Finance Watch is looking for a Senior Research and Advocacy Officer - Climate Risk and Banking Regulation

Finance Watch, the Brussels-based public interest advocacy association dedicated to making finance serve society, is looking for a Senior Research and Advocacy Officer to strengthen its team by undertaking research and advocacy work, as well as capacity-building efforts.

The Senior Research and Advocacy Officer will join a Research & Advocacy Department composed of four people, and will report to the Head of Research & Advocacy. Each member of this department works on specific areas of financial regulation and delivers:

• policy-oriented research from a public interest perspective: identification of main issues and related legislative solutions;

• advocacy: building policymakers’ support for our proposals, with the aim to influence the legislative process;

• regular contribution to communications, convening and capacity-building efforts in relevant areas of expertise.

The Research & Advocacy Department has regular direct contacts with international, EU and national policy-makers. Additionally, this department works in close collaboration with the entire Finance Watch organisation, including its members, and with other civil society partners.

Growing this team with highly skilled and motivated professionals is an essential component of our four-year strategic plan.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Senior Research and Advocacy Officer takes responsibility for legislative files related to their  subject matter expertise / defined area of responsibility. Specifically, these include banking (prudential) regulation and sustainability/climate risks. 

Specific topics of responsibility are defined in the original job posting and redefined annually, based on the work program.

Core Responsibilities

Policy and advocacy

• Conduct policy-oriented research and make policy proposals

• Draft legislative amendments

• Collaborate with the Chief Economist with regards to strategic policy positions

• Represent Finance Watch externally with policymakers, regulators and supervisors, financial industry participants and civil society (bilateral meetings, conferences and other events)

• Participate in industry events, as well as high-level events with policymakers, in order to represent civil society’s views

• Develop advocacy tactics and plans

• Execute advocacy plans targeted at policy-makers and regulators 

• Build and maintain relationships with policymakers and supervisors on an ongoing basis

Work with Finance Watch members

• Interact with Finance Watch members on the files they are responsible for, via  

  • Posting on the Members’ Hub

  • Organising regular working groups (at least every two months)

  • Consulting members on the draft publications ahead of the release

• Contribute to the efforts of identifying and engaging new members

• Interact and, where appropriate, coordinate advocacy efforts with other civil society organisations (CSO), academics and other experts on the topics related to their areas of expertise

Contribution to awareness-raising

• Contribute to the debate and comment on social media

• Communicate regularly with journalists on the files they are is responsible for

• Draft blogs and articles, when appropriate

• Contribute to the Finance Watch newsletters 

• Organise events (workshops, roundtable discussions, panel discussions, conferences etc.) to support research and advocacy efforts

• Contribute to design communications and campaigning strategies

Data management

• Contribute to the growth and maintenance of the Finance Watch database of relevant contacts (policymakers, CSOs, academics etc.)

• Contribute to drafting funding applications and the periodic reporting to funders/donors

What does success in this job look like?

• Finance Watch strengthens its profile as a leading public interest expert voice in the respective subject matter area.

• Finance Watch develops a comprehensive, communicable, consistent and high-quality corpus of policy analysis and recommendations.

• Policymakers (regulators) and supervisors take onboard Finance Watch policy proposals and recommendations as part of the supervisory and legislative process.

• Finance Watch is able to anticipate major moments for action/influence, with a mix of reactive and proactive outputs.

• Finance Watch delivers its Research & Advocacy strategy and objectives on time and properly reports on the actions and results (for the respective area of responsibility).

• Collaboration and communication with the rest of the organisation is effective and transparent, which contributes to a strong team spirit.

Desired Profile / Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience in the banking industry and/or in the respective subject matter domain, in particular within the area of climate risk (prudential treatment of ESG risk, transition planning, climate scenario analysis, etc.)

• Strong experience in conducting policy analysis and writing reports/briefs

• Understanding of the main issues at stake with EU financial regulation, in particular banking and capital markets, and relevant regional & international mechanisms/institutions; knowledge of the climate risk agenda (regulation and supervision)

• Understanding of the functioning of finance in general and ability to analyse a diverse range of financial issues

• Strong understanding of the EU legislative process, financial regulation and supervision

• Master’s Degree, PhD or equivalent level in a relevant field of studies (financial regulation, economics, political science, law etc.)

Professional Interests

• Personal conviction about the relevance of Finance Watch’s mission of “making finance serve society”

• Interest in and ability to understand other finance topics such as banking, insurance, financial markets, retail/consumer finance, asset management, financial stability, digital finance, etc.

• Interest in financial reforms in Europe, relevant international mechanisms and institutions

Skills

• Ability to work and communicate with multiple stakeholders, internally and externally

• Experience in representing an organisation externally and speaking in public, including at international events

• Effective workload management, including managing competing demands, maintaining high levels of accuracy and reliability

• Analytical skills to analyse finance topics and regulation thereof, identify issues and propose solutions

• Ability to work with a CRM tool and databases

Languages

• Fluent written and spoken English is essential

• Fluency in at least one other EU language is a plus (in particular, Italian, Spanish and German)

WHAT WE OFFER

• A permanent contract under Belgian law

• No probation period

• 100%, or part-time negotiable

• 40h a week

• Hybrid (i.e. teleworking in Belgium + presence in the office in Brussels)

• A competitive salary, dependent on seniority and skillset

• 20 days of legal holidays (prorata) per year + 1 recup day per month (prorata)

• A monthly expense allowance, amount depending on seniority

• A laptop (for professional use)

• Full reimbursement of public transportation in Belgium

• Lunch vouchers 8€ per working day

• “Ecocheques” 250€ per year (prorata)

• Training possibilities

• A multidisciplinary and multicultural working environment

• Equal employment opportunity

Finance Watch is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job. Know that we are particularly eager to increase the representation of women, “non-Caucasian” and disabled people within the Finance Watch staff. Selection will be in accordance with objective, job-related criteria, and the appointment will be on the basis of applicants’ merits and abilities.

Application guidelines

Interested candidates are invited to send a letter of motivation + CV via email to: recruitment@finance-watch.org

Please quote “Research & Advocacy Vacancy” in the title of your email.

The position remains open until filled.

Interviews will take place online and/or in Brussels.