WE'RE HIRING!
Network Development Officer
Location: Belgium-based, hybrid between home and our Brussels office
Duration: A full-time (80% is an alternative option), one-year contract under Belgian law(with possibility of extension depending on funding availability)
Start date: as soon as possible
ABOUT US
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. We advocate for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet.
The ZWE Network now includes 41 members and alliances across 30 European countries and works with topics across the whole chain. From the strategic use of resources and product design to reusability to end-of-pipe waste management solutions, from the phase-out of plastics to municipal zero waste strategies, our scope has significantly expanded, but our mission and vision remain the same – a zero waste, fairer, inclusive, circular Europe for all (and planet, too, while we’re at it).
We are a successful and fast-growing independent NGO where personal development, fairness, and inclusiveness are high on the agenda. We are the proud founders of the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA), through which we offer Zero Waste certifications to cities, municipalities, and small businesses. We are also a founding member of various movements and coalitions that are hosted under our entity (such as Break Free From Plastic) , and are the European chapter of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA).
OUR ZWE VALUES
- We are purpose-driven, always putting forward a solution-oriented approach.
- We are game-changing – we challenge the status quo, explore emerging topics and create a safe space to succeed (and to recover from setbacks).
- We are adaptable, constantly striving towards learning and improving; open to change and taking agency.
- We believe acting with integrity is crucial to achieving impact and change, both within and beyond our network.
- We care deeply about our communities, the environment, and systemic changes that benefit society as a whole – while also looking after ourselves and our own well-being as a team and as individuals.
ABOUT THE ROLE
Zero Waste Europe is looking for a highly motivated and committed Network Development Officer to support the growth and strengthening of the ZWE network. The role is diverse in nature: spanning the coordination of tools and information flows to facilitate member engagement, to supporting the realisation of our strategic aim to build an integrated network and a strong movement, within and beyond our immediate network of members. This includes working to amplify the stories that matter, through information gathering and data collection, as well as supporting capacity development opportunities that strengthen the network's ability to deliver impact and be recognised as experts in the field.
You will work closely with colleagues across the ZWE team, members throughout Europe, and colleagues within our global alliance GAIA . This role reports to the Head of Network and Movement Building.
ABOUT YOU
You are a motivated individual with a passion for working with multiple groups across borders with the purpose of making Europe zero waste. You are an intuitive, empathetic and caring person who is able to build connections with diverse groups and maintain trusting relationships with them. You are very organised, process-oriented, with good project management skills and capable of running different tasks simultaneously. You have experience in network development and event management, with a particular appetite for relationships and coalition building. You have an interest and understanding of impact monitoring, and developing the knowledge and skills of a diverse group of people. You excel at personal relations, enjoy teamwork, and like working in an international environment with colleagues and members across Europe and the globe.
CORE RESPONSIBILITIES
Network development
- Contribute to the development and implementation of our network development and movement building strategy;
- Coordinate and update the internal communications and coordination tools with members (e.g. monthly member newsletter, communications tools with members, contact database);
- Support the organisation of the annual members’ meeting, including member engagement, agenda setting, and project coordination;
- Support the management of new membership applications, onboarding and recruitment of new members;
- Advise the ZWE team on effective member engagement across different areas of work, including policy and campaigns;
- Support other membership administration, including financial contributions from members.
Movement building
- Contribute to the development of tools and capacity building sessions on movement building, resilience and mobilising strategies;
- Support the development and strengthening of national alliances within the ZWE network, including coordinating with the alliances and capturing learning to feed into our Blueprint for Movement Building manual;
- Support the development and launch of a virtual ‘Movement Building Forum’ focused on shared learning, peer support and stories of movement building with groups from different sectors and regions of the world.
Impact monitoring and storytelling
- Set up systems and support the collection of data and stories that showcase the collective value and impact of our work (for network development and local implementation focus areas);
- Support the Implementation Team, through its project work with members and partners to improve how it collects data and uses it to tell stories and impact of the work done by the ZWE network;
- Help ensure information about members is shared and captured effectively to increase collaborations and connections across the network;
- Work with the ZWE communications team and members to effectively amplify our members’ work and find creative ways to showcase the impact on the ground.
