All Things Urban

Eurocities is the network of more than 200 cities in 38 countries, representing 130 million people, working together to ensure a good quality of life for all.

You greet your neighbour as you leave home on your way to do work that is meaningful and decently paid. The air is clean and free of honking car horns. Using the free public wifi, you see that today the public square is a local artisans’ and farmers’ market. Your phone polls you on a few quick ideas that the local administration wants to try. You truly feel like you are a part of the city, and, as such, a part of Europe.

This is the future that European cities have been working to build through Eurocities since 1986. We help cities inspire each other. When a crisis hits, the urgency of local coordination and information sharing is starkly obvious – but with longer-burning issues like climate change, social equality and a vibrant economy this ‘glocal’ approach is no less essential.

That’s why we work with over 200 of Europe’s largest cities to improve the lives of over 130 million residents across 38 countries. That’s the ‘cities’ part of ‘Eurocities’. Hundreds of cities have already committed to getting carbon emissions down to zero, welcoming migrants and refugees, and governing through dialogue with their residents.

Local governments work on the ground with citizens and residents, and are essential partners for turning EU policies and ambitions into reality. As such, cities must be included directly in European decision making and should be in direct receipt of European funds. That’s the ‘Euro’ part of ‘Eurocities.’ So Eurocities, Europe plus cities, equals a better future for all.

Organisation
Eurocities, the network of major European cities, is recruiting a Project Officer to work in the field of climate neutrality.

The candidates would start ideally in June 2023.

Eurocities is a dynamic and international team where we trust in people, value constructive exchanges and collaborative work. We help people thrive in a friendly, open and healthy environment while promoting a work/life balance.

About the project
NetZeroCities (NZC) is an initiative launched as part of the European Green Deal and directly supporting the European Commission’s Mission for 100 Climate-neutral and Smart Cities by 2030. NZC is being implemented by a 33-member consortium comprising diverse partners from across Europe, supporting the 112 Mission cities to achieve the Mission objectives through expertise, tools and guidance, capacity building and knowledge sharing, and innovative approaches to systemic change.

Now we are looking for a reinforcement to support our Climate-Neutral City Advisor Team who are working directly with the Mission and Pilot cities.

We are looking for dynamic team players who are good at working simultaneously with a variety of desktop research and coordination tasks, as well as people. We wish to bring to our team a person who is efficient and operational and wants to join a vibrant, diverse team with a common goal of decarbonising cities. The successful candidate will be part of the cross-organisational Climate-Neutral City Advisor Team whose members are spread around Europe.

Responsibilities
As Project Officer you will be an integral member of the city support team/s who work directly with Mission Cities to support their journey to climate neutrality by 2030.

You will work as part of the Climate Neutrality Team in Eurocities. In this role, you will support the City Support Team’s everyday work with Mission and Pilot cities with various tasks, including:

Support in preparing and planning the work with cities and benchmarking on different climate neutrality and transversal topics, and status reports for national level (EU member states and other Associated Countries where Mission and Pilot Cities are located)
Data analysis including quantitative and qualitative data sets
Visual design and support of workshop, presentation and other materials needed for the city engagement work
Coordination of daily workstreams, planning and scheduling of workshops, webinars and other events together with the City Advisors and project communication team
Data management within the City Support Group – ensuring that city interactions are captured and documented and kept up to date
Work as the contact point for the NetZeroCities “second wave” cities within the City Support Team
Assist in the preparation and completion of project deliverables and internal working reports.

You are an experienced professional who is full of initiative, self-driven, curious, creative, flexible and results-oriented.

Education/Qualifications

A Bachelors or Masters degree in any field with relevant experience in climate and above listed responsibilities. For instance in climate, sustainability, energy, spatial planning etc
Minimum of 3 years working experience with practical experience as a project officer in a complex, multi-disciplinary environment, preferably city-focused
Experience with implementation of change and improvement projects or ability to do so
Experience

Project or organisational management support in (complex) projects with multiple partners
Demonstrated experience of supporting senior decision-making, contributing to problem-solving, and helping individuals and teams to attain delivery of planned tasks
Experience/self-taught understanding of EU funding processes and projects; experience in documentation and reporting is a plus
Planning, organisation, coordination, multitasking, problem solving and prioritisation under pressure with growing minimal supervision
Research and data analysis
Experience in international settings and organisations
Skills

Fluency in English, excellent written and verbal communication skills, and ideally in at least one other European language
Experience or willingness to work with collaborative IT applications (we use Office365 and Microsoft Teams, as well as Miro, Zoom, Mentimeter etc.)
Ability to build positive and fruitful relationships with a wide range of stakeholders, and assure inclusion in the NZC City Support Team
Ability to listen and build trust, willing to formulate clear reasoning and open to constructive feedback
Adaptable, flexible, and resilient: able to work effectively in ambiguity and complexity and to respond dynamically to change
Oriented toward networking with people and teams and sharing experience.

We offer
a full-time position as an employee, under Belgian legislation. The selected candidate will need to either live in Belgium or be willing to move to Belgium for the duration of the contract (candidates need to provide a Belgian address)
salary according to profile and experience between €2,800 and €3,200 gross per month
An open-ended contract linked to the length of the project (3 years), starting on 1 June 2023
flexible working hours
part-time teleworking
training opportunities and access to online training
Benefits
Meal vouchers, pension plan, hospitalisation insurance, public transport costs, 13th month, éco-chèques, 90€ net per month of teleworking allowance.

How to apply
Applicants are requested to send a letter of motivation, describing point by point their relevant experience and linking it to the requirements for the position, and a CV with at least two referees (including your current or last employer) by 23:59 CET on 16 April 2023 to: Patricia de Wouters, Head of HR, at jobs.climate@eurocities.eu.

Please send the documents in pdf format and mention ‘Project Officer NZC’ in the subject line.

Interviews will be held in person on mid-May 2023.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted for an interview. CV and personal data of non-selected candidates are not shared with anyone outside Eurocities and will be deleted immediately after the recruitment process. For more information, read our privacy policy.

eurocities.eu

salary according to profile and experience between €2,800 and €3,200 gross per month

We’re not fully sure whether this role is open to international candidates. If you would need visa sponsorship or work authorisation, we recommend checking directly with the employer before applying.