IGLYO Policy & Research Officer

About this Application Pack

At IGLYO, we are currently looking for a full-time Policy & Research Officer to join our team in Brussels, Belgium. Please read through the Application Pack below, and send us your application as per the instructions by 24 May 2023 at 23:59 CEST. You can also download this full Application Pack in PDF here.

Introduction

IGLYO — The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation is a member-based youth and student network, with 108 Member Organisations in 43 Council of Europe countries. IGLYO’s vision is a world where we, young people in all our diversity, are able to express and define our own sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and variations in sex characteristics, and are able to participate fully in all aspects of life, rise to our full potential, and enjoy respect and positive recognition.

IGLYO strives to ensure the voices and experiences of LGBTQI young people are present and heard by decision-makers at European and international levels, by implementing and designing research and policy work in areas such as inclusive education, health and bias-motivated hate-crime and hate-speech. To create an influential collective of young activists, IGLYO also builds the confidence, skills and experience of LGBTQI youth through cross-cultural exchange and peer learning activities. More information about IGLYO’s work can be found at www.iglyo.com.

IGLYO organisational structure

IGLYO is currently structured as follows:

Working at IGLYO

The secretariat of IGLYO is based in Brussels, Belgium, and comprises a small 10-person team, working in a variety of different areas. We try to foster a collaborative and supportive work environment which is flexible and allows everyone to achieve their best work. Joining IGLYO means being a key part of a huge network, and with this comes the responsibility to keep abreast of issues of importance to LGBTQI youth, and be adaptive and open to new perspectives.

There is no typical week in this role. From day to day you could be developing a new programme, writing a grant application, liaising with the advocacy team, and carrying out performance management with your direct reports. It requires a flexible, enthusiastic and self-motivated person with a passion for LGBTQI liberation.

Role & Responsibilities

Policy and Advocacy

This Officer will work closely with the Policy & Research team to keep abreast of all key policy needs for LGBTQI young people in Europe, and plan advocacy strategies and activities to influence European, national and local policies and practices. The main tasks of the Policy & Research Officer in this area include:

To identify emerging issues for LGBTQI young people, analyse the policy implications and possibilities and design appropriate responses
To draft policy papers, reports, briefings, presentations and press releases on key policy issues concerning LGBTQI young people
To provide advice on policy positions on key areas (such as education, health or safety) and support the work of local, national and regional LGBTQI and youth organisations
Monitor and evaluate policy developments and provide regular updates to stakeholders
To represent IGLYO, and participate in relevant policy meetings with European institutions and civil society organisations to ensure the priorities of LGBTQI young people are mainstreamed within their work
To develop communication messages and materials, in collaboration with IGLYO’s Communications Officer, to disseminate IGLYO’s advocacy work and reach a wide range of audiences

Research and Data collection

While some of our research activities are run by external consultants, the Policy & Research Officer will work together with the team to design and oversee some of this work, and to conduct research on key policy areas for LGBTQI youth (such as education, health or sports). Some of the responsibilities of the Policy & Research Officer are:

To work with IGLYO’s Policy and Research Manager to conduct research on key topics concerning LGBTQI youth
To work closely with members, civil society organisation, and policymakers to gather and review data on state legislation and policies concerning LGBTQI youth
To develop communication messages and materials, in collaboration with IGLYO’s Communications Officer, to disseminate IGLYO’s research work and reach a wide range of audiences

Supporting IGLYO members and ensuring the well functioning of the organisation

IGLYO is a membership-based organisation, and we need to ensure that our work is relevant to the needs of our members. The Policy & Research Officer will work with the team:

To support the Policy & Research Manager to conduct advocacy needs assessments with our members
To liaise with the Programmes team to support our members in their advocacy work in front of the European institutions and their national governments in coordination with the Policy & Research Manager
To prepare reports and other relevant documents for the Board, the Executive Director, and funders as required
To support the organisation of team meetings, board meetings, the IGLYO’s general assembly and other events as required

Personal specifications

At IGLYO, we recognise how many barriers and obstacles people from marginalised communities need to overcome to acquire many of the specifications listed below. We are trying to balance the best interest of the organisation with a fair equitable hiring practice. With this in mind, IGLYO will provide training and support to the hired individual to the best of its abilities during the first year of employment.

