Special Projects Intern – Communications

About the European Climate Foundation

The European Climate Foundation (ECF) was established in 2008 as a major philanthropic initiative to foster the development of a low-carbon society and help Europe to play an even stronger international leadership role to mitigate climate change. The foundation works through sectoral, cross-cutting and regional initiatives and collaborates with a wide network of partners to advance progress towards this shared goal.

About the role

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy Secretariat in Brussels is looking for an Intern (full-time/38 hours per week).

The position will be located at the Global Covenant of Mayors office in Brussels.

The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy is an international coalition of cities and local governments with a shared long-term vision of promoting and supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and move to a low emission, resilient society.

Local Governments are Key Contributors: The Global Covenant of Mayors works to organize and mobilize cities and local governments to be active contributors to a global climate solution;

City Networks as Critical Partners: Local, regional and global city networks are core partners, serving as the primary support for participating cities and local governments;

A Robust Solution Agenda: Focusing on those sectors where cities have the greatest impact, the Global Covenant of Mayors supports ambitious, locally relevant solutions, captured through strategic action plans that are registered, implemented and monitored and publicly available;

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Fostering Local Climate Resilience: The Global Covenant of Mayors emphasizes the importance of climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as increased access to clean and affordable energy.

Duties and responsibilities

The role of the communications team is to act as a centre of expertise on energy and climate change communications. Its objective is to help create political, media and public endorsement for strong action to address climate change at international, national and sector levels.

The intern will gain practical experience in the workings of an international non-governmental organization focused on cities and climate change. The intern will gain exposure across a broad range of functional areas - including program management, stakeholder engagement, operations, grants management, planning and communications - within a dynamic environment.

Responsibilities may include:

Supporting the team in preparation for regular meetings of the Board, Founders Council and Technical Working Groups;

Assisting in the preparation of presentations for external stakeholders;

Developing and implementing communication strategies in cooperation with the communications unit;

Planning and supporting campaigns in close co-operation with our grantees;

Analysing media reporting on energy and climate policy, including a daily media coverage brief;

Preparation of events, general editorial and administrative support for the communications unit.

Key competensies

The ideal candidate will have:

Strong commitment to working with cities and climate change – previous internship experience in both areas preferred;

Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills;

Ability to manage multiple projects, and comply with deadlines Professional junior working experience in PR or journalism;

A university degree in a relevant field;

Enthusiasm for learning and a demeanor suitable for a small office work environment;

Ability to work independently as well as with colleagues.

What we can offer you

The unique opportunity to work as part of a highly dynamic, international organization together with individuals who combine their passion to make a difference with ambition and a rigorous and results-oriented approach to work;

A space to develop and challenge yourself;

Participation in local Global Covenant events;

Opportunities to engage with staff and members of the European Climate Foundation and European Commission through focused speaking engagements;

A 6-months fix term contract;

A salary in line with internships in the EU institutions.

Start date: January 2018

How to apply

Please send your CV and a short cover letter in English to the following email address: Apply-gcom-intern_comms@Europeanclimate.org.

The motivation letter should include: why you are interested in the internship with the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy, and the contact information for two references.

Please indicate ‘Special Projects Intern – Communications’ in the subject line. Candidates need to be in the possession of a work permit for Belgium in case applicable. Telephone calls will not be forwarded to the recruitment team. Due to the high number of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Deadline for applications: 5th November 2017.

For more information on the ECF, please visit www.europeanclimate.org.