Sustainable Water Network (SWAN) seeks Policy Officer

Are you an environmental policy professional looking for a job where you can use your scientific and policy knowledge and experience to make a real difference to Ireland’s rivers, lakes and coast? SWAN may have the post for you. SWAN is an umbrella network of twenty four of Ireland’s leading environmental groups, working together to protect and enhance Ireland’s aquatic environment through policy engagement, advocacy, communications and awareness-raising. We are looking for an experienced Policy Officer to join the SWAN team and play a central role in this exciting work.

The role of the Policy Officer is to develop evidence-based water policy positions and to ensure that SWAN is informed on relevant policy developments, in order to support SWAN’s work to advocate for effective protection and restoration of Ireland’s waters. You will play a key role in SWAN’s work to influence and to engage with government, decision-makers and other stakeholders, and you will also collaborate with the SWAN team to communicate our policy and advocacy messages to the public. Your main areas of work will be marine policy (particularly the Marine Strategy Framework Directive), the Water Framework Directive (WFD), policy related to physical alterations to waterbodies (e.g. drainage; flood works) and the interaction between these and other policy areas.

This post is offered initially as a one year contract with a possible option of a longer term post, contingent on funding.

Requirements:
• Postgraduate qualification in biology, ecology, conservation or water science, with at least three year’s work experience in environmental policy, preferably in the NGO sector OR
• A primary degree in the above, with minimum 5 years relevant NGO experience.
• Candidates must be fully familiar with Irish and EU water policy.

See job description for full details and application information. The deadline for receipt of applications is 5.00 p.m. September 22nd 2020.