EU Communications Officer
Based: EJF offices in London or Brussels, reporting to the Communications Lead and the CEO/Founder
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Salary: £33,000-£38,000 (London) or €40,000-€45,000 (Brussels), dependent on experience
Position overview
This is an exciting opportunity to join the team at the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF): one of the world's leading non-profits working at the intersection of environmental conservation and human rights. We are lean, agile, creative, strategic and most of all results-driven.
This is a varied and fast-paced role for an outstanding EU Communications Officer with a proven track record of securing high-level media coverage for environmental campaigns and delivering policy impact. We are looking for someone with a passion for our work and the drive, experience and skills to build our audiences, raise the profile of our campaigns and get our perspectives in front of key-decision makers.
You will have a demonstrable ability to understand our audiences and develop communications strategies to reach them. You will enjoy meeting and briefing journalists, enthusiastically reaching out to 'sell' our key stories. You will gain significant media coverage for EJF’s messages in key outlets both across the EU and in individual Member States. The successful candidate will work independently to ensure a steady flow of high-quality press outreach, as well as pitching and writing articles and op-eds to promote our perspectives. You will know which outlets key political decision-makers read, and how to place material with them.
You will be an outstanding writer, and possess superb adaptability and inventiveness to respond to a rapidly changing policy landscape.
This is a challenging but rewarding and dynamic role, providing an opportunity to work at the forefront of critical issues of global environmental justice and unique opportunities for growth and development.
Key responsibilities
- Develop and implement integrated communication plans and campaigns to support EJF’s policy work in the EU
- Ensure impactful and consistent coverage of our campaigns, and the issues they cover, in high-profile media outlets
- Prepare press releases and media packs for report launches and external developments, ensuring both proactive and reactive coverage
- Respond swiftly to media enquiries
- Research and actively engage media contacts and outlets, remotely and in person, to increase EJF’s reach, building a database to record and evaluate this outreach
- Work with our communications team around the world to develop coordinated media strategies across geographies and languages
- Evaluate and report on our press performance, making recommendations for ongoing improvement
- Create engaging and impactful content for our various communication channels, including our website, social media, newsletters, and other relevant platforms. This includes writing op-eds and blog articles on core EJF campaign areas
- Uphold the highest standards of scientifically rigorous but engaging writing at all times
- Host press briefings at events with external stakeholders
Essential skills and attributes
- Professional fluency (including excellent writing and editing skills) in English and either French or Spanish
- At least 2 years of experience working in communications, a press office, journalism or similar
- Knowledge of media relations, developing communication materials, writing content for different channels and developing social media campaigns
- Experience of and confidence in dealing with journalists from different types of media to ensure effective coverage
- An effective knowledge of the media outlets read by political decision-makers in the EU, and how to place articles in them
- Excellent copywriting skills, including under time pressure, and the ability to identify a good story, linking current affairs to EJF campaigns
- An exceptional level of creativity and drive to seek out new opportunities to promote EJF’s work
- Outstanding attention to detail and factual accuracy
- Reliable, determined, self-motivated, resourceful and able to work effectively with a small, dynamic, and international team
- Superb organisational skills, able to work quickly and prioritise efficiently to deliver timely outputs
- A passion for ensuring environmental justice
Desirable skills and attributes
- Professional fluency in both Spanish and French
- Experience of using social media as a campaigning tool
- Skills using website management tools
We offer you:
- Annual leave that increases with length of service
- Home working two days a week. Flexible working arrangements can be considered
- Cycle to work programme
- Other benefits depending on location
- A highly motivated and open-minded team of committed colleagues and the opportunity to develop and implement compelling propositions that can deliver campaign and organisational goals
- Great opportunities for your professional growth and personal development in close collaboration with our diverse team across Europe, Africa, Asia and South America
Applications
Please send your CV and a cover letter in English explaining why you are the right person for this job to recruitment@ejfoundation.org. Please title your email "Application for the role of EU Communications Officer".
We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. If you feel you would be a good fit for this role but are unsure if you meet every single requirement, we strongly encourage you to apply.
Closing date for applications: We would like to fill this position as soon as possible and will consider incoming applications until 09:00 UK time, 14/07/2025. We therefore recommend that you apply in good time before the deadline.
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.