Junior Public Affairs Manager

IFAH-Europe is looking to recruit a Junior Public Affairs Manager to support the Federation’s developing Public Affairs activities. You will have the opportunity to progress your public affairs skills in a fast-paced and dynamic environment, with a focus on animal health. This new post requires a person with excellent research and analytical skills, a sense of initiative and the ability to cope with a wide range of tasks simultaneously.

This is an important post in the organisation which requires a dedicated and focused young professional with a potent interest in EU public affairs who can work independently, develop new ideas and has a flair for political communication.  

Our ideal candidate will have a strong interest in EU politics and animal health-related matters, as well as proven knowledge of EU decision-making processes. S/He will have 1 to 3 years of professional experience relating to EU affairs, and may have previous experience working for a trade association.

Strong organisational skills and good attention to detail are also key requirements for this position.

PROFILE

• 1-3 years of working experience in public affairs/European advocacy; Strong knowledge and understanding of EU decision-making processes; Experience with political communication; Demonstrable interest in animal health, veterinary medicine, animal welfare and/or agriculture.
• Academic Masters degree or higher in Political Science, International and/or European Law, European Studies, or similar; Proficient in English (C1 or C2); Good IT skills including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; Good organisational  and time management skills; Advanced analytical and conceptual skills; Attention to details; Good networking capabilities; Good presentation skills.
• Transparent and accountable; Positive and confident disposition; Diplomatic; Solution-oriented; Team player.

HOW TO APPLY

Read the full job description below to ascertain if you meet the criteria for this position.
You must be eligible to work in Belgium.

Closing date for applications is Friday 30 September 2016 at 18:00 (CET). Please note that applications received after this time can unfortunately not be taken into account.

If you wish to apply, please send

• Your curriculum vitae,
• A covering letter in English outlining how you meet the person specification detailed in the job description,
• And a 500-word article on “why animal health matters”

addressed to Liesbet Dendas (ldendas(at)ifahsec.org) or Tervurenlaan 168/8, 1150 Brussels, Belgium.

Please note that incomplete applications will not be taken into account and will not receive a response.

Interviews are expected to take place in the second half of October.

Please note that if response for this role is higher than anticipated, we reserve the right to commence interviews and appoint before the published closing date.

SCOPE OF THE JOB

• Monitor and report on EU and international developments relevant to the animal health industry;
• Research, analyse and report on policy developments and relevant political, legal and scientific documentation;
• Contribute to the implementation of advocacy strategies;
• Support the Public Affairs Manager in ongoing relations with EU institutions and dialogue with other European trade associations and stakeholders;
• Manage specific issue-related projects, including the collecting and analysis of input to member consultations;
• Represent and report on meetings with EU institutions and stakeholders, at conferences and workshops;
• Assist with the drafting of materials for external communication, including briefings and articles; Contribute to the management of the association’s Public Affairs Committee and selected project teams;
• Contribute to member requests for public affairs support;
• Contribute to strategic planning and wider departmental planning;
• Assist in the organization of IFAH-Europe events with external stakeholders.

We offer a full-time (100%) contract under Belgian law. The provisional start date for the chosen candidate is 1 November 2016. Your place of work would be Brussels, Belgium.