Media & Communication Officer – European Defence Agency (EDA)

Background

The European Defence Agency was established under a Joint Action of the Council of Ministers on 12 July, 2004. On 12 July 2011, the Council adopted a Decision defining the statute, seat and operational rules of the European Defence Agency. This Council Decision replaced the Council Joint Action.

The Agency has its headquarters in Brussels.

The main task of the EDA is to support the Member States and the Council in their effort to improve the EU’s defence capabilities in the field of crisis management and to sustain the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) as it stands now and develops in the future.

The Agency has a new structure since1 January 2014. In order to be better equipped to anticipate and react to developments in the rapidly evolving defence and security environment, EDA has been restructured into three operational directorates: Cooperation Planning & Support; Capability, Armaments & Technology; and European Synergies & Innovation. This will improve its operational output; facilitate the prioritisation of tasks; and serve the needs, expectations and interests of Member States more effectively and efficiently.

The Agency’s way of working

The Agency is an “outward-facing” organisation, constantly interacting with its shareholders, the participating Member States, as well as with a wide range of stakeholders. It works in an integrated way, with multi-disciplinary teams representing all the Agency’s functional areas, to realise its objectives including its annual Work Programme and its rolling three-year Work Plan. Its business processes are flexible and oriented towards achieving results. Staff at all levels need to demonstrate the corresponding qualities of flexibility, innovation, and team-working; to work effectively with shareholders and stakeholder groups, formal and informal; and to operate without the need for detailed direction.

The Media & Communication Unit

The role of the Media and Communication Unit is to develop and implement a comprehensive and effective communications strategy for the Agency in close cooperation with the Directorates.

Duties

Within the overall context outlined above, the Media & Communication Officer will, in close liaison with the Head of Unit, contribute to the following activities:

• copywriting articles, web-news, speeches, Questions and Answers, media background papers, briefing notes, slide presentations, storytelling, sound bites, etc. in English;
• developing and maintaining a range of publications (EDA magazine “European Defence Matters”, annual reports, brochures, leaflets on projects, etc.) from content to production;
• supporting media relationships, managing media requets and defininglines to take
• proactive outreach to stakeholders via tailored content production;
• reviewing and editing texts to improve readability;
• checking facts to ensure accuracy;
• liaising with interlocutors and sources to gather information and material necessary to produce content;
• suggesting topics and producing content, in line with EDA’s communication strategy, taking into account its multiple target audience and communication channels;
• establishing strong relationships with the directorates and supporting them collecting all necessary information on projects, programmes and other EDA activities;
• setting out the overall work plan on all content production activity and work flows;
• developing and overseeing an editorial calendar;
• ensuring the quality, accuracy and consistency of editorial content;
• ensuring all online content conform to web search-engine optimisation requirements and best practice;
• establishing and maintaining relations with key interlocutors within and outside of EDA;
• overseeing project management of Communication activities and supporting to EDA project officers;
• providing overall support to the EDA Media & Communication Unit (e.g. events, administrative issues, projects, publications, database management, etc).

Qualifications and experience required

1. Conditions for eligibility:

(1) General

• be a national of a Member State participating in the Agency;
• be entitled to his/her full rights as a citizen;
• have completed any obligations imposed on him/her by the laws concerning military service;
• produces the appropriate character references as to his/her suitability for the performance of his/her duties;
• be physically fit to perform his/her duties;
• have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the EU, and an adequate knowledge of another of these languages to the extent necessary to discharge his/her duties;
• have no personal interest (financial, family relationship, or other) which could be in conflict with disinterested discharge of his/her duties within the Agency;
• hold, or be in a position to obtain, a valid Personnel Security Clearance Certificate (national or EU PSC at SECRET UE/EU SECRET level). Personnel Security Clearance Certificate’ (PSCC) means a certificate issued by a competent authority establishing that an individual is security cleared and holds a valid national or EU PSC, and which shows the level of EUCI to which that individual may be granted access (CONFIDENTIEL UE/EU CONFIDENTIAL or above), the date of validity of the relevant PSC and the date of expiry of the certificate itself. Note that the necessary procedure for obtaining a PSCC can be initiated on request of the employer only, and not by the individual candidate.);
• have a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma when the normal period of university education is four years or more, or a level of education which corresponds to completed university studies attested by a diploma and appropriate professional experience of at least one year when the normal period of university education is at least three years or be a graduate of a national or international Defence College.

1. Essential selection criteria

(1) Professional

The candidate will be required to demonstrate that he/she has:

• extensive experience and proven skills of copy-writing/editing in English;
• an excellent knowledge of written and spoken English;
• minimum 5 years relevant experience of journalism, communication and on public relations;
• experience in publications, website management and public information tools;
• experience in project management related to communication;
• extensive knowledge of European Defence, national Ministries of Defence, the Defence sector more generally, and EU Institutions.

(2) Personal

All staff must be able to fit into the Agency way of working. Other attributes important for this post include:

• good interpersonal and networking skills;
• an ability to work in a team;
• a genuine commitment to the Agency’s objectives and strong motivation for the function;
• strong conceptual and analytical skills;
• a flexible, tactful and pleasant character, with a strong sense of duty and responsibility;
• being well-organised, yet resilient to change and receptive in a rapidly evolving work environment;
• a creative and mature approach;
• an ability to prioritize, multi-task and work on a project with a single focus and minimum supervision;
• an ability to give a high degree of attention to detail and commitment to accuracy;
• strong communication (written and oral) and presentation skills.

(3) Desirable

• a university degree in journalism, political science or communication;
• experience in writing in French.

Location: Brussels, Belgium

Application deadline: 1 July 2015

Read more and apply here.