Job offer

• Full-time/Part-time: Fulltime, 36 hours per week/ 32 hours negotiable
• Duration: One year with possibility of extension
• Location: Brussels Office Belgium, or Office Ede-Wageningen, The Netherlands; (only candidates eligible to work in the EU will be considered)
• Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
• Start date: As soon as possible

About Wetlands International Europe

Established in September 2013, Wetlands International European Association (Wetlands International Europe) is the single network organisation in Europe focused on wetlands. Together with our 13 member organisations, partners, networks of expertise and citizen scientists our ambition is to upscale action to safeguard and restore wetlands. Our access to cutting-edge science, combined with our understanding of EU policies, on-the-ground experience from our members, partners and their networks, in addition to our own global network, makes us a credible and effective advocate for improving European policies and practices.

We achieve our results through programmes focused on policy-relevant issues that comprise a variety of projects and initiatives. These seek to develop state-of-the-art knowledge, best practices, and practical on-the-ground conservation and restoration experience to underpin influential dialogues on policy and investment. We bring policy insights back to our network to help accelerate policy implementation and investment to the benefit of wetlands in Europe and around the world.

Upscaling Nature-based Solutions in Europe

Wetland ecosystems offer proven nature-based solutions (NBS) to address the interlinked crises related to water security, climate and biodiversity.  With their natural sponge functions, wetlands such as peatlands and floodplains support abundant nature and can provide natural adaptation to multiple climate change impacts, making people and property safer.

The ambitions of the European Green Deal and multiple EU policy objectives will only be achieved if wetland conservation and restoration is dramatically expanded across landscapes. Therefore, making the case for rapidly restoring, deploying and upscaling wetland NBS has never been more urgent given the need to restore nature and adapt to a rapidly changing climate and increasing floods and droughts in Europe.

There are many pilots demonstrating the benefits of NBS and the related practical implementation techniques and approaches. To build from these small scale cases, we need to use policy instruments to enable the expansion of NBS across larger landscapes, in combination with public and private funding instruments and financing tools to drive investments in wetlands.

Your role

This is an exciting opportunity to help Wetlands International Europe’s secretariat, its members and partners deploy and upscale wetland NBS in Europe. The primary aim of the position is to leverage funding for nature to create a financial enabling environment for our priority landscapes. These currently include pilot landscapes in Belgium, Germany, Slovakia and Spain. Leveraging EU policy frameworks, public and private funding instruments and financial tools will be central to the role. The creation of business cases, engagement with different sectors and stakeholders to build support, advocacy with decision makers, outreach and communication with key stakeholders, and efforts to deploy NBS on the ground will be core competences. The ability to work with and coordinate government, investors, businesses, and communities to ensure a sustainable, long-term impact is key.

Your profile

• A motivated self-starter, passionate about putting wetlands at the heart of the European Green Deal’s implementation and championing Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) as an indispensable parts of resilient landscapes for society, climate and nature.
• Holds a master’s degree or higher in environmental policy, sustainable finance, natural resource management, or a related field.
• Has at least three years’ experience working with public funding instruments and/or private sector financing tools (e.g., Payment for Ecosystem Services, green bonds, blended finance, impact investing).
• Possesses a strong understanding of EU environmental policies, including freshwater, climate, agricultural and nature domains.
• Brings solid technical and project management skills, paired with entrepreneurial thinking and a deep knowledge of NBS.
• A strong communicator with experience working internationally across different cultural environments.
• Demonstrates the ability to work both independently and collaboratively within a team, taking initiative and showing a high level of responsibility.
• An excellent communicator with strong stakeholder management skills and proven experience working internationally across diverse cultural environments.
• Commands an excellent level of written and spoken English, with working knowledge of other European languages considered an asset.
• Highly organised with strong project management skills, a keen eye for detail and accuracy, and very good proficiency in MS Office and other IT tools

Key responsibilities

• Identifies and analyses funding programmes and financing instruments that can help upscale Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), while actively advocating for the inclusion of NBS in the implementation of EU policies.
• Serves as the key point of contact for engagement on funding for nature, including advocacy efforts towards the EU Multi-Annual Financial Framework.
• Develops compelling business cases for the deployment and upscaling of NBS across different sectors, such as agriculture, banking, and business, and supports engagement with the business and finance sectors to stimulate investment in NBS.
• Convenes and collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders and sectors, building support and addressing barriers to implementation.
•  Represents the organisation at relevant fora and events, including workshops, webinars, and training sessions, with the goal of building capacity among stakeholders regarding EU funding instruments and financial mechanisms for NBS.

How to apply

Applications should include a cover letter summarising the applicant’s suitability for the position and a detailed CV. Applications should be sent by email to [email protected], marking your application with “Nature-based Solutions Project Officer” in the subject line.

Interviews: Applications will be evaluated on a rolling basis, and early submissions are encouraged. Deadline for submission of applications: 16 May 2025.