension for decarbonisation efforts in industry, buildings and construction. The creation of new market dynamics that favour low carbon building materials will be fundamental to incentivise investments in new processes and products, as well as drive the uptake of innovative new building materials and construction machinery. Ensuring such a market is in place by the time these net-zero compliant products are becoming available at scale requires a range of immediate action around policy, product and building standards, and delivering a business case for first movers. This makes it all the more important to begin putting relevant frameworks in place today that are analytically sound and science-based (e.g. in case of whole life cycle assessments) and develop lead markets to enable pioneers in the sector to showcase what is possible, change the pace of change and create the new normal.

Bellona has been working on industrial decarbonisation for decades, particularly from the supply side, with a strong expertise across crucial decarbonisation technologies (including electrification, carbon capture & hydrogen). To help us build out our expertise on the demand-side, we are looking for a Policy Manager with a strong analytical and policy background. Based in Brussels, the work will revolve around current EU policy discussions, including a significant analytical dimension (harmonisation efforts, life cycle assessments etc.). The work also has a significant implementation and related scoping dimension of potential lead markets and stakeholders at a national level. As such, the successful applicant will be working closely with our offices in Oslo and Berlin.

Key responsibilities: 

• Prepare and communicate qualitative and quantitative analyses on policy, markets, and building and material standards.
• Monitor relevant legislative and political developments, particularly related to EU building and construction policies.
• Work with partners in Brussels and beyond, and establish a network of relevant stakeholders.
• Draft relevant publications, articles, and consultation responses.
• Represent Bellona in meetings, conferences, working groups and events

Expected skills and requirements: 

• A relevant master’s degree (e.g. in Economics, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Politics, or similar).
• Demonstrable commitment to fighting climate change, the values and organisational goals of Bellona and the wider environmental movement.
• Excellent spoken and written English.
• 3-5 years of work experience.
• Proven analytical capability, as evidenced by an outstanding quantitative degree or equivalent.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with colleagues across Bellona.
• Familiarity with one or more relevant policy dimensions, e.g. building sector, construction materials, life cycle assessments, standardisation processes.
• Strong communications ability.
• Ability to and willingness to occasionally travel internationally, as required (and COVID permitting).
• Eligible to work and reside in Belgium.

Desirable:

• Demonstrable ability to engage with stakeholders and institutions of the EU and member states, and ideally an existing network across relevant stakeholders.
• Awareness and understanding of various technologies and materials relating to the relevant industrial and construction processes.
• Experience in developing and coordinating projects.
• Knowledge of German or one of the Scandinavian languages

We offer an NGO competitive remuneration on an initial 1-year contract (full time) with the possibility of extension. Starting date is as soon as possible. Bellona promotes a multicultural, flexible, inclusive and collaborative work environment.

How to apply? Please send your application in one PDF file including  -your CV (maximum two pages) and -your cover letter (maximum one page) outlining your motivation for the position, to Mr Justus Andreas (justus@bellona.org), indicating ‘Bellona application’ in the subject line, by February 18, 2022, 18h00 CET at the latest. Your file should be named as follows: familyname_name.pdf. Kindly indicate where you found our vacancy.