Emmanuel worked for the French public sector for 10 years, including postings with the French Small Business Administration and the Nord Pas-de-Calais Regional Council. In both capacities, he worked with the European Commission and the European Union Directorate for Regional Policies in Brussels. Prior to his appointment at UVic, Emmanuel was an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Western Ontario from 1999-2000, and Assistant Director of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies at the University of Notre Dame from 2000-2001.