European Partnership for Democracy is looking for a Research & Programme Officer

About EPD

The European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) is a not-for-profit organisation with a global remit to support democracy, that brings together a network of 20 organisations specialising in the different parts of a democratic system. We work inside and outside Europe because we recognise that democracy is a universal aspiration and that the contemporary challenges and opportunities for democracy are global in scope. Our mission is to make a contribution to, and reinforce the impact of European support for democracy across the world.

Accountabilities and key relationships

The Research and Programme Officer (RPO) will be a part of the Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative (WYDE) and the European Democracy Hub team. The RPO will work on WYDE Civic Engagement, the Youth Participation in Public Affairs project of the EU’s Women and Youth in Democracy Initiative which aims to improve the enfranchisement, empowerment, and inclusion of youth in all levels of democratic participation at the national, regional and global scales. The RPO will also contribute to the implementation of the EPD’s work as part of YouthDecide 2040, a Horizon Europe project which is aimed, using foresight techniques and research, to create possible scenarios for European Democracy in 2040 based on young people’s aspirations.

The RPO will be based in Brussels and will directly report to the EPD Research Coordinator. The RPO will also work in close cooperation with the Programme Manager who oversees the implementation of the WYDE programme. The RPO will also work in close cooperation with the European Democracy Hub team, EPD’s Head of Programmes regarding the duties and responsibilities outlined in the section focused on project management. The RPO will also have regular working relationships with other EPD staff.

Duties and responsibilities

Research

• Lead on EPD’s research on youth political participation and youth’s role in democracy as part of the WYDE initiative;
• Lead the coordination of the Youth Political Participation Index, contribute to data collection and monitoring of the index development in cooperation with EPD’s partners.
• Lead the coordination of research activities under the YouthDecide 2040 project, including contributing to the European Democracy 2040: Policy Landscape Analysis, the co-creation of a Strategy Playbook for European Democracy 2040, and other research activities as requested.
• Coordinate the research and mentorship activities of the Young Researchers Network initiative.
• Identify issues of research interest for EPD and strategise on its youth participation research ambitions;
• Monitor developments in research on youth policies through regular desk research;
• Support colleagues in the European Democracy Hub team on relevant research initiatives, including on data collection for the Annual Review of Democracy Support;
• Providing editorial and research support to the European Democracy Hub as requested.
• Build relations and links with academic and research institutions relevant to EPD’s mandate, especially working on issues linked to youth political participation.

Project management

• Lead on the management, implementation and coordination of WYDE research initiatives: the Youth Political Participation Index, the Young Researchers Network, and other miscellaneous research initiatives;
• Provide assistance in developing project proposals, particularly for research projects with the focus on youth and women political participation.
• Support and coordinate the work of external researchers contracted by EPD for case studies for different projects under the European Democracy Hub;
• Provide assistance on project management where necessary, particularly on narrative reporting and other administrative tasks for research projects;
• Taking the lead on the organisation of EPD events in the context of the WYDE and YouthDecide projects, including democracy dialogues for European Democracy Hub, private workshops for Young Researchers Network, and other private and public events, in cooperation with other EPD staff.
• Lead organisation of consortium meetings, other private or public events to facilitate preparation of the strategy playbook for YouthDecide 2040.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in political science, international relations, development studies or sociology, with a specialisation on democracy/democratisation, gender or youth studies;
• Young professional with 2-5 years of experience in research and/or project management. Experience in working on youth issues, democracy and indices is an advantage;
• Knowledge of academic debates on youth engagement in democracy is desirable;
• Fluency in English is required; working proficiency in French is a strong asset;
• Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative research methods, research design, and strong analytical and writing skills;
• A cooperative attitude and strong work ethic; ability to multitask and prioritise tasks;
• Experience with statistical analysis software is an asset.
• Experience in writing research proposals and fundraising will be considered an asset.

Conditions and benefits

• An initial 12-month contract with a starting salary between EUR 2000 and EUR 3500 (Grade 4 at EPD) with the precise figure dependant on experience;
• Lunch vouchers of a unit value of EUR 8,00 (personal contribution by the employee of EUR 1,09) will be granted for each day actually worked;
• A monthly public transportation card in Brussels will be reimbursed (EUR 49);
• In compliance with EPD’s Structural Teleworking Policy, staff will be granted a monthly teleworking allowance of EUR 129,48 and an additional monthly contribution of EUR 20,00 for the professional use of their private internet connection;
• A hospitalisation group insurance;
• Enrolment to the EPD group pension scheme; in which the employer and the employee contribute 2% each;
• All staff are fully involved in all aspects of our work and given considerable responsibility and independence; they are part of an international team that supports them in acquiring skills to work in an international organisation and hands-on knowledge of how major international actors inter-relate, at EU and global levels;
• Candidates must have permission to work in the EU. They should be based in Brussels or move to Brussels for the expected start date.

Application procedure

Interested candidates should send a CV and the application form to jobs3@epd.eu by 15 July 2024 (23:59 CET). Please name both the email heading and the application form as follows: “LAST NAME – FIRST NAME – RPO Application.”

Interviews will take place on 18-19 July with an indicative start date in August 2024.