Senior Policy Manager

Interested in an exciting role which helps protect forests, the climate and human rights? This may be the job for you.

Earthsight is looking for an experienced campaigner to lead our policy and comms work delivering impactful analyses and advocacy on the impacts of Western consumption on the world’s forests, native biomes and local communities.

Earthsight is a non-profit organisation dedicated to researching and investigating environmental and social crime and injustice. We use cutting-edge investigative methods to uncover and expose wrongdoing. Since emerging as a fully-fledged organisation in 2016, our reports have garnered headlines, won awards and triggered major changes by governments and corporations.

We seek to create positive change by influencing government policy, uncovering greenwash and raising awareness among key constituencies about the impacts of global supply chains on the world’s forests and forest communities.

Most global deforestation is driven by industrial production of a handful of major commodities, including beef, soy, palm oil and wood. A large chunk of this production is to meet demand in Western consumer markets. Over the past few years, Earthsight has played a key role in highlighting the complicity of corporations and consumers in the EU, UK and US in the destruction of forests overseas, as well as the abuses of local people which accompany that destruction. As part of a global coalition, we have succeeded in getting laws passed or under development in all those jurisdictions which aim to clean up these supply chains. Now we need to ensure those laws are effectively enforced.

This role will be key to that. As part of a small team, you will help design and coordinate implementation of our policy strategy and outputs. You will represent the organisation in meetings with policymakers, government authorities and civil society, as well as help draft and disseminate policy briefings and other advocacy material. You will also oversee our comms work.

The position is offered as a full-time permanent contract. The successful candidate would preferably be based in the UK and able to come into our office in London regularly. Earthsight is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to ensuring careers in the charity sector are open to all. We value difference and believe it enhances our capabilities. We therefore particularly encourage applications from people from a range of different backgrounds.

Main tasks and responsibilities

• Input into policy strategy and planning for the three geographic teams (Latin America, Southeast Asia/Africa, Northern Forests)
• Produce annual overarching policy strategy for policy/advocacy work in cross-cutting areas, for approval by SMT. Oversee delivery of the strategy and provide progress reports to SMT
• Oversee production of annual communications strategy (plan for building press contacts database, social media engagement, website development, mailing lists). Oversee delivery of the strategy and provide progress reports to SMT
• Line-manage the Content Creative and Press Coordinator and the Researcher/Campaigner: EUDR
• Support Content Creative and Press Coordinator in ensuring website and social media outputs consistently adhere to correct format, message and language
• Conduct advocacy on areas which are cross-cutting, not falling clearly under the responsibility of one of the three geographic teams (e.g. EU Deforestation Regulation implementation issues and reviews, other EU laws, UK and US regulations, etc.)
• Participate in relevant civil society coalitions in Europe and the UK and coordinate Earthsight’s inputs and contributions to coalition work
• Build and maintain relationships with key policy stakeholders in Europe and the UK, including policymakers, civil servants, civil society, enforcement authorities
• Attend relevant international conferences and meetings
• Manage an operational budget for the Policy and Communications Team
• Support recruitment and selection of new team members for the team, and line manage selected candidates once they’re in place
• Stay abreast of, coordinate and assist with advocacy work conducted by the geographic team leads and their teams
• Report regularly on progress with policy and comms work, and finances to Deputy Director

Person specification

Essential

• At least five years’ experience working as a campaigner on environmental, forests, climate change, human rights or a related field
• Excellent campaigning skills with proven ability to understand complex policy issues and convey effective messages to influence a desired campaign outcome
• Ability to establish and maintain effective contacts and relationships, not only among civil society but also with policymakers and government authorities
• Line management experience
• Strong writing skills, with ability to produce compelling, impactful and persuasive texts in English for external audiences
• Strong attention to detail and factual accuracy
• Self-motivated and collaborative team player
• Organised with the ability to manage a variety of tasks and competing priorities

Desirable

• Knowledge and experience of EU policymaking processes and institutions
• Fluency in a major EU language (for example French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish or Polish)

Benefits

Among what Earthsight offers is:

• Generous employer’s pension contribution
• Flexible and hybrid working policies
• 25 days annual leave with one extra day for every year with the organisation (up to 30 days)
• Cycling to work scheme