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CEP is looking for a trainee Policy Officer!
Please note that this position is only open to someone working for a CEP member organisation. During the time of the traineeship, you will be seconded from the organisation you currently work at.
To work as a trainee Policy Officer (PO) for CEP is a unique opportunity to see and get to know probation in Europe. The PO is involved in many different activities and events and builds up a network of probation professionals all over Europe.
The PO trainee has:
- Education: Graduated from an accredited University with an academic degree in Law, Social Work, Criminology, Social Pedagogy, Public Administration, Psychology or Sociology, or other relevant qualifications.
- Experience: Proven (minimum 3 years) experience in the probation field casework or similar work in a related correctional field, or in organizations/institutions related to the correctional sector. Experience in planning and organising activities. Experience in working with strategic documents and long term planning. Candidates for trainee Policy Officer may have experience as Probation Officer or first line manager/policy officer or have another relevant position in their parent organization (a CEP member organisation).
- Skills: Good knowledge of the English language (both written and spoken), good communication skills, the capacity to represent CEP in international events – including giving presentations. Good social skills and capacity to build and maintain a network.
The tasks for the Policy Officer trainee are:
- Taking the lead in several expert groups of CEP (for example on Domestic Violence, Mental Health, Violent Extremism)
- Taking the lead in all aspects of work regarding the European Framework Decisions
- Cooperating in the yearly application for the EU Operating Grant
- Representing CEP at international meetings and events
Former seconded Policy Officer Maria Lindström did an interview about her two years at CEP, click on the link to read it.
Length of traineeship
In order to really understand and come up to full speed, a period of two years is needed for the trainee. It is also important for the work environment at the CEP secretariat to have enough time for new colleagues. It is important that the trainee understands that he/she needs to work very independently and that the tasks vary a lot.
The CEP office is based in Utrecht, the Netherlands, so it is important that the trainee, if she/he is from another country, has access to a good working space with colleagues, the right equipment such as a computer, smartphone, internet access, skype etc. to enable good communcation lines with the CEP office.
Applicants should have the support and endorsement of their employing organisation and CEP will engage with the employer on terms and conditions. All costs for travels made on behalf of CEP will be covered by CEP.
Application
Do you see yourself in this position and do you want to apply? Please send your motivation letter and cv to secr@cep-probaiton.org. Note that you have to have permission from your employer to apply for this position. The deadline for submitting your application is the 1st of November 2019.

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