Vacancy: (Senior) Policy Adviser for

Payments & Innovation

EBF (the European Banking Federation) works at the heart of the European banking sector. Our daily activities are determined by the dynamics between European integration, finance, public policy and financial regulation. It is our job to bring together 32 national banking associations in Europe and represent some 3,500 banks – large and small, wholesale and retail, local and international.

We create a platform for representation and for a constructive exchange of ideas and expertise between banks, regulators, supervisors and other entities that drive the innovation and sustainability of the banking sector. As a team, we tend to aim higher and work, deliver and learn together in an impact-driven manner.

The Position

Digital innovation and cybersecurity are among the highest strategic priorities of EBF. The EBF Innovation & Cybersecurity team handles a range of forward-looking and often disruptive issues that shape the future of digital finance. Much like the whole of EBF, the team aims for high quality output, is result-driven and promotes out-of-the-box thinking.

The EBF is looking to recruit a full-time (Senior) Policy Adviser for its Innovation & Cybersecurity team, who will be responsible for developing positions on policy initiatives pertaining to the digital transformation of banking and specifically in the field of Payments, coordinating advocacy actions, managing the Federation’s Expert Group(s) related to their area of responsibility and contributing to the further development as well as anticipating regulatory developments. The (Senior) Policy Adviser will be engaging with the European institutions and other relevant stakeholders to help shape a European regulatory and supervisory framework that supports banks in deploying their digital potential. He/she is also expected to assist the Team Director in the coordination of the broader work of the Team by supporting such tasks as preparing internal briefings, representing views of the EBF to the outside world as necessary, and designing and executing specific projects that serve the overarching objectives of the Team.

Detailed responsibilities

The digital transformation of banking is one of the most dynamic and rapidly developing areas in European policymaking. The person in this position will be assigned a number of dossiers according to the team’s strategic prioritisation and will be expected to coordinate the relevant work, anticipate regulatory developments, contribute to EBF position-building and conduct advocacy. Special emphasis is given to agility and cooperation with the other members of the Innovation & Cybersecurity team but also with colleagues from other EBF teams, given the multiple interlinks of digital topics between themselves and with other workstreams.

Topics covered by the person undertaking this position will be mainly related to payments, including the legislative processes on PSD3/PSR and the digital euro.

In that context, key responsibilities are:

• Coordinating and actively contributing to the drafting and delivery of EBF positions/responses to consultations on relevant regulatory/legislative proposals, and building, where necessary, the communication of EBF messages in the areas of responsibility;
• Contributing to the development of the team’s work programme, coordination of related expert group(s);
• Providing support to more senior team members in steering discussions of EBF expert groups in accordance with EBF strategic objectives and representing the EBF to external events and stakeholders;
• Providing full, complete and thorough analyses on complex issues;
• Managing cross-functionalities relating to specific issues, organizing the administration and the dissemination of all knowledge relating to these issues in an active way;
• Actively engaging with relevant policy-makers, advocating on EBF positions and maintaining the EBF relationship with such institutions as “interlocutor of choice”;
• Working with the team to design and deliver EBF events on digital innovation and cybersecurity topics;
• Represent the EBF in related external stakeholder groups.

Successful candidate’s profile

• University degree in Law, Political Sciences, European studies or other relevant field;
• Masters’ degree or other qualification/professional training in digital fields will be considered an asset;
• Previous work experience of at least 5 years (for Policy Adviser) and at least 8 years (for Senior Policy Adviser) in payments, preferably in a bank or a payment service provider. Experience in an EU public affairs position, at an EU institution or a trade association will be positively considered;
• Thorough knowledge of payment systems, digital finance, technological developments, EU regulation related to digital economy and services;
• Excellent understanding of the EU decision-making/legislative processes;
• Affinity with and at least basic understanding of issues around fraud and open finance;
• Excellent organisational skills and capacity to prepare large meetings, setting out agendas, defining relevant content, contributing to administrative work and taking responsibility on their delivery;
• Experience in project management will be considered an asset;
• Effective communication and team working skills, ability to work under pressure and adhere to deadlines;
• Excellent sense of diplomacy and political awareness at the EU level;
• Strategic and analytical thinking combined with the ability to synthesise views and inputs provided by members to draft consensual positions;
• Excellent command of English (written and spoken);
• Openness and agility to assume responsibilities on a variety of technical matters.

The ideal candidate will show commitment to their work, enthusiasm and a positive attitude towards the areas for which they will be responsible.

Internal Career Development

At EBF we take the professional and personal development of all staff members very seriously. As part of that development and always in conjunction with EBF’s priorities, (senior) policy advisers may be asked to assume project roles and activities related to their assigned policy area.

Starting Date

1 February 2024

How to apply

Please send your curriculum vitae with a letter of motivation to EBF Recruitment at email address: recruitment@ebf.eu

Deadline: 29 December 2023

Disclaimer: Please note that, due to high interest in positions at the EBF, we may not be able to respond to every application. If you have not heard from us before 31 January 2024, you may assume that we will not move your application forward. We really appreciate your interest in working with us and wish you best of luck in your search. Thank you for your understanding.