EU Project Officer Position at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Brussels: Advance International Development, Democracy, and Social Justice Through EU-Funded Projects @Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Brussels: Advance International Development, Democracy, and Social Justice Through EU-Funded Projects

Professionals seeking to build a meaningful career in international development, European Union project management, democracy promotion, and global cooperation now have an exciting opportunity to join one of Germany’s most respected political foundations. The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Brussels Office is currently recruiting an EU Project Officer to strengthen its dynamic EU-funded projects team.

This position offers an exceptional opportunity to work at the intersection of international development cooperation, European Union external action, civil society strengthening, and project development. Successful candidates will contribute to the design, preparation, and coordination of EU-funded initiatives that support social justice, democratic governance, and civic engagement across numerous countries.

About the opportunity.

The Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) is Germany’s oldest political foundation and is committed to the principles and values of social democracy, including freedom, justice, solidarity, and democratic participation. Operating in more than 100 countries worldwide, FES collaborates with a broad network of partners to promote sustainable development, democratic governance, social inclusion, and international cooperation.

The Brussels-based EU external funding team plays a crucial role in supporting FES offices across the globe. The team helps conceptualize, develop, and secure EU-funded projects that contribute to development cooperation and strengthen civil society institutions.

Through partnerships with civil society organizations, local authorities, trade unions, think tanks, research institutions, and media organizations, FES supports impactful initiatives that create positive change in communities worldwide.

Overview of the EU Project Officer Role

The EU Project Officer will join a young and dynamic team responsible for identifying funding opportunities and supporting the preparation and submission of high-quality project proposals for European Union funding programs.

The role combines administrative, analytical, strategic, and creative responsibilities. It is ideal for professionals who enjoy project development, international collaboration, proposal writing, stakeholder engagement, and working in multicultural environments.

The selected candidate will work closely with FES country offices, international partners, consultants, and EU institutions to develop competitive funding proposals and strengthen organizational capacity in project management.

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will undertake a wide range of responsibilities, including:

Monitoring EU Funding Opportunities

The Project Officer will regularly review and analyze calls for proposals and funding opportunities related to:

• Development cooperation
• Democracy promotion
• EU enlargement policy
• Neighborhood policy
• Political education
• Civil society development
• International cooperation

This involves identifying funding opportunities that align with FES strategic priorities and partner needs.

Project Development and Proposal Writing

A significant component of the role involves:

• Designing project concepts
• Drafting project proposals
• Coordinating proposal submissions
• Developing logical frameworks and project structures
• Collaborating with FES offices and partner organizations worldwide
• Ensuring compliance with EU funding requirements

The officer will contribute both technically and administratively to the proposal development process.

Coordination of External Experts

The role requires managing relationships with external service providers, including:

• Consultants
• Technical experts
• Translators
• Subject-matter specialists

These experts often contribute to proposal development and project implementation activities.

Supporting Ongoing EU Projects

Although implementation primarily takes place in partner countries, the Project Officer will provide support to ongoing projects by:

• Responding to project-related inquiries
• Reviewing reports
• Providing technical guidance
• Assisting with compliance and documentation requirements

Knowledge Management

The successful candidate will contribute to institutional learning by helping maintain and improve organization-wide knowledge on EU-funded projects.

This includes documenting best practices, sharing lessons learned, and supporting internal knowledge-sharing initiatives.

Training and Capacity Building

The officer will participate in:

• Internal FES training programs
• Workshops on EU funding mechanisms
• Project kick-off meetings
• Capacity-building initiatives for staff and partners

Engagement with EU Institutions

The position also involves attending relevant:

• EU consultations
• Conferences
• Networking events
• Stakeholder meetings
• Policy discussions

This exposure provides valuable opportunities to build professional networks and stay informed about emerging EU priorities.

Benefits of the Position

FES offers a highly attractive professional environment that includes:

• A fixed-term employment contract initially lasting twelve months
• Salary based on professional experience
• Extensive professional development opportunities
• Exposure to international development projects
• Collaboration with partners in more than 100 countries
• A supportive and inclusive workplace culture
• Flexible working arrangements that support work-life balance
• Meaningful work with measurable impact in partner countries
• Opportunities to contribute to social justice and democratic development globally

Preferred Qualifications and Experience

FES welcomes applicants who possess experience in areas such as:

• EU external assistance programs
• EuropeAid initiatives
• NDICI-GE programs
• IPA projects
• Horizon Europe projects
• Erasmus+ projects
• CERV (Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values) projects
• International development cooperation
• Political foundations
• Civil society programming
• Project proposal development and management

Additional language skills in French, Spanish, or Portuguese are considered advantageous.

Why You Should Apply

This position presents a unique opportunity for professionals passionate about international development, democracy promotion, social justice, and European cooperation. Working with FES means contributing to impactful projects that strengthen institutions, empower communities, and promote democratic values across the globe.

Candidates seeking meaningful international careers, extensive networking opportunities, and exposure to EU-funded development initiatives should strongly consider applying before the deadline.

Deadline:22 June,2026

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