Policy officer jobs

Opportunity!

SteelWatch offers a unique opportunity for an expert in steel decarbonisation with a passion for driving climate action. If you can communicate your technical analysis  to challenge legacy steelmakers with clarity and conviction, this role is for you.

In this new role as SteelWatch Industry Decarbonisation Lead, you will have the opportunity to deepen and articulate the arguments of SteelWatch, providing vigilant scrutiny and an international voice for steel decarbonisation.

The ideal candidate will be an excellent communicator and natural collaborator who combines technical understanding of steel decarbonisation internationally with an ability to spot trends and their significance in data and detail. The role could be an ideal next step for professionals coming from consultancy, decarbonisation initiatives, companies in the iron and steel value chain, trade associations, international agencies, and civil society. 

Summary of the role

The Industry Decarbonisation Lead will shape SteelWatch’s position on steel decarbonisation to inform our change-making strategies, provide overall management and cohesion across our work on data analysis and industry insight, and act as a spokesperson in conversation with industry stakeholders.

The organisation

SteelWatch is an international climate campaign organisation, driving corporate accountability and action in the steel sector. Our vision is a steel sector that underpins a thriving zero emissions economy. We are a change-making organisation, with the task of driving change in an entrenched, powerful, technologically-confident sector that faces little climate pressure. SteelWatch is a non-profit registered in the Netherlands in 2023. Having grown to a team of 20, we are still a young organisation, learning-by-doing, working with fluid teams not rigid structures, ensuring we evolve, test, and learn. We seek team members who will enjoy breaking new ground with us.

We run corporate campaigns and challenge the global steel industry to replace complacency with urgent action in line with the 1.5C limit. SteelWatch has established a strong visible presence among civil society and steel industry stakeholders. We are increasingly recognised as an authoritative and challenging voice on steel decarbonisation, invited to engage in industry events and debates internationally.

Accurate and credible data, robust analysis and our global, long-term, climate-first lens on sector decarbonisation, are key strengths that underpin our campaigns and dialogue. We complement the work of other civil society change-makers bringing a vigilant voice and corporate scrutiny. We currently focus on OECD countries, and specifically across Europe and Japan, with team members in Europe/Africa and Asia-Pacific timezones.

Role and Responsibilities

The Industry Decarbonisation Lead is a new role, which will work in close collaboration with colleagues across the organisation and is fundamental to the long-term strategy of SteelWatch to transform the iron and steel industry. The core purpose of the role is to cultivate our collective ability to harness credible evidence for our campaigns, and to engage effectively with industry with an ambitious well-informed vision for decarbonisation.

For the initial year(s),  there are three main areas of responsibility.

1. The Lead will be responsible for navigating and shaping SteelWatch’s positions and point of view on relevant issues regarding steel decarbonisation with a goal of driving long term transition to near-zero emissions steelmaking.
2. The Lead will be responsible for managing and shaping our range of work on data, evidence, insights and analysis -with the team members involved -  to ensure the quality and relevance of our evidence base and our industry intelligence.
3. The Lead will be one of the key spokespeople for the organisation, particularly in industry dialogue and events. The role will report to the Executive Director and is likely to line-manage 1-3 people.

Success for this role will depend on close collaboration with others in SteelWatch including the:

• Steel Analyst, and other team members and consultants working on data and analysis;
• Campaigns Teams, ensuring campaigns are well evidenced, informed and targeted on the critical issues.
• Communications Team, ensuring everything that we externally communicate is consistent and credible, as accuracy is key in our role to speak truth to power.
• Executive Director, sharing the work of representation of SteelWatch externally and updating our arguments as the steel industry evolves.

Responsibilities

1. Shape, evolve and articulate SteelWatch’s positions and point of view on steel decarbonisation:

SteelWatch already has a strong point of view (POV) on many of the core elements of the iron and steel transition. However, the POV needs to be continually reviewed in the light of new developments, on occasion adapted, and extended to new emerging issues. Sharpening the POV is a collaborative process -  the Industry Decarbonisation Lead will be responsible for steering and landing this process. The Lead will:

• Ensure the POV is constantly evolved,improved and adapted through collaboration, guiding the process and landing the outcome;
• Ensure the POV is clearly articulated and socialised internally and externally with allies.