Essential personal specifications

Excellent spoken and written English
At least 1-2 years of experience in a relevant advocacy, policy or research related position, preferably in a civil society organisation
Good knowledge of European institutions and advocacy mechanisms
Knowledge of the international LGBTQI rights framework, and European anti-discrimination laws and policies
Ability to appropriately implement data collection, undertake data analysis and draw recommendations, taking into consideration any ethical concerns
Ability to produce clear and concise reports for publication and high-quality oral presentations for a wide range of audiences
Ability to simplify and communicate complex information to various audiences, and use communication styles that are appropriate to different people and situations
Ability to build mutually respectful and productive relationships with partners, members and other stakeholders
Ability to organise, plan and prioritise workload, and work under pressure to meet tight deadlines or achieve agreed outcomes
Ability to work autonomously and to organise workload, resources and priorities effectively
Willingness to travel up to 15% of the time, and work occasionally on weekends

Desirable personal specifications

Experience drafting policy papers, briefings and research reports
Proven record of influencing European, national or local policies
Experience conducting research on national or international policies, preferably covering LGBTQI youth rights
Knowledge of other languages than English (besides English and French)
Understanding of intersectionality in advocacy and research
Knowledge of quantitative and qualitative data analysis tools (e.g., SPSS, Atlas.ti or NVivo)

Job Information

Job Title
Policy & Research Officer

Salary (Gross)

2,300 – 2,500 EURO gross per month (starting at the range appropriate with the candidate’s experience)
Prime de Fin D’année – this is a 13th month salary, paid in December, taxed slightly differently.
Double Pécule de Vacances – this is an extra month holiday pay, paid (after 1 year of work in Belgium) in May to the value of 92% of a usual work month.

Benefits

7.00 € lunch voucher for every day worked – averaging at 150.00 €/month
Monthly local travel subsidy – this payment depends on where you live & what form of travel you take to the office
Yearly training allowance
Relocation costs covered up to €250
Up to 12 weeks working remotely per year

Holiday Entitlement

22 days annual leave (in addition, Belgium has 10 public holidays for which we allow certain flexibility)
Additional 5 days annual leave between 25-31 Dec

Working Hours
37.5 hrs per week (5 days), core working hours between 09:30 & 16:00 CET

Line Manager
Policy & Research Manager

Contract
Permanent full-time under Belgian Law

Place of work
Brussels, Belgium

Who can apply?

Candidates must be eligible to work in Belgium at the time of application, as IGLYO does not currently have the capacity to sponsor work visas.

IGLYO particularly welcomes applications from women, trans, non-binary and intersex people, individuals from Black communities, other communities of colour and ethnic minorities, migrants and refugees, people with disabilities, people living with HIV, and people under 30 years old.

How to apply?

Please follow these simple steps to apply:

Please read through the job description and personal specifications above or in the PDF version.
If you match the essential criteria, download and fill out our Experiences & Qualifications form, which will act as your CV. You will need to upload this form as a PDF in our Online Application Form (see below). Please make sure you do NOT include your personal details (name, surname, phone number) in the PDF to ensure we can anonymise your application.
Prepare your answers to the questions we’re asking in the “Application” section of the Online Application Form.
Think of two referees who could support your application. These can include current or past managers, colleagues, volunteers, etc. who were involved with you professionally. We will only contact them, with your permission, as a last stage if you are selected for the position.
Once you have everything, fill out and submit the Online Application Form by 24 May 2023 at 23:59 CEST.

Please note that we will only accept complete applications submitted through the online application form. Applications via email will not be considered.

Selection details

If your application is successful, you will be notified by email on 26 May 2023 and will be asked to attend a first online interview scheduled between 30 and 31 May 2023. Please note that you will receive an assignment to complete ahead of this first interview if you are selected.

The top candidates will be asked to attend a second interview on 5 and 6 June 2023.

The successful candidate will be expected to take up their post within one month; the start date is negotiable.

Informal enquiries about the post can be sent to IGLYO’s Policy & Research Manager, Rú Ávila Rodríguez (they/them) at ru@iglyo.com.

We look forward to your application!

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