Senior Sustainability Policy Advisor

With profound research and advice, Profundo aims to make a practical contribution to sustainability and social justice. Our work mainly focuses on international commodity chains, the financial sector, public policies, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Our international client and donor base includes civil society organizations (CSOs), trade unions, research institutes and government institutions, as well as philanthropic foundations. Our team (20+ staff) is organized in five working groups, each focusing on a different form of research and advice.

To expand our research capacity we are looking for an experienced and versatile Senior Sustainability Policy Advisor.

You will coordinate a variety of policy research and advisory projects for clients from across the globe, covering developments on various policy themes in various geographies. Our clients need our policy research and advice to develop strategies for lobbying, campaigning and other influencing options related to sustainability and social justice. Projects will relate to either public policies or private sector policies, or both. In the complex and evolving movement towards more sustainable practices and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the corporate and financial world, both types of policies play important and inter-linked roles.

In the field of private sector policies, we analyse and benchmark responsible credit and investment policies of financial institutions from all over the world, often using the Fair Finance Guide Methodology that we have developed together with the CSOs from 15 countries collaborating in Fair Finance International. Other types of private sector policies we analyse are voluntary certification schemes and procurement policies (such as NDPE policies) in global commodity supply chains, like the forestry, agriculture, mining and fishery sectors.

The public policies of various governments which we analyse deal with international trade and development, sustainability transitions, social issues and/or market regulation in many different economic sectors, ranging from agriculture, energy and other commodity sectors to the food, transport, construction, and financial sectors. Of special interest are the policies emerging in some countries which aim to integrate sustainability criteria (on climate change, biodiversity, or labour rights) in business operations overseas, in supply chains and in financing portfolios.

As coordinator of our Policy working group you will closely collaborate with the senior researcher who coordinates all contacts with the Fair Finance network, to ensure that all client requests for policy research and advice are assigned to one of the policy researchers. Some of these projects you will lead yourself, especially trainings and advisory projects which require a strong experience in the field of policy influencing strategies. Additionally, you will support the other (four) policy researchers with planning and managing their projects, through brainstorms, reviews and evaluations, and sometimes by contributing to their research work. Taking the lead in tenders and other acquisition activities is also part of your tasks.

We expect you to:

• have a university degree in a relevant field of study;
• have seven or more years of research, training and/or advisory experience in the field of policies related to sustainability in a broad sense;
• have first-hand experience with (civil society) strategies to influence public policies;
• be a versatile and analytically strong researcher who can work on policy-related projects, collaborating with a diverse group of colleagues;
• be able to support other policy researchers with managing their projects;
• be full of ideas for relevant policy research and advice projects and have experience with acquisition activities;
• have proven experience in writing and editing well-structured reports in the English language, while experience in reading and writing in Dutch and other major languages is an advantage;
• be flexible and comfortable with meeting tight deadlines; and
• live within commuting distance of our office or have the willingness to relocate.

We offer:

• the chance to work on challenging and varied research, advice and training projects with a high social relevance;
• an organisational structure which aims to stimulate your personal and professional development;
• collaboration within an international team of highly motivated colleagues with diverse fields of expertise;
• daily contacts with an inspiring civil society network spanning the globe;
• opportunities to further initiate and develop policy-related projects, working together with civil society partners to stimulate social change;
• opportunities to travel abroad for trainings and meetings (COVID-regulations permitting);
• a friendly office close to the Amsterdam Sloterdijk train station;
• a contract for 32 to 40 hours per week (to be determined in consultation);
• flexible working hours and the option to work mostly from home;
• an initial monthly salary for 40 hours per week between € 4,855 and € 6,234, depending on years of experience; and
• a good pension scheme and other fringe benefits.

Profundo is an equal opportunity employer striving for a diverse and inclusive workplace. Applicants from a minority background are especially encouraged to apply.

For more information on Profundo, please visit our website (www.profundo.nl). If you have further questions on this position, feel free to call or send an email to Jan Willem van Gelder (+31 (0)20 820 8320 or vacature@profundo.nl).

Please send your application, including a motivation letter, a curriculum vitae and a sample of your research work, ultimately on 16 October 2022 to Jan Willem van Gelder via vacature@profundo.nl.