Sector Group Manager

Cefic is looking for a Sector Group Manager to reinforce the Specialty Chemicals team and manage several sectorgroups.

The right candidate will act as an advocate and representative of the industry in official and professional bodies in order to position, communicate and safeguard its interests at all times.

You may ask yourself:

Why chemicals?

The EU chemical industry is the industry of all industries; whether you look at wind turbines, batteries, insulation, recycling technologies, all these materials depend on chemicals.

Chemicals are known as the backbone of Europe’s economy; representing over 1.2 million workers, €655 billion turnover and €10.2 billion R&I investments in 2023. Yet in the past decade the chemicals industry has faced major challenges; having lost around 11 million metric tons of chemical production capacity in Europe in the past two years alone, corresponding to 10,000-20,000 jobs possibly impacted, and a further 150,000-200,000 jobs at stake. As an industry that has the ambition and the solutions to go climate neutral, circular and transition to safe and sustainable chemicals, while also safeguarding high-quality jobs in Europe, we believe this is an industry worth people’s time and energy.

Why Cefic?

Cefic is a unique place to work due its access to knowledge, its scope of issues, the connections at European and international level, as well as being a buzzing and friendly environment. It is a people oriented, international and dynamic organisation at the centre of EU affairs.

For two years running, Cefic was been named ‘Best EU Trade Association’ by BestinBrussels. It is the largest association in Brussels, representing around 650 large and small chemical companies and associations around Europe.

With our members, we work on almost all major issues impacting industry; from climate change, energy, innovation, health, safety and environment, product stewardship, sustainability, and more. We also represents around 80 Sector Groups which work on specific substance issues.

How do we do this? We offer guidance and training, we support independent science and studies, we develop aligned industry views on EU policies, and we seek opportunities to engage with representatives from industry, EU institutions, civil society and beyond.

Inspired? You will:

• Promote the positive image of the Specialty Chemicals Sector Groups to which you will be assigned with all relevant internal and external stakeholders.
• Have regular contacts with the EU and Member State authorities.
• Establish, maintain, extend and use a network of relationships with industry stakeholders and value chain.
• Monitor, analyze and interpret the existing and proposed policies and government legislation and its impact on member company activities.
• Identify existing and emerging issues that could affect the Sector Groups.
• Develop, agree and implement with the member companies a strategy to deal with a wide range of regulatory scientific and competitivity issues
• Translate the approved strategy into objectives, plans and budgets for the various working groups.
• Drive the process of consensus‑building and position‑taking in order to reach a consensus between all parties involved.
• Plan, coordinate, and deliver scientific projects on time, while engaging effectively with internal and external stakeholders
• Manage scientific and regulatory consultants contracted by your Sector Groups and ensure they work in synergy with each other to reach their objectives and deliverables.
• Constantly maintain contacts with potential new members and other professional associations to broaden the membership base or to set up alliances that will increase the impact of your sector group’s advocacy in the short and long term.
• Organise meetings, draft minutes and manage budgets.

Can you make the difference?

The successful candidate will be a highly motivated and experienced professional who demonstrates the following experience, competencies and personal qualities:

• Academic background: preferably MA or MSc in Toxicology, Chemistry/Biochemistry, Chemical Engineering or any other applied or political sciences.
• A minimum of 5 years’ experience working at European/international level on scientific and/or regulatory issues in the chemical industry, value chain or with associations similar to Cefic
• Excellent project management skills
• Strong advocacy skills and experience with EU regulatory framework and in particular with chemical legislation such as REACH.
• Analytical thinker, at ease with scientific discussions.
• Ability to write clear and concise texts tr