2. Manage and shape our range of work on data, industry trends, and analysis.

SteelWatch currently has in-depth data and news tracking on two companies, the targets of our corporate campaigns. We track iron and steel industry news and analyse industry announcements. We are developing our capacity to react to steel news globally, track blast furnaces investments and other announcements, and rate and rank companies.  The Industry Decarbonisation Lead will, in collaboration with the Steel Analyst:

• Shape and prioritise our work on gathering data,  tracking industry news, and analysing industry strategies,  to support and inform the priorities of the organisation, and ensure we make best use of the information in our campaigns.
• Build capacity within SteelWatch to do this consistently across our growing portfolio of work.
• Ensure the quality and relevance of our evidence base, and the processes we have for updating and using it.
• Continue to build our capacity to assess industry announcements and to use that analysis effectively for pressure.
• Scope, support, and lead projects that are data analysis projects, and hold responsibility for the data analysis component of other projects/campaigns. These are likely to include, corporate scorecard, blast furnace trackers, and data visualisation.

3. Ensure relevance, consistency and accuracy in our external communications.

Our external communications are based on credible evidence and SteelWatch’s POV  combined with core narrative (responsibility of the Comms team), and campaign arguments and tactics (responsibility of the Campaigns Team).  Working closely with the Steel Analyst who currently is the ‘source of truth’ and fact-checker, the Industry Decarbonisation Lead will:

• Ensure all external outputs are factually correct, credible and in line with our point of view.
• Develop processes and materials that increase technical understanding and consistency across team members and amongst those we communicate most closely with (eg allies, core media).
• Ensure robust processes are in place for fact-checking.
• Lead the development of our series of SteelWatch Explainers to present key concepts in accessible form among allies and industry.
• Support the Communications and Campaign teams to assess what reactive news to prioritise, and to respond quickly and accurately.
• Strengthen our ability to brief and correct journalists, dealing with their misunderstandings around iron and steel.

4. Act as spokesperson for SteelWatch in industry dialogue.

SteelWatch is vigilant and challenging to the steel industry. Our tone of voice varies from the creative campaigns, to the engaged dialogue. The Industry Decarbonisation Lead is expected to communicate externally and directly in dialogue, in writing and especially with the industry stakeholders at conferences, in private meetings or via social media.  The lead is not the only voice of the organisation, but should be a focal point in building consistency. They will:

• Attend industry events and discussions, representing SW point of view and strengthening our industry connections;
• Speak at industry events, speak to the media where appropriate.
• Produce high quality written materials, support those written by colleagues, and support high quality data visualisation that communicates our messages.
• Engage actively on LinkedIn (and/or other social media) to respond to industry commentary and engage as SteelWatch.

5. Build relations with industry

SteelWatch is building relations with industry actors, both to share our views and ensure we are up to date on latest trends. The Lead will:

• Through industry events, networks and dialogue, strengthening our industry connections;
• Build relations with industry to acquire up to date information, and increase our ability to sense-check news and respond to trends.
• Keep abreast of industry conversations in order to identify the most relevant shifts, key topics or opportunities for SteelWatch to create pressure for change.
• Support others in SteelWatch to engage with industry, particularly in other regions and languages than your own.

6. Provide line management and task management to team members engaged in data and analysis.

SteelWatch currently has a mixture of long-term and short-term or part-time staff and consultants working on data, tracking and analysis.  They are managed by different team members.  The Industry Decarbonisation Lead will:

• Set objectives and define tasks for the data team, in line with overall SteelWatch strategy and plans, as they evolve. Provide line management for core data team members.
• Manage consultants focused on data or analysis, adapting TORs and finding new consultants as needed;
• Ensure synergy across the various team members  and their work.

Essential skills and experience

• Ten or more years of experience in industry, energy, and/or decarbonisation, of which at least 2 years focused on the steel industry.
• In-depth knowledge of steel decarbonisation pathways, current trends, the challenges and opportunities.
• Proven ability to manage and interpret data, and to use data for powerful arguments.
• Excellent writing and communication skills in English, a talent for conveying complex ideas in understandable ways.
• Proven capacity to build collaboration with non-technical colleagues and enhance organisational capacity to use data and evidence. 