Capacity development
- Work with different teams at ZWE and partners to structure our capacity development offer based on members’ needs and team assessments;
- Support the development and sharing of network expertise, including in relation to our implementation projects, ensuring learnings and knowledge are shared widely, and helping to organise and facilitate online sessions to maximise these learning spaces;
- Research, identify and share relevant fundraising opportunities on capacity development for ZWE members and the team;
- Coordinate with members and the team to host and organise peer learning and skills sharing spaces;
- Organise internal ZWE resources and information to enable learning and actions for members, including developing tools to enable these efforts.
This is a non-exclusive list, and more tasks may be required as the organisation evolves and the selected candidate grows in their role.
REQUIRED SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES
Essential
- A genuine interest in and passion for Zero Waste Europe’s mission, values, and areas of focus and generally for social and environmental justice.
- Experience of working in member engagement, movement building, community engagement, governance management or related field.
- Experience of working with diverse coalitions and groups towards shared, collective goals and delivering greater impact through partnerships.
- Excellent organisational and project management skills, with experience in organising events.
- Knowledge or experience in facilitating meetings and spaces with a participatory approach.
- Knowledge or experience in impact monitoring, with a mixture of qualitative and quantitative data management.
- Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with people from different backgrounds in a way that facilitates an intersectional approach.
- Comfort working in a multicultural environment, with flexibility to collaborate across different time zones when needed.
- Appetite for working in a collaborative European and international environment.
- Excellent written and spoken English skills.
Desirable
- Relevant university degree or equivalent experience.
- Other languages, apart from English, are a plus.
- Experience in delivering or supporting communications and storytelling activities with a wide range of actors.
- Knowledge or experience of hosting and coordinating training and capacity building activities, and creating participatory and interactive educational tools.
- A broad understanding of local implementation of zero waste strategies and of EU and international environmental policies.
- Proficiency with Google Workspace, Slack, Zoho, Canva, and similar collaboration tools.
Equal employment opportunity
We are committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, gender, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job.
We also realise that not all individuals have the same opportunities to engage in paid work or studies and are open to receiving applications from those who may not fulfil all the required skills but have the interest, passion, (cap)abilities and drive to fulfil the role. In this regard, we encourage people from a diverse intersection of backgrounds to apply.
Location, compensation and work environment
We offer a competitive remuneration package in line with Brussels NGO standards (3,291 euros to 3,495 euros gross salary per month for a 100% FTE), depending on experience and internal salary grid placement, plus benefits, including:
- Lunch vouchers (€10/day); 13th month (year-end bonus - if applicable);
- Double holiday pay (Belgian standard);
- Legal Holidays as per Belgian standards, plus 3 extra-legal holidays (6 for a full year);
- Hospitalisation, ambulatory and Dental Insurance (DKV);
- Travel insurance; home working and other allowances (€200 net/month);
- Reimbursement of public transport costs for local commuting (max €56.00 net/month) upon show of receipts; and full reimbursement of train transportation commuting costs within Belgium; and bike allowance for commuting by bicycle.
- Flexible working hours/times and hybrid work format between home and our Brussels office.
- An exciting opportunity to work with a dynamic, friendly, expert team
Candidates must have the right to work in Belgium - please note that ZWE is not able to provide working permit sponsorships. Candidates must live in Belgium or be willing to relocate by the start date.
Deadline to apply: applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis with a final deadline for applications on Friday 26 June at 23:59 CEST.
Ideal starting date: as soon as possible.
To apply: please send your CV and motivation letter in English with two references (all merged into a single PDF document) through the appropriate form on the ZWE website (https://zerowasteeurope.eu/join-us/work-with-us/page). Only applications sent via this form will be considered. We can only guarantee that short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Our interview process will take place on a rolling basis and include:
- A screening 30-minute interview (online), to take place on 2, 6 or 8 July with our Head of Network and our Head of Implementation.
- A 1h30-2h interview with our Head of Network and Movement Building and our Head of Operations, to take place on 14, 15 or 16 July 2026, focusing on motivation, cases and team culture. A 60-minute assignment* may be requested in advance.
*Please note that any assignments asked to be carried out cover previous materials/needs of Zero Waste Europe, and are purely asked to assess how candidates think about core tasks for this role. ZWE does NOT ask any candidates to provide ideas/work on upcoming projects/activities as part of this assignment.
We aim to have a 2-way conversation and to get to know each other during the interview, so please be truthful and ask your questions, and we will do the same!
Pay: €3.291,00 - €3.495,00 per month
Benefits:
- Bicycle plan
- Company computer
- Food allowance
- Hospitalization insurance
- Travel reimbursement
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in 1000 Brussels
