EU Senior Policy Advisor

EU Senior Policy Advisor

Location: Remote, Brussels

Job Type: Consultant

About The Sentry

The Sentry is an investigative and policy organization that seeks to disable multinational predatory networks that benefit from violent conflict, repression, and kleptocracy.

Pull back the curtain on wars, mass atrocities, and other human rights abuses, and you’ll find grand corruption and unchecked greed. These tragedies persist because the perpetrators rarely face meaningful consequences. The Sentry aims to alter the warped incentive structures that continually undermine peace and good governance. Our investigations follow the money as it is laundered from war zones to financial centers around the world. We provide evidence and strategies for governments, banks, and law enforcement to hold the perpetrators and enablers of violence and corruption to account. These efforts provide new leverage for human rights, peace, and anti-corruption efforts.

Position Overview

The Sentry is seeking an experienced and dynamic EU Senior Policy Advisor to lead the organization’s strategic engagement with the European Union and its Member States on a range of policy matters related to illicit finance, corruption, human rights, conflict, and related investigations conducted by The Sentry. This role will play an important part in The Sentry’s effort to support the EU in leading the global fight against corruption and illicit finance by providing information, analysis and policy recommendations.

The EU Senior Policy Advisor will engage with European policy makers in Brussels, including EU institutions and members states; in EU capitals with member state government officials; in program countries with EU delegations and embassy employees; and with the private sector, including EU banks and other private sector stakeholders that have the power to halt illicit financial flows, block transactions, and freeze assets. The role includes organizing in-person and online briefings, bilateral meetings, and roundtables; engaging in public-private partnerships related to our country programs and thematic priorities; and publishing policy papers including op-eds.

This position calls for a mission-driven, highly strategic critical thinker who thrives in a fast-paced environment, is versed in a range of policy options, and is skilled at strategic advocacy with a broad group of government, multilateral bodies, private entities, and civil society groups.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIRED OUTCOMES

• Provide illicit finance expertise internally to The Sentry, including to the illicit finance policy and investigations teams. Provide illicit finance expertise externally to governments, multilateral organizations, law enforcement, and others, as appropriate, to provide critical information needed to investigate and halt illicit financial flows, block transactions, impose sanctions, and prosecute the predatory actors profiting from mass atrocities, conflict, corruption, and related illicit activity.
• Provide advice to The Sentry staff on policy levers in the EU related to efforts to analyze, disrupt and ultimately dismantle kleptocratic networks and illicit financial flows. Address gaps in EU regulation and push for best practices on anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), natural resource exploitation, ethical business practices, strategic sanctions policy, and other relevant policy areas.
• Expand The Sentry's network of contacts within the government, policy and nonprofit community, particularly in the EU.
• Build relationships and closely engage policymakers, regulators, law enforcement, financial institutions, and other private sector and civil society actors across all relevant jurisdictions, but particularly in the EU, to encourage adoption of financial tools of pressure, including sanctions, and other policy changes relevant to The Sentry.
• Lead the identification and cultivation of relationships with prospective European government donors. Partner with the Development team to design and pursue European funding strategies, review funding proposals, participate in related meetings, and ensure high-quality contributions to donor reports and related communications.
• Draft and edit materials, such as memos, op-eds, reports, briefs, quotes, statements and other written products.
• Contribute policy material to investigative reports, publications and other initiatives by The Sentry or partner organizations, as appropriate.
• Represent The Sentry with partner organizations and others at events, meetings and gatherings, including in-depth briefings on illicit finance topics and investigations done by The Sentry.
• Effectively communicate The Sentry's positions on key policy issues to various audiences including to governmental, financial, and corporate stakeholders.
• Work closely with The Sentry staff to strategize, draft and follow through on policy recommendations that disrupt the financing of corruption, conflict, human rights abuses and the laundering of illicit proceeds across programs offered by The Sentry with particular attention to impact in the EU.
• Provide strategic analysis for the EU related to the use of tools of financial pressure to combat corruption, conflict, and resource exploitation; and serve as an expert and resource on the policy tools available to strengthen the financial and regulatory systems.
• Track ongoing developments in EU policy and law related to illicit finance and to issues related to programs at The Sentry.
• Develop opportunities to share The Sentry's findings and policy positions by participating in or virtually hosting events, roundtables, and panels.
• Work with others at The Sentry to ensure that compliance departments at European financial institutions and other private sector actors have access to critical information needed to evaluate the financial crime risks related to clients and transactions.
• Work towards the development of EU sanctions regimes, such as those related to anti-corruption and illicit natural resource trafficking.
• Assist with other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher, preferably in a relevant discipline such as law, public policy, or political science.
• Minimum six or more years of experience, including at least 3 years related to illicit finance.
• Expert knowledge of targeted network sanctions, anti-money laundering mechanisms, and other tools of financial pressure.
• Commitment to accountability for conflict, human rights violations and environmental crime.
• Excellent writing, communication, and policy analysis skills.
• Proven track record of contributing both strategically and tactically at a high level.
• Well-developed decision-making, planning, organizational, problem-solving, and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to think outside the box.
• A high level of energy, dependability, creativity, initiative, and passion.
• Commitment to The Sentry’s mission and goals.
• English fluency required.

Preferred Skills

• Experience working on corruption, environmental crimes, human rights, or conflict.
• Fluency in languages other than English, particularly French and Arabic, would be a plus.
• Experience working in EU government position(s), particularly those related to illicit finance, criminal investigations and legislation.

Compensation

The Sentry is committed to providing a competitive daily rate for this position to be determined based on skills and experience.

The Sentry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and strongly encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply. In compliance with federal, state and local laws, The Sentry’s work environment is safe and open to all employees and partners, respecting the full spectrum of race, color, religious creed, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, marital status, familial status, genetic information, military or veteran status, domestic violence victim status, arrest or conviction record, or any other characteristic protected under applicable law. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and to ensuring equal opportunity in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, and contracting.

To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to jobs@thesentry.org. Please include “EU Senior Policy Advisor" in the subject line of your email.

Fluency in languages other than English, particularly French and Arabic, would be a plus.