Desired skills and experience

• Experience working across a range of topics, projects and tasks, juggling short-term deadlines and long-term priorities.
• We are particularly interested in candidates that bring deep expertise in the energy transition, and/or in financial analysis of companies' approach to decarbonisation, as these would complement existing skills.
• Knowledge of steel decarbonisation across different geographies, particularly including countries of Asia.
• Experience in climate and/or campaigning organisations (professional or voluntary)

Essential competencies and aptitude

• An eye for detail and ability to ensure 100% accuracy;
• A strategic mind, an instinct to see the big picture, long-term trend, and ability to spot opportunities for engagement or leverage;
• Willingness and ability to toggle between the detail and the strategic;
• Ability to work at pace, with the rhythm of a campaign organisation.
• Excellent people skills and proven track record as a team player, able to work well with colleagues across cultures and geographies;
• Flexibility to work early or late hours on some days each week to overlap with other time zones and to travel 3-6 times per year.
• An affinity with the messaging and campaign approach of SteelWatch. You do not have to have campaign experience or act as a campaigner, but you must agree with the level of transformation that we believe is required, and be excited to contribute your skills to an organisation that critiques the limited ambition of current industry players.

Language requirements

• Ability to work in English at a professional level is a requirement. Additional skills in European or Asian languages are useful, particularly Mandarin, Portuguese or German.

 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Country location

This role is open to candidates working in timezones UTC -1 to UTC +4 and in countries in which it is possible to have a 2-year fixed term employment contract with an Employer of Record. Within Europe, we welcome applications from candidates based in the Netherlands, UK and Germany, and in addition we welcome applications from candidates in Africa or the Middle East.

Location and remote working and travel

• Location: work location is remote from your home base. Staff members work remotely and online on a daily basis.
• Travel is an essential part of the role.  If you are constrained in your ability or permissions to travel, please discuss this before investing in an application.
• Travel to an annual full team retreat is essential - this happens once a year and may be in Asia, Europe or other. Additional travel for events and face to face time is expected. This may be in Europe, Asia, or elsewhere and likely to be 2-5 times a year.
• While we offer flexibility for you to work away from home base, this will need to be coordinated with travel of other colleagues, may depend on timezone changes and/or be limited by legal contracting constraints.

Working conditions and benefits

• Working hours are flexible. Whichever time zone you are in, you will need to have flexibility to work early or late across different time zones straddling Asia/Pacific/ Europe&Africa /UK. You also have the opportunity to build in some flexibility around your own non-work commitments.
• This role is full time, 5 days/week.  We may also consider 4 days a week (Monday to Thursday) but would require flexibility around this. If you prefer part time please indicate this at time of application.
• The initial contract period will be up to 24 months with a possibility to renew, depending on country regulations. The type of contract will depend on the location.
• You must have a valid work permit in the country where you plan to be employed. SteelWatch is not in a position to support a visa process.
• Remuneration is according to SteelWatch norms,  level of experience and location of employment. For a technical expert in this Lead role, a Netherlands-based salary is in the range of  €72,000 - 92,000.  Salaries are adjusted by location. 
• Our leave policy, unless varied by national regulation, provides 34 days in total combining public holidays and paid leave in all countries, plus birthday leave and inspiration time.

Ethics:  we are a values-based organisation. Every staff member and consultant is asked to sign our Ethics statement and help us as an organisation live up to our values.

Equal opportunities:  we strive to be an equal opportunities employer. We actively welcome applications from candidates from historically underrepresented groups in the climate change movement.  If you require any adaptation or assistance during the application process, please be sure to let us know so that we can adjust.

All of us at The Talent Foundry believe that a young person's success should be determined by the talents and abilities they have, not where they come from.

All too often we hear from teachers in our school network that those from underserved communities are missing out on the skills and development opportunities that could completely change their futures.

In this brand-new role you will be responsible for is responsible for our digital communications to engage educators, industry partners, volunteers and supporters so that more young people canaccess our inspiring - and free - programmes and extra-curricular opportunities.

“I’ll go as far as saying if we could offer a The Talent Foundry session every week for every single student, we would." Aspirations Lead.

For 16 years, we have been offering programmes in schools which spark and unlock a young person's confidence in the abilities that they have - and connect them to employers and industries where they can have a successful career.

