About Us

Generation Climate Europe (GCE) is the largest coalition of youth-led networks on climate and environmental issues at the European level. GCE unites the largest youth-led networks, bringing together 381 national organisations across 46 countries in Europe. We are guided by the voices of over 20 million young Europeans. GCE creates a platform for youth to advocate for a just and green transition in Europe. GCE envisions a system that respects human rights and the planet, that includes the voice of youth, and that acknowledges our common but differentiated responsibility in achieving a carbon-neutral and sustainable world.

About the Role

Each year, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) organises a Conference of Parties (COP), where decision-makers across the world meet and decide the future of global climate action. After the mixed results of COP29, the team is now preparing for the upcoming COP30, which will take place in November 2025 in Belém, Brazil. 

GCE strives to engage with COP30 by bringing together youth voices from all over Europe and advocating for decisive, effective, and just climate action. As an organisation accredited to the UNFCCC, the responsibility of representing GCE and its member organisations is the top priority, alongside engaging in the process in a responsible and adaptable manner.

We are looking for a Project Lead (PL) for COP30 Partnerships, who will spearhead the team’s strategic partnerships with our Member Organisations (MOs), key decision-makers at European institutions, and other youth organisations and networks. They will engage with other organisations to explore potential areas of collaboration and support, maintain various existing partnerships while fostering new partnerships, as well as be the team’s external liaison.

Please note that this is a volunteer position.

Tasks

• Develop the COP30 team’s strategic partnerships, including maintaining existing partnerships and fostering new partnerships where appropriate and productive.
• Keeping a robust track of the team’s partnerships and key contacts.
• Lead the COP30 Partnerships team (consisting of 3-4 Project Officers), including convening regularly in meetings and coordinating their work.
• Outline the anticipated work expectations, key events to take stock of, best times for lobbying, and schedule for the year alongside the COP30 Partnerships team.
• Lead on engagement with:
  – GCE Member Organisations’ contact points;
  – GCE Working Groups’ Coordinators;
  – External organisations and programmes (EESC, YOUNGO);
  – Other key youth stakeholders.
• Communicate regularly with the COP Coordinators and the other PLs to ensure synergies and avoid duplications in deliverables, including by attending weekly meetings with the COP leadership team and internally with their own team.
• Seek out opportunities for lobbying and bilaterals with European decision-makers, both in the context of the COP/SBs negotiations and leading up to negotiations. 
• Support the COP30 Strategy team in organising bilaterals with key Europe climate stakeholders to lobby decision-makers and negotiators, and to promote the GCE thematic priority areas among high-level contacts and representatives.
• Collaborate closely with the COP30 Events team on activities such as co-hosting events with key strategic partners and GCE’s MOs.
• Assume GCE’s role on the Children & Youth Pavilion (C&YP) Steering Committee.
• Assume GCE’s representation in Youth Taskforce meetings for the EESC Youth Delegate Programme.
• Represent GCE in CAN Europe meetings, including within different working groups.

About you 

• Strong experience in leading teams of passionate young people. 
• Highly experienced in networking and building relationships.
• Highly organised, especially when maintaining track of partnerships and contacts.
• Familiar with UNFCCC processes and previous outcomes of COPs.
• Basic knowledge of EU policy making and EU engagement at COPs.
• Highly enthusiastic and proactive.
• Confident with using Google Suite.
• Confident with using common video platforms such as Zoom and Google Meets
• Available to work remotely for around 5-6 hours a week (flexible).
• High proficiency in spoken and written English, especially when reaching out to high-level figures and speaking at bilaterals.
• Attending a COP or SB previously, and academic or practical experience with international relations are desirable but not required.
• You are connected to the European context: as we focus on EU advocacy, we welcome applicants with an interest and general understanding of how the EU operates and/or a European background that facilitates this knowledge. It is preferable that you are based within a timezone that is -2 or +2 from CET/CEST as it is our main working territory.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. If you have any questions or if you have not received a response within three weeks, please reach out to us at people@gceurope.org