Friends of the Earth Europe Is Looking for an Experienced Communications Officer

Friends of the Earth Europe is looking for an experienced Communications Officer

Based in the Friends of the Earth Europe office in Brussels, full time, to start in September 2017.

Deadline for applications: midnight on Monday 17th July 2017.

This is a great opportunity to join the communications team in the European office of the world's largest grassroots environmental network and support campaigns on issues including climate and energy, corporate power, trade, food, biodiversity and resource use.

The job

It is a wide-ranging role profile with significant amounts of responsibility. The position consists of:

External communications strategy, planning and delivery

·  Lead on the development of communications strategies, narratives and activity plans in close collaboration with campaigners and colleagues in Brussels and in Friends of the Earth groups around the globe

·  Understand and advise campaigners on their communications needs and requirements

·  Coordinate communications plans between campaigns/teams

·  Project manage the production of communications tools and materials – including, but not limited to, reports and briefings, videos, graphics, cyber-actions, adverts, event and action materials – in coordination with member groups and partners

·  Draft, edit and proofread materials including reports, briefings, opinion articles, and letters

·  Contribute to creative brainstorming for campaign activities

·  Commission work from, and liaise with. designers, photographers, printers, and other suppliers

·  Undertake basic design work for use in publications and on the website

·  Maintain and develop FoEE's image library and support colleagues and member groups to access it

·  Ensure the adherence of communications materials with Friends of the Earth Europe's identity guidelines and agreed messaging, protocols and ways of working

·  Regularly evaluate communications activities and make recommendations for continuous improvement

·  Contribute to the development and delivery of Friends of the Earth Europe's long-term communications strategy

Media relations

·  Build relationships with Brussels-based journalists, understand their needs and interests, and advise colleagues on their media relations

·  Write press releases, statements, briefings, and other media materials, and ensure their targeted distribution

·  Coordinate proactive media work with communicators in member groups to maximise national and international coverage

·  Help organise press conferences, briefings, photo opportunities, street actions, etc.

·  Make follow-up calls to journalists to sell-in events or stories

·  Draft and place opinion articles

·  Keep the media database up-to-date

·  Manage reactive media work by dealing with incoming media enquiries, alerting colleagues and coordinating responses

·  Monitor Friends of the Earth Europe's presence in the media, archive coverage and make recommendations for improvement

·  Be available occasionally out of hours for urgent media requirements

Website & social media

·  Help keep the Friends of the Earth Europewebsite up-to-date and populated with relevant resources and materials

·  Help maintain and develop Friends of the Earth Europe'ssocial media and web presence, especially Facebook and Twitter

·  Contribute to the long-term development of Friends of the Earth Europe's website and the social media

·  Help monitor and analyse web and social media statistics and make recommendations for improvements

Internal communications & network support

·  Contribute to the production and distribution and monitoring of Friends of the Earth Europe's newsletter and other internal communications

·  Contribute to the maintenance of an active network of communicators from member organisations

·  Work with the FoE International communications team and be part of FoE International communications processes

·  Contribute to capacity building for colleagues and member organisations, e.g. media interview skills, communications strategy and narrative, values and frames in communications, storytelling

·  Contribute to the writing, editing and proofreading of funding applications and reporting to funders

Events management & support

●  Contribute to creative brainstorming for street actions, media stunts and other events

●  Contribute to the planning and delivery of network events, e.g. the AGM, communicators meetings, etc.

●  Lead on the logistical preparation of some events, e.g. press conferences, media stunts, seminars, meetings, etc

Other tasks

·  Actively participate in team meetings and processes such as planning and budgeting

·  Support other team members and be able to stand in for them when necessary

·  Give constructive feedback to, and receive from, colleagues

Skills

Essential

·  Demonstrable commitment to the values, vision and mission of Friends of the Earth Europe

·  At least 2 years relevant communications experience in a busy network-based organisation working on multiple topics

·  The ability to write easy-to-understand, engaging copy

·  Native speaker standard of English

·  Excellent attention to detail

·  Diplomacy and negotiation skills

·  Strong organisation and time-management skills

·  High levels of motivation, strong team member, creativity, flexibility, sense of humour, easy-going, political awareness

Desirable

·  Knowledge of EU institutions and Brussels media

·  Knowledge of and experience with working with values and frames and storytelling in communications

·  Experience of website CMS (especially Drupal)

·  Experience of using social media channels for campaigning

·  Knowledge of other European languages (especially French)

·  Experience of design software like Adobe Photoshop

·  Experience of video-editing software

The position requires occasional evening and weekend work as well as occasional international travel.

Salary €2,518-€2,963 per month gross, plus benefits (13th month, lunch vouchers, pension scheme and comprehensive hospitalisation and travel insurances). Conditions are according to Belgian legislation including the legal ability to live and work in Belgium.

If you feel you meet our criteria, and feel inspired by the objectives and challenges of the position, please send a letter of motivation and a CV to by midnight on Monday 17th July 2017.

Interviews are planned to take place in the week of 24th July.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted – thank you for your understanding.

Friends of the Earth Europe asbl Rue d’Edimbourg 26 | 1050 Brussels | Belgium

Tel. +32 2 893 10 00 | Fax +32 2 893 10 35 | | www.foeeurope.org