SNE/7/DirD - Coordination, planning, impact - Outreach strategy  

Detail of the vacancy notice

Reference: SNE/7/DirD - Coordination, planning, impact - Outreach strategy
Directorate: Directorate D, Communication
Function Group:  
Management: No
Deadline: 30/03/2022 12:00
Job Title: SNE/7/DirD - Coordination, planning, impact - Outreach strategy
Unit/Service: Unit DI Coordination, planning, impact - Outreach strategy
Grade:  
Location: Brussels

​The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) pursues a communication approach based on the principle of "reconnecting Europe with its citizens through a focused, two-way communication centred on its members". Its communication activities are set around communication campaigns, in cooperation with local and regional governments and the EU institutions. Reaching out beyond the CoR members and alternates to the 1.2 million politicians elected at local and regional level is a new priority linked to the Conference on the Future of Europe and its follow-up.

With more than 1 000 councillors already signed up, our aim is to focus on the quality of the CoR offering. This means involving these politicians in our consultative work, our major events and in the inter-institutional "Building Europe with Local entities" project. We also need to ensure the network of councillors is expanded in particular in those Member States where it has so far proved less attractive.

Our challenge is to reposition the CoR to be part of the democratic process in Europe, not just part of the legislative process of the EU.
The "councillors" concept starts with the members/alternates themselves by enabling them to build up their own networks of councillors among their peers in regional and local authority structures. It extends to the concept of the CoR as the house of regions and cities in Brussels, facilitating understanding across borders and federating political input. And the councillors initiative is of inter-institutional interest through the "Building Europe with Local Entities" pilot project launched by EC VP Dubravka Šuica at the 9th EU summit of regions and cities in Marseille in March 2022.


Main areas of responsibility:

The added value of an SNE in this work would be based in particular on:

  • enhancing the impact of CoR events by developing recommendations for increasing outreach to the million local and regional elected politicians, fostering their closer engagement in the work of the CoR and developing social networking among them for mutual exchanges, while motivating and helping them to organise citizens' dialogues and bring forth information and concerns gathered during these consultations;
  • increasing the potential for innovation and simplified network management, including digital and social media communication and network engagement tools;
  • exploring the potential for organising new events in cooperation with regional representatives;
  • fact-checking and reference work in monitoring the online platform.

Together with and under the guidance of the principal administrator in Directorate D working on the roll-out of the Network of Regional and Local EU Councillors, the SNE would be directly attached to the Director and work with the teams in the various units of the Directorate.

Your duties and tasks

  • Drawing up supporting material
  • Draw up a plan for our work with the councillors over the period to the next CoR mandate in January 2024. Milestones should include the 10th Summit of Region and Cities, the European elections and new Members;
  • Contribute to the involvement of councillors in the consultative work of the CoR.
  • Collect key data and draw up briefings, concept notes and speeches as required.
  • Research appropriate subjects, specialists and support information that could be shared with the councillors or other networks through conferences or briefings.


Coordination of events and conferences for the councillors

  • Establish, plan and coordinate tasks relating to the organisation of CoR events, at a team leader level, including by: carrying out conceptual work, managing the workflow, monitoring the budget, presenting the event, developing the programming content.
  • Coordinate, check and monitor online content, use tools and provide services relating to CoR events, managing the publication of materials, including audiovisual material.
  • Coordinate and follow up with internal services and external partners and providers. Share information as appropriate with collaborators at various levels.

 

Cooperation with other EU institutions, event organisers, partners and services of the CoR

  • Contribute to the preparation of internal meetings with the European institutions, CoR services etc., in particular in respect of the "Building Europe with Local Entities" project.
  • Collaborate with services of EU institutions, regional associations, academic networks and institutions, CoR services, event partners and external service providers. Seek partnerships and synergies.
  • Contribute to evaluation and reporting
  • Define objectives and indicators for measuring the engagement of the million politicians with the CoR.
  • Contribute to evaluating events and related internal and external notes and reports.
  • Draw up statistics on engagement that could be used for evaluation of impact

 

Main qualifications:

  • University degree or professional experience of an equivalent level in one of the following areas: Communication, Political science, European affairs;
  • Specific knowledge and relevant experience in the main areas of responsibility;
  • Previous work and project management at the local and regional level will be an additional plus, as is previous work with or for local and regional authorities;
  • Knowledge of the various spheres of activity of the CoR and of European Union policies in general;
  • Thorough knowledge of an official EU language; for functional reasons, at least a satisfactory knowledge of English or French is required;
  • Good drafting and communication skills;
  • Good analytical skills;
  • Good organisational skills and output driven.

 

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