For the EU-funded project “Science Advice for Policy by the European Academies” (SAPEA), ALLEA (All European Academies) is seeking a full time Head of Communications.

Conditions and resources

Availability: The availability of the position will be subject to the final approval of the project by the EC.

Starting date: Provisionally 1 September 2016 or 1 October 2016, depending on the start of the grant

Duration: Initially 2 years, with an option to extend for two more years

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 a part-time assistant, based at the ALLEA secretariat in Berlin.

About SAPEA

The EU-project SAPEA consists of a consortium of the five European Academy Networks.  These are: Academia Europaea, ALLEA, EASAC, Euro-CASE and FEAM. SAPEA’s core objectives are twofold. Firstly, to provide independent science-based policy advice to the European Commission (EC) and the European public, in the context of the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) of the European Commission. Secondly, it aims to strengthen cooperation and to foster synergies between the Academy Networks and their 100 member academies, as well as to enhance and strengthen existing structures. Through these networks, the SAPEA project has access to thousands of academy Fellows from the social, human, natural, engineering and medical sciences, located across Europe.

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. The HC will develop a communications strategy that includes public engagement, contacts with the media, dissemination and knowledge management related to communications tasks, and a website where the outputs of the SAPEA project will be presented. The website will also provide regular information on selected current activities of academies across Europe. He/she will work with the European Academy Networks and their member academies to communicate the consortium’s work to key audiences, helping to promote public awareness and transparency. This position will also be responsible for developing a corporate identity for the consortium, and for building and administering the consortium’s website, blog and social media presence.

The HC’s responsibilities and tasks include in particular:

-        Develop a communications strategy, a corporate identity and branding for the consortium, create guidelines for communications for products and activities;

-        Manage the effective planning and delivery of the consortium’s news output;

-        Develop and deliver public engagement activities in a range of formats, thereby helping to create a platform for public debate;

-        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;

-        Establish a network of contacts, including partner networks, EU institutions’ communications offices and other relevant scientific stakeholders, and disseminate regular information about the consortium’s work to these contacts; research new media contacts as appropriate for the consortium’s work, in cooperation with member academies;

-        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;

-        Oversee the construction and design of the consortium’s website, in accordance with the consortium’s corporate identity;

-        Set up, manage and maintain the consortium website, blog and social media accounts; coordinate, upload, update and manage content provided by or produced in close cooperation with others in the consortium;

-        Manage the budget for communications work and deliver all communications activity within agreed budgets;

-        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.

Required profile, skills, knowledge, experience and qualifications:

-        At least 3 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 social media channels, blogs and websites;

-        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;

-        Strong interpersonal skills, with experience in building and maintaining strong working relationships with a range of internal and external stakeholders across Europe.

How to apply

If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your CV, motivation letter and further application documents and/or references to secretariat@allea.org by 15 August 2016 (pdf-documents, not larger than 2 MB). Candidates will be informed by the Selection Committee of its verdict by 20 August and the interviews for retained candidates will take place in Brussels between 25 and 26 August 2016. Reasonable travel expenses will 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://ec.europa.eu/research/sam/index.cfm

www.ae-info.org

www.allea.org

www.easac.eu

www.euro-case.org

http://www.feam-site.eu

www.acatech.de/uk/home-uk/international.html  

http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/wp/2016_2017/main/h2020-wp1617-societies_en.pdf(pp. 122)