Senior Associate EU Industrial Transformation (f/m/d)

Agora Industry

The industrial sector accounts for about 20% of the EU’s net annual CO2 emissions. To combat climate change, the sector must fully decarbonise within a generation. Urgent action is needed, as many of Europe’s industrial installations face imminent reinvestment decisions that will lock in capital for decades. These decisions represent a critical opportunity to steer the EU towards its 2050 climate neutrality goals, as well as a significant risk of stranded assets or carbon leakage. In light of this, the political guidelines for the next European Commission (2024-2029) have prioritized the development of a new EU Clean Industrial Deal, focusing on decarbonisation and industrial competitiveness. 
While the transition to climate-neutral industry will create opportunities for investments and strengthening EU competitiveness, immense efforts are needed to reach the EU’s net-zero climate objectives, especially for energy-intensive industries. 
Many countries and companies are struggling with the technical, economic, and political complexities of this transition. Understanding the processes and challenges is essential for taking political decisions and ensuring a smooth transition to a green economy: How can industries transform while maintaining jobs and growth? How to ensure international competitiveness when climate-neutral investments are often more expensive? Which type of regulation is needed to ensure that new investment is made with climate-neutrality in mind? What role can carbon pricing and lead markets play in supporting the industrial transformation? How to avoid stranded assets as well as carbon leakage?
 
Agora Industry’s mission is to support this transformation with robust, evidence-based analysis and relevant policy recommendations. As independent and non-partisan think tank and policy laboratory, our interdisciplinary and international team works to analyse upcoming challenges in close exchange with stakeholders, share knowledge with decision-makers and enable a productive exchange of ideas.
 
To strengthen our team, we are looking for a
Senior Associate EU Industrial Transformation (f/m/d)
full- or part-time (min. 30 hours) – based in Brussels

As Senior Associate EU Industrial Transformation you will be responsible for co-leading Agora Industry’s work on the EU Clean Industrial Deal, as part of a growing team across Berlin, Beijing and Brussels working on the transformation of industry to climate-neutrality. Your main focus will be on EU-level policymaking in support of the transformation of industrial value chains towards climate-neutrality.
 
Priority issues include:

• Developing industrial transformation pathways for the Steel, Cement and Chemicals sectors towards climate neutrality;
• Developing innovative policy solutions for the automotive, feedstock and building material value chains, in particular around lead markets;
• Developing techno-economic analysis on the necessary EU financial and regulatory framework to support industrial transformation (eg, ETS 1, CBAM, ESPR)
• Developing proposals to secure a strong political commitment to industrial electrification.

Your responsibilities include

• Conceptualizing and leading path-breaking policy analysis and proposals on the EU Clean Industrial Deal and related EU policy initiatives;
• Conceptualizing complex research projects on the EU industrial transformation in close collaboration with Agora colleagues in Berlin and Brussels;
• Taking full responsibility for managing and leading specific research projects, including budget, monitoring, reporting, and stakeholder management;
• Helping to conceptualize and provide input to a new flagship annual conference and publication on the State of the EU Industrial Transformation;
• Pro-actively contributing to building partnerships and working closely with network partners in Brussels and throughout Europe;
• Liaising with expert colleagues across the Agora think tanks to facilitate their contributions to industry projects and knowledge sharing;
• Strongly engaging with key stakeholders, and directly advising government authorities on key policies;
• Representing Agora Industry at meetings and public events; frequent contributions to panel discussions and conferences; working with media;
• Actively contributing to internal strategy development and discussions; 
• Coaching less experienced colleagues and supporting their professional development;
• Fundraising in close collaboration with Agora’s senior management and the Agora finance team.

What we offer

• An opportunity to work in a mission-driven, highly motivated, and professional international team;
• Diverse experience, including professional relationships with colleagues and visitors from a variety of countries around the globe;
• Opportunities for professional growth and advancement; including access to a mental well-being platform;
• 29 vacation days, flexible working hours, contribution to meal vouchers and medical insurance as well as remote work opportunities;
• A cooperative working atmosphere with flat communication and decision-making hierarchies;
• An attractive workplace in the centre of Brussels and the option of hybrid working with good digital facilities;
• Assistance with the visa process for international candidates;
• A structured onboarding programme and regular team and organisation-wide retreats to bring us all together; and 
• A full or part-time role with an unlimited employment duration.

We are looking for

• A strong desire to help contribute to Agora Industry’s work and shape the EU industrial transformation to climate-neutrality;
• A proven track record and expertise in industrial transformation policies, including in-depth knowledge of the steel, cement or chemicals sectors;
• A Master’s degree in engineering, economics, political science or similar, and at least 8 years of relevant work experience;
• Strong networking skills and the ability to navigate in a complex environment of EU institutions, industry associations, stakeholder groups and media;
• Ability to represent Agora Industry at a senior level in meetings with the European Commission, European Parliament, national governments and stakeholders;
• Experience in contributing to conferences and workshops as speaker or facilitator;
• Ability to design and steer complex analytic research projects, guide consultants, and write high quality documents;
• A confident, calm, practical and entrepreneurial outlook, with openness to working on diverse challenges and topics;
• Strong leadership and management skills;
• Experience in working in international teams and networks;
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written;
• Full command of the English language in reading and writing; active knowledge of German and other European languages is a plus; and
• Willingness to occasionally travel to Berlin and other European capitals.

We assume that there are excellent candidates for the job who do not meet all the criteria in the description. Maybe you have certain skills we haven’t thought of yet? Tell us why you are the right person for the job.

How to apply

We look forward to receiving your application by 24 November 2024 via our website.

For reasons of objectivity, we ask that you refrain from submitting an application photo.

We want an energy transition for everyone from everyone. Therefore, we are particularly pleased to receive applications from people from groups that have been underrepresented in energy policy so far. We welcome applications regardless of gender and gender identity, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, disability and age, and sexual orientation. Our offices are not completely barrier-free, but we are open to find individual solutions.
As part of this, we are soliciting anonymous information on a voluntary basis regarding our applicant’s backgrounds. This information will be used only to inform future recruitment strategies and will not impact hiring decisions in any form. Your input will not be forwarded to third parties and will not be used in connection with your application.

Please follow this link to participate in the survey.
https://limes.sefep.eu/index.php/833735?lang=en

Personal contact for the position

If you have any questions, please contact Sandy Rosenhauer at sandy.rosenhauer@agora-thinktanks.org.

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