Senior Programme Manager for European Affairs

Belgium

Senior Programme Manager for European Affairs

Organization

• European Institute of Peace

Posted 29 Sep 2025 Closing date 19 Oct 2025

The
European Institute of Peace
) is an independent body that strives to design and deliver sustainable engagement and dialogue processes in conflict regions across the world and can thus act both on the immediate security challenges in Europe but also the wider ramifications of the shifting global order. The Institute combines the operational flexibility of an informal actor with a proximity to the EU and its member states both in how it is governed and what it does.

About The Role
The Senior Programme Manager for European Affairs carries the Institute's strategy development for its European relations, including senior level relationship-building with high level officials, diplomats and political actors in Brussels and European capitals. It is a central role at the Institute, with real impact on the direction of key initiatives and hands-on involvement in some of the most politically salient processes at EIP. Working closely with the Deputy Executive Director, the Senior Programme Manager ensures that the Institute delivers on its raison d'être: embedding concrete conflict prevention and resolution efforts in European foreign policy.

This is a rare opportunity for an ambitious professional with a good understanding of dialogue and mediation as tools for conflict resolution, interested in strengthening European foreign policy through the means of dialogue processes and quiet diplomacy. We are looking for a self-sufficient individual with an advanced understanding of EU foreign policy structures and decision-making, a top-notch political network, excellent representation skills, and ability to create opportunities from challenging political circumstances.

As Senior Programme Manager for European Affairs you will be part of the Europe Team with particular responsibility for European policy development – both for the Institute as a whole and devising strategies for specific projects. You will moreover be in charge of select field-based programming in Eastern Europe, including political dialogues, mediation initiatives and support to a variety of peace processes and political actors, overseeing a team of excellent and motivated colleagues.

This position is based in Brussels and entails travel in Europe and its neighbourhood.

Key Tasks And Responsibilities
Strategic development and design:

• Lead the development of the Institute's strategies for engagement with EU institutions and Member States, drawing on the Institute's full range of resources.
• Support programmatic teams in developing strategies for context-specific EU collaboration on political dialogue and concrete deliverables.
• Lead on the design and development of some of the Institute's conflict prevention and resolution initiatives in the European neighbourhood.
• Plan and participate in scoping missions or other project development activities as necessary and subsequently work on relevant strategies for new interventions.

Programme Management

• Co-manage the Europe programme, working in collaboration with the Europe Team, Senior Advisors and Regional Advisors/Analysts, ensuring strong operational and strategic coherence.
• Ensure operational and strategic coherence of the Europe programme to guarantee a comprehensive, strategic approach to both European foreign policy globally and the European neighbourhood.

Relationship Building And Representation

• Lead the implementation of the Institute's EU and Member State engagement strategies, ensuring colleagues across the Institute, at all levels, can build effective and productive relationships with key European stakeholders.
• Undertake relationship management with EU institutions and European governments to influence policy and increase scope for collaboration. This includes senior level representation of the Institute in bilateral meetings, conferences and field engagements.

Your Skills And Experience

• University degree in political science, law, conflict resolution, international relations, or related field.
• Minimum 15 years of international experience, preferably some of which in the context of European CFSP structures or member state diplomacy.
• First-hand knowledge of European foreign policy structures and decision-making processes, good insights to the conflict theatres in the European neighbourhood, and of the geopolitical developments in the region as a whole.
• Strong people and team management experience: in particular meriting if in the context of complex or sensitive programming, managing regional teams or remotely.
• Excellent existing network in Brussels, combined with skills and capacity to expand and develop new relationships where needed, including at the higher decision-making levels.
• Convincing communication skills, with the ability to cut through in a politically sophisticated manner.
• Strong sense of initiative with an entrepreneurial attitude.
• Ability to work well under pressure and comply with tight deadlines.
• Perfect command of English, written and spoken is a requirement. Knowledge of French or languages of Eastern Europe is an asset.

What We Are Offering
An exciting job in an international and diverse environment (18 nationalities represented at the Brussels Office).

Open-ended Belgian employment contract, subject to Belgian taxes and social security contributions.

Yearly gross salary of maximum EUR, complemented with Benefits package which includes health care insurance and pension plan, meal vouchers, transportation and telework allowance, and SIM card.

40h/week and 32 leave days/year.

The possibility to telework 3 days a week.

Start date: as soon as possible
The selected candidate will need to reside in or relocate to Belgium when the employment contract starts.

How to apply

Closing date: 19/10/2025, midnight (CET).
Please Submit Your Application Using The Webform Below
https://eip-

Our hiring team will review all applications after the closing date of the vacancy. We will keep you informed on the status of your application.

EIP firmly believes that diverse perspectives are key to our work. Therefore we are committed to equity, diversity and inclusiveness. Your qualities and commitment are what matter to us, regardless of race, nationality, gender, age, religion, disability, or sexual orientation.

Job details

Country

• Belgium

City Brussels Source

• European Institute of Peace

Type

• Job

Career category

• Program/Project Management

Years of experience

• 10+ years

Theme

• Peacekeeping and Peacebuilding

Share

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on X
• Post this on LinkedIn