About the Position

Impact Hub Network is looking for a Policy Lead to own and oversee the policy, advocacy, and intermediation work of the Local Ecosystem Developers (LED) program. The role sits within the Global Programs Quality team and reports to the LED Program Manager. You will build the intermediation capacity of Impact Hub members, lead engagement with EU institutions, coordinate collaboration across ESF+ initiatives, and translate program evidence and insights into meaningful policy contributions.

About the LED Program

LED is a 36-month ESF+ action grant delivered across 15 EU countries with 14 consortium partners. The program aims to strengthen Impact Hubs as local ecosystem builders and increase the Network’s contribution to Europe’s social economy. It combines local data, capacity building, and ecosystem development to better understand the needs of social economy actors and the conditions that help them thrive. Its vision is a Europe where local realities, challenges, and ideas are better understood at EU level and help shape more effective policies, funding, and support for the social economy.

Key Responsibilities

Building Policy & Advocacy Capacity

Own the overall approach to LED’s policy and advocacy capacity-building work, ensuring coherence, quality, and alignment with the program’s objectives.
Lead the design of a five-module curriculum on policy literacy, stakeholder engagement, advocacy planning, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) in policy shaping, and the green economy.
Oversee the delivery of the program’s key policy capacity-building activities, including a two-day Kick-off Lab, five online thematic sessions, and a two-day final convergence event.
Design the peer-coaching approach, train facilitators, and oversee peer-coaching circles across participating countries.
Oversee and coordinate the development of key tools and resources, including a DEI adaptation toolkit, stakeholder-engagement frameworks, and advocacy tools and guidance.

Shaping EU Policy & Advocacy

Lead the program’s EU policy engagement strategy, linking local evidence with EU-level policy priorities.
Produce 3 evidence-based policy briefs and convene 3 Brussels roundtables with EU institutions and relevant networks.
Represent Impact Hub Network at key European social economy events and translate insights into actionable internal learning.
Develop and oversee a methodology enabling Impact Hubs across 15 countries to run structured local policy dialogues.
Coordinate with partners and EU stakeholders, contribute to key policy outputs, and synthesize policy results and recommendations for the program’s final reporting.

Coordinating EU Partnerships & Policy Networks

Establish and chair collaboration with networks funded through the same ESF+ call, including setting up its governance protocol, regular meetings, and follow-up.
Represent LED and Impact Hub Network in EU advisory bodies, networks, consultations, and policy-mapping processes, including GECES and the WEF Global Alliance for Social Economy.
Contribute policy insights, data, and practice-based content to EU platforms such as the Social Economy Gateway.
Connect LED with the wider EU program portfolio and policy ecosystem, aligning evidence, stakeholders, and opportunities for coordinated engagement.

Embedding Policy Across LED

Provide policy input into selected strategic communications, onboarding materials, monitoring frameworks, and evidence outputs where relevant, ensuring alignment with EU policy priorities and audiences.
Translate program data and impact findings into concise, policy-relevant outputs for EU institutions, advisory bodies, and partners.
Collaborate closely with the EU Development Manager and EU Fundraising Specialist to align policy priorities, institutional relationships, funding opportunities, and EU positioning, while retaining full accountability for LED’s policy strategy, content, and delivery.
Work closely with the Impact Intelligence, Impact Hub Experience, and Brand & Communications teams to connect evidence, ecosystem learning, communications, and policy engagement.
Provide policy input, where relevant, to program governance, European Commission reporting, sustainability planning, and the post-grant legacy of key policy outputs and approaches.

Engaging Across the Team & Network

Participate in key global team meetings and selected Impact Hub Network events.
Engage with Impact Hubs, consortium partners, and external stakeholders, sharing policy insights, evidence, and learning across the Network.
Support relevant policy priorities emerging across LED and Impact Hub Network’s wider EU program portfolio.

Are We a Match?

You enjoy turning evidence, relationships, and ideas into credible policy engagement and practical action. You are comfortable moving between strategy and delivery, from shaping policy positions and representing an organization externally to designing learning experiences, facilitating dialogue, and producing high-quality outputs.

You are self-reliant and proactive. You take ownership, act early, and use sound judgment in evolving environments. You can navigate different perspectives, build alignment across institutions, partners, and internal teams, and surface issues when priorities or approaches need clarification. You communicate complex topics clearly and are equally comfortable working independently and collaborating across distributed teams and networks. You align with Impact Hub’s values of trust, courage, and collaboration and are motivated by advancing social and environmental impact through policy.

Key Skills and Experience

5+ years of experience in EU policy, advocacy, public affairs, or institutional engagement.
Strong understanding of EU institutions, policy processes, and deep knowledge of the European social economy policy landscape, including the EU Social Economy Action Plan (SEAP) and the Council Recommendation on social economy framework conditions.
Proven ability to translate evidence and practice into policy positions, briefs, recommendations, and advocacy materials.
Experience representing organizations and engaging EU institutions, networks, and multi-stakeholder policy processes.
Experience designing and facilitating capacity building, workshops, or peer learning across countries.
Experience coordinating multi-stakeholder networks, partnerships, or working groups.
Strong stakeholder management and communication skills in multidisciplinary, internationally distributed environments.
Ability to work autonomously, move between strategy and delivery, and manage competing priorities and milestones.
Ability to lead through others, coordinating specialist contributors while maintaining accountability for overall quality and results.
Excellent written and spoken English; additional European languages are an asset.
Experience with EU-funded programs, social innovation, DEI, or green/circular economy policy is an asset.

Job Specification Summary

Title: LED Policy Lead
Legal Form: Independent contractor
Reporting to: LED Program Manager
Engagement: Part-time (0.2 FTE – 1 day per week) with a flexible working schedule. The level of engagement may vary slightly depending on project phases and key milestones.
Contract length: Fixed-term contract until 30 April 2029; 3 months probationary period
Location: European Union. Proximity to an Impact Hub is preferred. Regular travel within Europe, particularly to Brussels and key LED and EU events, will be required.
Team engagement: Member of the Programs Quality Team, working closely with the EU Development Manager and EU Fundraising Specialist, as well as Impact Intelligence, Impact Hub Experience, and Brand & Communications teams. Direct coordination with Impact Hubs, consortium partners, and external stakeholders will also be required.
Remuneration: EUR 3,200-4,000 per month at 1.0 FTE, pro-rated to the agreed 0.2 FTE engagement, inclusive of VAT where applicable. The final fee will be determined within this range based on country of residence, seniority, and relevant experience, and may include performance-based variable pay.
Paid holidays: 25 days of paid time off annually, plus local public holidays, pro-rated to the level of engagement.
Allowances and other contributions: Coverage of travel costs and allowance according to company policy, full coverage of costs to attend requested internal/external workshops, conferences, and events; access to all company systems for work and communication.
Citizenship/visa: Impact Hub GmbH will not be able to provide any visa process support. You need to have an appropriate employment/independent contractor visa/permit for the respective country to be considered.
Preferred starting date: November 1, 2026

Application Process

Submit your application (including a 1-page Cover Letter and CV) via this application form by October 11th EOD (any time zone). For any questions, please send them to email protected.

If you are not able to upload the files in the application form, please send them by email to corina.stefan@impacthub.net.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Only selected candidates will be contacted for the interview phase in the recruitment process.

Our Commitment to Inclusion

We welcome people from all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and experiences. Impact Hub is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, ancestry, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or family status, disability, gender identity or expression. If you are in doubt but feel this job is a fit for you and in line with your own learning goals, please apply! All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality.

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