Counter Balance is looking for a Communications and Outreach Officer

• Position: Communications and Outreach Officer

• Organisation: Counter Balance

• Location: Brussels, Belgium

• Start date: As soon as possible (Subject to change depending on your availability)

• Duration: Unlimited term contract

• Deadline for applications: 15/10/2023

Please apply in writing by sending an e-mail to: info@counter-balance.org, with the subject line “Communications and Outreach Officer”, including:

• Your CV in English;

• An application letter, focusing on your motivation and suitability for this position.

Interviews will take place in Brussels or remotely shortly after the deadline.

Discover more about Counter Balance here: http://counter-balance.org/

Counter Balance is a coalition of nine NGOs whose mission is to make European public finance a key driver of the transition towards socially and environmentally sustainable and equitable societies, where the economy works for all rather than for the few. We do this by holding EU public financial institutions to account to their public mission, challenging their business model, harmful decisions, policies and projects and promoting alternatives.

Over the last decade, we have extensively monitored the EIB’s operations and led campaigns to make it a more sustainable, democratic and transparent institution. While the EIB remains our main target, we have expanded the scope of our work to other EU public finance institutions and programs.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

You will be the storyteller of Counter Balance, coordinate the communication strategy and play a key role in building and reaching out to new organisations and activists to expand our network. You have an activist or politically engaged mindset. You will manage our public profile and transform our content into key messages, leading the process to define our framing and create the narrative to mobilise our network and partners, influence public opinion and put our demands on the agenda. Your main responsibilities as Communication and Outreach Officer are listed below:

Communications Strategy:

• Designing and implementing Counter Balance’s media and communication strategy and the external campaigns that Counter Balance leads;

• Ensuring that the organisation’s experience and expertise are well communicated and consistently presented;

• Collaborating with the director to build, expand and mobilise our network;

• Assisting in internal communication towards the Counter Balance member groups.

Media work:

• Drafting, editing and coordinating press releases, opinion pieces, newsletters, blog posts;

• Establishing and maintaining contacts with journalists and media at European and national level;

• Monitoring and advancing media coverage of Counter Balance.

Design & Digital:

• Designing visual products (social media visuals, invitations, small scale brochures, press briefings, etc.);

• Managing the Counter Balance website;
  

• Managing our social media communication (i.e., Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, YouTube etc.).

Other

• Additional responsibilities, activities and initiatives may be agreed upon depending on your specific skills and interests.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Reporting to:

The Director of Counter Balance will be the direct supervisor of the Communications and Outreach Officer. The Director, Policy and Advocacy Officer and the Communications and Outreach Officer constitute the bulk of the Secretariat of Counter Balance based in Brussels.

The Board of Counter Balance is responsible for the oversight of the work and performance of the Counter Balance Secretariat. Therefore, members of the Secretariat report regularly on their activities to the Board.

Other key relationships:

Counter Balance is a coalition of nine NGOs which benefits from the expertise of its member groups across Europe and seeks to coordinate campaigns and activities at a pan-European level. In this context, the Communications and Outreach Officer will work in close relation with the staff of our member groups dedicated to the work of Counter Balance.

Finally, the Communications and Outreach Officer will work with other NGOs in and outside of the EU which Counter Balance has developed strong partnerships with.

USEFUL INFORMATION

• Full time position (38 hours)

• Place of work: Brussels (Belgium) - Mundo-B Office, 26 rue d’Edimbourg, 1050 Ixelles (With possibility to make flexible arrangements for teleworking)

• Salary: A competitive non-profit sector salary

• Working language: English

REQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Excellent written and oral English (native speaker level), knowledge of other languages is an additional asset;

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills;

• Proactive mindset and willingness to take initiative to find solutions;

• Highly developed writing skills;

• At least 3 years of work experience in the communication or campaigns field, preferably with an NGO;

• Experience in managing relationships with national, European and international media;

• Experience in organising events and the production of outreach materials (leaflets, publications, videos, social messaging);

• Familiarity with the Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator);

• Experience working with CMS systems to manage website content;

• Proven experience of using MS office application (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) and desktop publishing software;

• Excellent attention to detail, good time management and proven ability to deliver under pressure;

• Experience in research (desk research, interviews etc.);

• Must be available to travel and to participate in European and international meetings;

• Ability to work on own initiative to build on and develop the job, combined with the ability to work as part of a team;
  Creativity and openness for new ideas.

Other:

• Track record of activism, working with NGOs or social movements, and/or campaigning activities is an advantage;

• Good knowledge of the EU political architecture. Knowledge of the EIB and/or EBRD is an advantage;

• Knowledge of one or more of the following topics is an advantage: International Financial Institutions, energy and climate, political economy, human rights, transparency, fraud & corruption, development agenda.