JOB OPPORTUNITY - The ERRC is looking for a Communications Specialist

Who we are? The ERRC is one of the main international NGOs defending the rights of Romani people across Europe. Roma are the continent’s largest ethnic minority. We face forms of discrimination unimaginable in the lives of most Europeans. The ERRC supports Roma to fight antigypsyism in and out of court, through strategic litigation and advocacy.

We are currently in the process of moving our headquarters from Hungary to Belgium. We will operate a mostly virtual office, with a network of colleagues based across Europe working remotely. We need a Communications Specialist who will join this network and work closely with the Communications and Advocacy Team.

Who is the ERRC looking for? The task of the ERRC Communications and Advocacy Team is to raise awareness about the ERRC’s work throughout Europe, and about human rights violations against Roma, which often remain untold or silenced by governments and media. In our communications we make it clear that legal action is an integral tool of the Roma movement which can and will be taken to end injustice towards Roma. Our Communications and Advocacy Team is expecting to recruit an experienced communications professional who is highly proactive, self-motivated, comfortable working independently or remotely, and at the same time a team player with a sense of humour who can maintain regular communication with ERRC colleagues.

The successful candidate will:

· Have a bachelor’s degree, or significant experience working in a related field;

· Have at least 2 years experience working in media, communications, or the NGO sector.

· Have experience with curating and managing content for social media;

· Be fluent in written and spoken English;

· Be able to confidently and proficiently write news articles;

· Be comfortable with public speaking and holding presentations or workshops at events;

· Be able to design digital posters, infographics, fliers;

· Be comfortable behind a camera taking photographs;

· Be able to design and create short social media videos as well as shoot longer films for advocacy purposes;

The following is desirable but not essential:

· A degree and/or previous work experience in one of the following relevant fields: Multimedia and Communication, Graphic Design, Film, Marketing, Public Relations, Journalism;

· Experience with animation or documentary film making.

· Professional and/or personal experience with Roma rights issues, Romani communities, cultures and languages;

· Knowledge of languages which many Roma speak.

· Previous experience working remotely and/or independently.

What will the tasks be?

· Support the Communications and Advocacy Team in daily content delivery for social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram)

· Find innovative ways to grow our follower base on our social media platforms

· Perform audience analysis and quarterly social media performance reviews

· Develop and maintain the ERRC branding and institutional identity

· In collaboration with the Communications Coordinator and the Communications and Advocacy Team, you will develop and execute several short campaigns per year to raise awareness about or advocate for Roma rights issues.

· Occasionally travel to necessary annual staff meetings, as well as relevant trainings or events across Europe.

· Respond to media inquiries, arrange interviews, and act as a spokesperson for the ERRC if necessary, in liaison with the Communications Coordinator.

· Communicate frequently with the team, attend virtual weekly operational meetings as well as monthly all-staff meetings.

· Other tasks in co-operation with the Communications Coordinator and other staff. We are a small team, with a lot to do, so occasionally we all have to perform tasks outside of our job descriptions to respond to events on the ground, and ensure the smooth running of the organisation.

For the first six months, you will be working closely with the current Digital Communications Manager, the Communications Coordinator, and the rest of the ERRC team in order to transition you into our virtual workspace and prepare you to eventually take full control over the digital communications output. This position is designed for someone to replace the current Digital Communications Manager who is leaving the position by January 2020. The prospective candidate should therefore be ready for an advancement in their role and be ready to commit to the job for a period of at least 2 years.

Where will the job be based? The ERRC operates a mostly virtual office. So we are flexible about where you will be based, as long as it is possible to hire you and work with you effectively. This is something for you to discuss further with us at the interview stage.

How do I get to the interview stage? To be considered for this position you must submit the following materials to benjamin.ignac@errc.org by Friday, May 24th!

· A CV or resume not exceeding 2 pages

· A motivational or covering letter not exceeding 1 page. Please state clearly in the covering letter how you meet the criteria, why you want the job, and how you can contribute to our team.

· Supplemental materials*:

o One sample of your written work (e.g. interview, blog, news article, op-ed…)

o Up to 3 pieces of graphically designed work (e.g. logos, fliers, posters, infographics…)

o One video or short film created by you (optional)

*For supplemental materials please share a URL link to the piece of work you created or indicate via email that you would like to share it as a file via Google Drive and we will provide you with an email address to share your materials. Please don’t plagiarize someone else’s work, it’s not cool, and if we find out we definitely won’t hire you!

Salary? The ERRC offers competitive salaries, which are based on the cost of living of your location as well as on your employment rank and level of your experience. The exact amount will be discussed at the interview stage.

While actual recruitment to all ERRC jobs is strictly on merit, the organisation strives to increase the number of persons of Romani origin in its staff and therefore specifically encourages Romani candidates to apply.