Job title: Expert Climate Neutral Cities
Start date: 01 March 2024
Duration: 24 months
Location: Freiburg, Germany
Deadline for application: 15 January 2024
Do you want to contribute to making our cities better places to live?
ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability is a global network working with more than 2500 local and regional governments committed to sustainable urban development. Active in 125+ countries, we influence sustainability policy and drive local action for low emission, nature-based, equitable, resilient and circular development.
ICLEI‘s European Secretariat is based in Freiburg (Germany), with specialised offices in Brussels and Berlin. ICLEI Europe has more than 150 staff from all over Europe and beyond, covering a broad variety of professional disciplines and expertise.
Working with us, you will have opportunities to:
- Deepen your understanding of how cities design and implement sustainability and climate neutrality policies, what kind of challenges they face and how best to support them;
- Work with leading urban researchers, politicians and practitioners on European innovation projects, to provide help design and implement policies and solutions for climate-neutral cities;
- Contribute to European and international processes that influence urban policies and financing schemes, particularly the EU Mission ‘100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities’, and others such as the EU Green Deal, the UN SDGs, etc;
- Be part of an internationally recognised organisation that inspires, supports and critically evaluates new trends in (co-)creating sustainable, climate neutral and resilient cities,
- Grow professionally in a flexible, family-friendly work environment with opportunities for personal development, European travel, and professional cultural exchange.
We are looking for a new colleague to join our Climate Neutral Cities Task Group as Expert. The Expert will work in core implementation processes and provide topical expertise for ICLEI on an ambitious European project that aims to accelerate cities’ pathways to climate neutrality by 2030.
The project addresses a broad spectrum of climate-neutrality topics and issues, including building, energy, and transport decarbonisation, monitoring and reporting, citizen engagement, social innovation, participatory planning and policy making, multi-level governance, finance, and sustainable urban development.
We are looking for candidates with the following experience, skills and character:
- Understanding of and practical experience in any of the following areas: local climate action policy and governance processes, climate change mitigation, carbon monitoring and reporting, climate finance / sustainable finance, sustainability management, and/or environmental governance;
- Relevant academic degree and ideally postgraduate qualification in any of the following areas: urban and regional planning, environmental governance or engineering, climate action planning / policy making / monitoring and evaluation, environmental or sustainability management, public administration, economics, or other relevant education/training;
- At least 3 years of professional experience working in a project-based environment, ideally for and with local governments or other urban actors, with climate-related projects and/or consultancy services;
- Project management experience with fast-paced projects, diverse (sometimes dispersed) teams and large budgets (EU Horizon Europe experience a bonus!);
- Experience in climate action and sustainability management processes as part of urban and regional development. Experience with advocacy and European policy processes;
- Proficient in English and at least one other European language, spoken and written; more languages are an asset
- Confident in communicating, interacting and collaborating with a wide range of partners across disciplines and sectors
Your position will include the following main tasks:
- Contribute to the work package processes, tasks, deliverables and key milestones of the projects related to the EU Mission ‘100 Climate Neutral and Smart Cities’, including their co-conceptualisation and implementation together with internal and external partners;
- Developing frameworks and collating different solutions that will guide cities in their systemic transformation processes to achieve climate neutrality;
- Contribute to developing guidelines, training curricula and support materials for the climate-neutral city journey;
- Communication with partners, cities and other relevant partners;
- Participate in and contribute to regular project meetings and project related events;
We offer you the following conditions:
- Initial 24 months contract with intention for extension