Policy Officer - Security

DG INTPA – Unit G.5 of the European Commission

Job title: Policy Officer - Thematic expert - Security

Domain: External relations

Where: Brussels

Function Group: FG IV

Contract Type: 3b

Express your interest until: 31.05.2026 - 12.00 (noon, Brussels time) 

Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/INTPA/302286

We are

Within the European Commission, the Directorate-General for International Partnerships is in charge of development cooperation policy as part of the EU wider framework of international cooperation and external relations. This encompasses cooperation with developing countries at different stages of development and ensuring strong links and coherence between EU’s internal policies and priorities and its external action. In the framework of DG INTPA’s overall mandate, and within Directorate G 'Human Development, Migration, Governance and Peace’, the thematic Unit G5 'Resilience, Peace, Security' formulates and coordinates sectoral policies in these fields by:

• Providing expertise in the area of Security and defence; peace and resilience.
• Implementing DG INTPA’s security priorities along 4 axes : 
     (1) Delivering on the EU Security  Agenda by addressing specific security concerns through dedicated actions in partner 
     countries to address transnational dynamics of insecurity; 
     (2) advising on security by design of investments in the context of global gateway investments, 
     (3) promoting a follow the money approach and 
     (4) exploring how to leverage the private sector in support of the security sector.
• Acting as a centre of expertise for cooperation on Security Sector Reform (SSR) transnational organised crime; protection of critical infrastructure; preventing and countering violent extremism, illicit financial flows, anti-money laundering and countering 
  terrorist financing
• Acting as focal point and coordination entity on the above issues with a number of partners such as EU Agencies, Interpol, the Financial Action Task Force, the UN (the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, the United Nations Office on Counter Terrorism), as well as other specialised international think tanks such as the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime or the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces.
• Working on mainstreaming the Humanitarian-Development-Peace nexus in EU’s work in Headquarters and the field.
• Providing expertise and support to capacity building and ensuring conflict sensitivity, peacebuilding and resilience approaches in countries affected by crises and/or fragility(ies).
• Jointly managing EU crisis preparedness and analysis tools (e.g. EU Conflict Early Warning System and RPBAs/PDNAs).

The Unit’s work is inscribed in the overall EU priorities, including the Global Gateway strategy. The Unit has two inter-dependent teams (1) Security and (2) Peace/Resilience that work across with a vast array of interlocutors in the EU system (i.a. other European Commission services, the External Action Service, EU Delegations and EU Member States…), in partner countries worldwide (Africa, Latin America & Caribbean, Asia & Pacific), as well as internationally (i.a. other multilateral organizations and intra-governmental specialized bodies).

We Propose

Unit INTPA G5 is seeking to hire an experienced policy officer that will help operationalise the EU’s external security agenda in support of Global Gateway, with a particular focus on identifying and structuring security‑related investment opportunities with EU private sector and financial partners. The officer should be able to work at the intersection of security policy, development cooperation and investment/finance, and to translate complex security needs into concrete cooperation and investment proposals. Key responsibilities will include: 

• Contribute to the implementation of the external dimension of relevant EU security frameworks and coordinate with relevant Commission services (e.g. HOME, TAXUD, FPI, MENA/ENEST), the EEAS, EU Delegations, EU agencies and Member States in a Team Europe spirit.
• In close cooperation with geographical colleagues, contribute to the identification/updating of priority countries and regions where security cooperation is most relevant to protect EU interests and enable Global Gateway investments.
• Identify and assess opportunities for security‑related investments (security by design) that can support or enable Global Gateway projects (e.g. in ports, transport corridors, critical infrastructure) and contribute to the development of pipelines of projects that integrate security components.
• Support work on risk identification and mitigation, including organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime threats and illicit financial flows that can affect Global Gateway projects (security by design).
• Support on demand to delegations and HQ units: methodological issues related to security sector support; annual work programmes; programme/project identification and formulation; participation in management committees; programme/project implementation; programme/project monitoring and evaluation.
• Support delegations for sector policy dialogue in the framework of sector related programmes.
• Monitor security trends and policy developments; liaise with other DGs, EU/MS and with international organisations and other actors on relevant thematic issues also with a view to ensuring coherence of implementation methods and instruments as between regions.
• Ensure the overall coordination of the unit’s Security Hub (network of colleagues working on security in HQ and EU Delegations), contributing to internal knowledge sharing and disseminating information on security policies, research and programmes.
• Prepare briefings, policy notes, presentations and speaking points for senior management and for inter‑service and external meetings
• Liaise with relevant Commission services, EEAS, EU agencies (e.g. Europol and other EU Agencies where relevant), Member States and international partners (e.g. Interpol, UNODC, GITOC…) to ensure coherence and maximise synergies between INTPA actions and wider EU security initiatives.

We Look For

We look for a highly motivated and dynamic colleague to support policy developments and advise on the implementation of external programmes and projects financed by the EU on issues related to security. The successful candidate will have:

• At least 10 years of proven professional experience, in at least one of the following domains, and preferably at their intersection: security policy, international security cooperation, law enforcement, defence or security‑sector related work in/with partner countries.
• A Master’s degree in security studies, international relations, law, economics/finance; development studies, political science (or equivalent diploma).
• A sound understanding of international security issues relevant to partner countries (e.g. organised crime, terrorism, cyber‑security, illicit financial flows).
• A sound understanding of policy and programming, knowledge of EU institutions, related decisional processes, CFSP, CSDP, JHA, EU external action and related EU external policies.
• Strong analytical skills, and excellent drafting skills in English (briefings, policy notes, presentations, guidance notes).
• Strong coordination, negotiation and networking skills, with demonstrated ability to work in multicultural and multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines, managing several files in parallel while maintaining quality and strategic coherence

The successful candidate should have:

- Field experience in partner countries and/or experience in an EU Delegation, international organisation or financial institution.

- Knowledge of French and English; other EU languages are an advantage. 

- Proven experience in project or programme design and management, ideally in a security‑or governance‑related field.

- Security clearance level SECRET EU

How to Express Your Interest?

With a view to guaranteeing equal access to all, the Commission recruits from an open database of spontaneous applications. The present call for interests aims at helping the recruiters to identify potentially interested candidates within this database. In practice, to express your interest, please follow the subsequent two steps:

1. If you are not registered yet in the open EPSO database, please do so at the following address: CAST Permanent. Please select under selection procedures for contract agent the CAST permanent profile that best suits your education and experience. (Reference: Call for interest EC/2026/INTPA/302286)

2. You should send your documents in a single pdf in the following order:

1. your CV 2. completed application form. 

Please send these documents by the publication deadline to INTPA-G5ec [dot] europa [dot] eu (INTPA-G5[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu) indicating the call for interest reference EC/2026/INTPA/302286 in the subject. No applications will be accepted after the publication deadline.