ALLEA (All European Academies) is seeking a full time Head of Communications for the EU-funded project “Science Advice for Policy by the European Academies” (SAPEA)#
Conditions and resources#
Starting date: As soon as possible, ideally 1 July 2018
End date: 31 October 2020 (provisional termination of SAPEA grant)
Location: Brussels, Belgium
Contract and gross salary: The contract will be in accordance with Belgian labour regulations. The annual basic gross salary, including all potential additional remunerations, ranges between EUR 48.000 and 58.000 corresponding to the candidate’s level of experience.
Travel: Regular travel within the EU is expected.
Resources: The position will have use of the necessary resources for the communications work, including access to media databases and professional monitoring services, as appropriate. The Head of Communications (HC) will work together closely with the other staff members of the SAPEA project and the Consortium partners. The HC’s work will be supported by an assistant, based at the ALLEA secretariat in Berlin.
About SAPEA#
Spanning the disciplines of engineering, humanities, medicine, natural sciences and social sciences, SAPEA is a Consortium of five European Academy Networks (Academia Europaea, ALLEA
, EASAC, Euro-Case, FEAM) that brings together the outstanding knowledge and expertise from over 100 academies, young academies and learned societies in over 40 countries across Europe.
Working closely with the European Commission Group of Chief Scientific Advisors, SAPEA provides timely, independent and evidence-based scientific expertise for the highest policy level in Europe and for the wider public. SAPEA is part of the European Commission Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) which provides independent scientific advice to the College of European Commissioners to support their decision making.
The project is funded through a grant from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme running from November 2016-October 2020.
About ALLEA#
ALLEA, the European Federation of Academies of Sciences and Humanities, currently brings together 59 academies from more than 40 countries in the Council of Europe region. Its member academies are self-governing communities of leading scholars and researchers across all scientific fields. Independent from political, commercial and ideological interests, ALLEA contributes to the improvement of framework conditions under which science and scholarship excel. Together with its member academies, ALLEA informs European policy and society through evidence-based advice.
Main duties and responsibilities#
The Communications work of SAPEA is central to the Consortium’s activities. The HC will lead the Communications Office, which will disseminate SAPEA’s outputs and build outreach and awareness of SAPEA’s work, including via relevant media channels. He/she will work with the European Academy Networks, their member academies, and the European Commission to communicate the Consortium’s work to key audiences, helping to promote public awareness and transparency. This position is responsible for maintaining the SAPEA corporate identity, and for curating and administering the Consortium’s website and social media presence.
The HC’s responsibilities and tasks include in particular:
- Develop and deliver public engagement activities in a range of formats; ensure that the Consortium’s activities are communicated efficiently and effectively to target audiences, including influential stakeholder groups, and act as the first line of information for all enquiries from the media, representing the Consortium’s interests and policy positions accurately and responsibly at all times;
- Manage the effective planning and delivery of the Consortium’s news output in close cooperation with the Scientific Advice Mechanism Unit of the European Commission;
- Manage the budget for communications work and deliver all communications activity within agreed budgets;
- Build relationships with journalists and other multipliers to increase understanding of the Consortium’s work and the value of scientific advice in general; develop ideas for stories, features and broadcasts as well as other forms of public engagement activities that showcase the work of the Consortium;
- Manage a network of contacts, including science academies, partner networks, EU institutions’ communications offices and other relevant scientific stakeholders, and disseminate information about the Consortium’s work to these contacts, e.g. via a regular newsletter or other forms of dissemination;
- Research new media contacts as appropriate for the Consortium’s work, in cooperation with member academies;
- Manage and maintain the Consortium website, social media accounts, and the project’s on-line database of reports; coordinate, upload, update and manage content provided by, or produced in close cooperation with, others in the Consortium;
- Attend meetings of the Consortium’s Board and Coordination Team and work closely together with SAPEA’s Senior Scientific Policy Officer, Coordinator, and Scientific Policy Officers. Regularly and directly report to the Consortium’s Board about the progress of the communications work, compiling press coverage for reporting purposes;
- Provide advice and guidance (e.g. regarding the media strategy of a proposed action). Support and assist the Consortium Chair, Board Members, working group members and speakers in their interactions with the media;
- Prepare the Consortium’s print publications, liaising with designers and layouters, as well as the providing metadata for reports.
- Proofread all SAPEA publications prior to publication
Required profile, skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications
- At least 4-5 years of relevant professional experience, such as public relations, science communication, or public engagement work; preferably in scientific institution(s) and/or at the interface of science and policy;
- Excellent oral and written proficiency in English (native speaker level); clear and confident communication skills, ability to communicate complex scientific issues to different target audiences;
- Experience and ability to draft and write clear, lively and newsworthy press releases, and other written materials;
- Experience in managing websites, social media channels and blogs;
- Experience in managing budget lines and delivering communications activities within agreed budgets and timelines, demonstrating understanding of effective cost management;
- Strong negotiating skills in agreeing the costs for communications and media services;
- Existing comprehensive media network and established contacts in the fields of research, science and public policy;
- Excellent knowledge of policy-making and communication processes at European level, including EU institutions;
- Flexible and adaptable with strong interpersonal skills and experience in building and maintaining strong working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders across Europe;
- Knowledge of other official EU languages is an asset.
How to apply#
To apply please send your CV, motivation letter and further application documents and/or references to secretariat@allea.org by 4 June 2018 (pdf-documents, not larger than 2 MB). Interviews will take place in Brussels on 15 June. Reasonable travel expenses can be reimbursed. ALLEA and SAPEA apply an equal opportunities policy and accept applications without distinction on the grounds of sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation.
Further information#
http://www.sapea.info
http://www.allea.org
http://ec.europa.eu/research/sam/index.cfm
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