Cosmetics Europe is the single recognised voice of European cosmetics, perfumery and personal care.
Cosmetics Europe’s mission is to support the development of an innovative, sustainable, competitive and respected cosmetics industry in Europe, which best serves consumers. Cosmetics Europe goals are to:
- Earn public trust by fostering transparent and reliable relationships with public authorities and stakeholders. This enables it to communicate most effectively the social and economic relevance of the cosmetics industry in terms of satisfying consumer needs
- Achieve effective public policy by actively shaping workable and fair policy frameworks regulating the industry. To this end, proactive and effective networking and communication are of the essence. Opportunities for achieving alignment on an international scale should be created and optimised
- Enhance member value by addressing their needs in an efficient and transparent way through timely information and decision making processes. Focus on the issues and activities important to members. Make best use of members’ expertise and dedication in order to optimise efficiency and one-voice positions
Role of the Public Affairs & Governmental Relations Director
The Public Affairs & Governmental Relations Director will work closely with the Director General and Board of Directors to develop and implement Cosmetics Europe objectives, goals, strategies and measures safeguarding and advancing the interests of the members as well as contributing to a sustainable and profitable cosmetics industry.
Additionally, the Public Affairs & Governmental Relations Director will become an important external representative for Cosmetics Europe. The Public Affairs & Governmental Relations Director will be expected to work closely with the members of the Public Affairs expert network, the Senior Communications Manager as well as with the other Cosmetics Europe (CE) departments to ensure effective and influential integrated outreach.
Essential Job Responsibilities:
• Establishing, maintaining, managing and developing various networks with EU institutions (EP, Commission, Council, Perm. Reps), industry associations, think tanks and NGOs plus their key decision-makers and influencers who may affect CE’s and its members’ operations and growth potentials
• Facilitating and preparing meetings, communications and negotiations between CE’s executives, member companies and member associations and EU’s institutions, industry associations, think-tanks and NGOs (including but not limited to the key decision-makers or influencers)
• Building an adequate monitoring system to collect, monitor intelligence and anticipate changes in EU laws, regulations, policies and political trends
• Identifying opportunities for bottom-line or top-line improvements, including political advice aiming at eliminating barriers as well as misunderstandings and/or ambiguities between the political and regulatory environment and businesses.
• Developing political position papers, convincing arguments and, where necessary, proposing target-oriented compromises (including internal alignment of positions within CE)
• Regular and systematic interactions with business and functional leaders within CE membership to identify and understand their political and regulatory challenges; providing advice, guidance and assistance with respect to policies, rules, regulations and government affairs
• Co-working with all relevant CE departments and National Associations to develop and execute tailor-made advocacy strategies and actions plans to meet CE’s and its members’ current and future business needs and improve information flow regarding the regulatory pipeline and political issues
• Working closely with external stakeholders (e.g. other corporations or industry associations, think-tanks and NGOs) to shape the regulatory and political agenda and to make the most efficient use of external stakeholders (including but not limited to active participation in and/or preparation of conferences)
• Lead and coach external public affairs agency on behalf of CE and its member companies and associations.
• Strictly comply with the CE’s compliance rules, standards and guidelines as well as with all nationally and locally applicable laws and regulations
Key performance indicators:
- Enhance Cosmetics Europe profile, trust and reputation among relevant EU stakeholders (third party survey)
- Achievement of specific key objectives
- Ensure members’ satisfaction
- Assessment review
- Ensure annual targets are met in terms of timelines, budget, deliverables, effectiveness of public affairs and governmental relations
Qualifications and requirements:
• PAG experience: a minimum of 10 years of experience in governmental affairs or public affairs, or relevant political institutions
• Deep and sound knowledge of how EU institutions work (including Decision- and policy-making processes, understanding of roles and decision-making criteria within the EU and, to some extent, in Member States
• Demonstrated expertise in understanding public policies: ideally cosmetic-specific regulatory and political environment and government operations in both theory and practice and in developing and executing tailor-made action plans
• Extensive and reliable network with EU officials at senior level as well as at working level, industry associations and, ideally, officials of Member States
• Superior communication and argumentation skills as well as a high level of interpersonal skills, in order to build trust with external and internal stakeholders quickly; be a persuasive communicator, yet with the ability to understand and accommodate diverse views (especially from, at first hand, often diverging points of view of politics and business)
• Solid, proven ability to handle complex and sensitive negotiations with absolute integrity, professionalism and honesty
• Excellent language skills in writing and speaking, both in English and ideally at least one other major EU language
• Highly entrepreneurial and pro-active attitude, i.e. looking for “jobs to be done” instead of waiting for coaching and directives
• Strong analytical and conceptual capabilities
• Open and reliable, good leadership skills, result-oriented, proper attention to details, team-player
• Passion to learn and retain new things quickly
• Comfortable with business travel and meetings