The role 

With support from our Marketing and Communications Manager and wider team, you will play a vital role by creating, managing and optimising our digital communications, including the development, execution and measurement of email mailshots and campaigns, our social media channels and our website. 

You will be comfortable planning and devising email and social media content ideas, designing creative assets, writing sharp, engaging social media copy, and helping colleagues to grow their own social media presence.

Responsibilities 

• Reaching more underserved young people by communicating with teachers
• Telling the TTF story through digital platforms
• Being part of the outreach team
• Having excellent attention to detail across data and administration 

We recommend reading the full job description and person specification for an overview of the skills, experience and knowledge we are looking for before applying for this role.

We see many applications that have used AI to research and answer our screening questions, particularly around the programmes we promote. Please make sure you have checked that the answer you give about our programmes is factually correct.

Your experience

• Writing engaging and inspiring copy for various purposes and digital channels, including email as a priority
• Managing and creating content for social media channels
• Proven track record in a digital communications role, with experience of delivering against targets
• Use of CRM systems and spreadsheets to record and monitor impact of communications to meet targets
• Development of effective mail delivery systems
• Management of high-volume data - keeping accurate records and information from different sources 
• Working remotely or in a hybrid environment
• Supporting a team that manages different projects with competing priorities to achieve their communications goals

This is a hybrid role. You will be working from home with IT provided and join Team Together Days in a co-working space in London 2-3 individual days each month. These days are considered commuting days. You do not need to live in London to apply for this role, but you will need to consider what is a reasonable commuting distance for you to able to attend the team days in London.

In our job information pack you can also read our advice on using AI in your application. 

We also offer 28 days holiday + bank holidays (as we close for the Christmas period). 

Safeguarding

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing and welfare of children and we require everyone associated with The Talent Foundry Trust, including all trustees, employees, and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the role, including completing our Safer Recruitment process, references from past employers and Disclosure and Barring Service checks. 

Previous applicants need not apply. 

At Trees for Cities, we believe access to trees and nature is essential for the health and well-being of communities. We focus our work where it’s needed most — in areas facing environmental, social, and economic disadvantage — putting us at the forefront of climate and community justice across the UK.

Trees for Cities is the only national charity dedicated to improve lives by planting, protecting and promoting urban trees. We do this by working closely with communities, landowners, partners and funders to deliver transformational change in towns and cities across the UK. We plant trees in schools, streets, estates, parks and open spaces to create nature-rich urban woodland, hedgerows, orchards, avenues and playgrounds.

As we approach the final year of our strategic plan, The Turn of Trees (2022–2025), we’ve seen inspiring growth and diversification in funding from major supporters like the National Lottery Community Fund and The People’s Postcode Lottery. Now, as we prepare to launch our 2025–2030 strategy, our goal is clear: build a national movement for tree equity that places communities, cities, and biodiversity at the heart of everything we do.

Your role:

We’re seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Grant Fundraising Manager to lead our grant fundraising efforts — managing and growing a portfolio of major funders, generating around £1.2m annually from central government, lotteries, trusts, and foundations. You will:

• Develop compelling, tailored grant applications

• Build strong, lasting relationships with funders

• Work collaboratively across teams to bring our projects and vision to life

• Innovate and diversify income streams to ensure a sustainable future

Why Trees for Cities?

This is a unique opportunity to contribute directly to urban climate action through the power of trees. You’ll join a warm, vibrant, and inclusive organisation where your work has visible, tangible impact in communities across the UK. From community planting events to daily table tennis, you’ll quickly become part of a motivated and collaborative team driven by a shared mission.

Who we’re looking for:

An outstanding grant fundraiser with a proven track record of securing large, multi-year grants and navigating the competitive funding landscape. You thrive in collaborative environments and are skilled at communicating and influencing across teams to achieve shared goals. Most importantly, you are deeply committed to driving positive social and environmental change.

If you are ready to grow your career while helping shape a greener, fairer future, we want to hear from you. To learn more about the role and organisation, please download the full appointbrief below, where you will find details of who to speak to with questions about the role and details of how to apply.

Closing Date: 22 June 2025

People Beyond Profit conversations: 23-25 June 2025

Panel Interview Dates: 2 & 9 July 2025