Interested in advocating for the interests of the regions of Europe?
We are looking for a colleague to help us advertise the regional dimension in Europe, create magic links with the European institutions and fight for regional policy. We offer a Belgian full-time employment contract (initially 6 months contract, with possibility of converting it to a permanent position).
This is who we are
Do you want to be our new colleague? Here are the things that are great about this workplace:
- We’re a small team, so everybody is really important
- We’re also a very great team, with awesome people on board
- The thing we work for is super cool: who could be against helping people across Europe to work together?
- It is a place for personal growth, as you get to work with so many very different people with different backgrounds your horizon widens and you change
- We use cloud-based team collaboration tools, which allows us to keep in close contact. despite frequent travels and different locations – and, it helps us for community building.
To put it simple: we’re the coolest network in Europe.
If this is you…
We need someone who is open-minded, respectful and responsive – in other words, communicative. In this position, you will be expected to keep yourself up to date and well informed and to use your insights in a proactive manner, delivering results in a smart, politically sensitive way.
Our new colleague should speak and write fluently in English, have a work experience in a European/international environment, be fond of the regional dimension in Europe, and have a good working knowledge of all modern channels of communication (Office suite, Mailchimp, WordPress, Slack, social networks…). Expertise in all EU policies relevant for the regions is an asset for the perfect candidate.
As you may gather from this, “dynamic”, “energetic” and “inspiring” are key words when we look for a new team member. And, it doesn’t hurt if you’re cool and fun to be with.
Your professional profile should fit the responsibilities below.
Managing the AER advocacy work
As Institutional Relations Coordinator in our Brussels office, you will assist our team on creating strong links with all the relevant institutions (European Commission, European Parliament, Committee of the Regions, Council of Europe, OECD, UN…) and advocating for the interests of the regions of Europe by defending the key principles of subsidiarity, decentralisation and regionalisation, and make sure that the voice of regions is heard loudly by the institutional stakeholders and decision-makers.
Some examples of this:
- Anticipate the EU legislation and always stay one step ahead
- Draft positions in a clear, simple and to-the-point language
- Follow the state of regionalisation in the European countries
- Manage the Observatory on Regionalisation and a pool of 50 experts
- Have an innovative stance towards lobbying activities
- Build and maintain close relations with and within all institutions, DGs, cabinets…
- Ensure the participation of the best speakers and stakeholders to AER events
- Prepare high level meetings for AER members, in and outside Brussels
- Take part in the various consultative and stakeholder work of the EU (Public consultations, EIPs, High Level Groups…)
In short: make AER visible on the European stage to promote its interests and inspire Europe with the regions’ realities and needs.
On top of these tasks, you will also be responsible for managing the Youth Regional Network, a forum for youth regional organisations giving young people from diverse regions a collective voice on the European stage while introducing a European dimension to youth policy in those regions.
Apply
If you like the idea and wish to be part of an international and motivated team with interesting and challenging field of activities, do not hesitate and apply now!
Please send a short cover letter with your CV in English in a single PDF to [email protected] with “AER Institutional Relations Coordinator“ as subject line.
Deadline for application: Friday 17 March 2017.
Starting date: 1 May the latest (only apply if available)
Connecting regions – inspiring Europe
Set up in 1985, The Assembly of European Regions is the largest independent network of regions in wider Europe, bringing together regions from 35 countries – from Norway to Turkey and from Russia to Portugal.
AER is present everywhere on the European continent, inside and outside the European Union. It is the political voice of its members, as well as a forum for interregional cooperation. AER has offices in Strasbourg (FR) and Brussels (BE) as well as representations in Alba (RO) and Dnipropetrovsk (UA).
