Communications Officer (Engagement) – German Speaking

Communications Officer (Engagement) – German Speaking

Finance Watch

Brussels, Belgium

This is an exciting new position with a Brussels-based NGO that works to make finance serve society and the planet. It would suit someone with a background in e-marketing who is interested in further developing their communications skills and who is highly motivated by the Finance Watch mission. The primary role of the Communication Officer (Engagement) is to strengthen relationships with Finance Watch supporters (or potential supporters) who are not finance experts, including engaged citizens, donors and activists.

The Communications Officer (Engagement) will be part of the Communications & Networks department at Finance Watch. The Communications Officer (Engagement) will report to the Head of Communications & Networks and work closely with the whole team on a daily basis.

The ideal candidate would be an innovative communicator with digital engagement skills. S/he who would play a major role in helping Finance Watch grow its supporter base and engage with stakeholders across Europe, with a specific focus with Germany. A willingness to learn about financial regulation is indispensable.

Job description

Core responsibilities:

• Develop a clear plan to engage Finance Watch supporters who are not financial regulation experts leveraging social media, email, newsletters and other relevant digital channels;
• Manage the development and promotion of the organisation’s educational series, including communication materials free from complex financial jargon, for example blogs and videos;
• Take the lead on virtual and in-person Finance Watch events for non-finance experts, including forums and workshops;
• Manage Finance Watch newsletters for citizens and support the Grant Officer with Finance Watch donation campaigns;
• Manage newsletters and events for Change Finance, a network of non-profit organisations and activists from more than 67 countries and 6 continents, facilitated by Finance Watch;
• Manage Finance Watch’s member network in Germany by facilitating meetings, planning and publishing content for the German blog, proofreading German assets, and keeping an eye on the economic and financial news in Germany;
• Develop a basic volunteer programme for Finance Watch’s biggest supporters in France and Germany;
• Report on relevant Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for engagement and propose ways for the organisation to improve;
• Contribute to the Communications’ team general reporting to Finance Watch funders.

Additional responsibilities: Policy Communication:

At Finance Watch, members of the Communication department have a unique opportunity to collaborate with a member of the Research & Advocacy department to learn more about a specific policy area. This “Tandem” structure will enable the Communications Officer (Engagement) to learn more about Finance Watch’s core workstreams (in this case, digital finance), and advise their Research & Advocacy counterpart on how best to communicate this work externally.

This involves:

• Organising weekly knowledge-sharing meetings with the Research & Advocacy Officer responsible for the digital finance workstream;
• Keeping up-to-date on the latest developments in the workstream (for example, a new legislative proposal or participation at an important event);
• Helping with planning of Finance Watch outputs for this workstream, for example a new report or an open letter.

Profile/Qualifications

Essential:

• German proficiency C1, English proficiency C2, other EU languages are a plus;
• At least 4 years of experience in digital campaigning, community engagement, communication, online fundraising;
• Ability to establish and maintain digital communities, attract new online audiences and monitor progress;
• Ability to make sense of complex information with attention to detail and break it down into clear and accessible forms, in the field of economic or financial policy;
• Proactive mindset, excellent time and project management skills, capacity to work in parallel on varied projects in collaboration with various stakeholders;
• Ability to write and edit highly engaging digital copy for different audiences and to proof read to an excellent standard;
• Experience working across multiple digital channels to increase the impact and profile of the organisation’s activities;
• Experience using social media design, management and scheduling tools;
• Understanding and commitment to GDPR and principles of data privacy;
• Ability to produce content using video and image editing tools;
• Motivated by and committed to Finance Watch’s mission;
• Actively follow the major economic & financial policy debates in Europe and Germany;
• University/higher education degree in a relevant field such as media, communications, marketing, community engagement, etc.;
• Excellent analytical, writing, editing and oral communication skills, good visual communications knowledge;
• Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite (such as Photoshop, Illustrator, Express, Premiere), Canva, Google Analytics, WordPress, Hootsuite and major social media platforms (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Youtube, Tiktok);
• Knowledge of the principles of web usability and user experience optimisation (UX and website structures, user journeys, marketing automations, seo);
• Sound knowledge of the principles of branding, communications and reputation management.

Desirable:

• Capable of translating communication goals into impact using the most effective means and narratives;
• A strong team player who can listen and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues, members and partners;
• Excellent interpersonal skills, and experience with working in a multinational environment;
• Experience working with a CRM system, especially Hubspot;
• An understanding of web languages, such as HTML or CSS;
• Results-oriented and self-motivated;
• Experience in managing service providers, such as public relations or digital agencies, and in working with in-house and external designers;
• Digital communication/marketing experience for a non-profit organisation;
• Good networking skills;
• Awareness of European politics;
• Creative activism techniques;
• Experience working with influencers;
• Interest in climate and financial issues;
• Experience of running e-campaigns, such as online petitions or email-your-MP campaigns;
• A familiarity with Finance Watch’s work and a passion for the organisation’s cause and what it is trying to achieve;
• Experience in fundraising and volunteering programmes;
• E-marketing training credentials, for example in web analytics or email/social media marketing.

Equal employment opportunity

Finance Watch is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job.
Know that we are particularly eager to increase the representation of women, “non-Caucasian” and disabled people within the Finance Watch staff.
Selection will be in accordance with objective, job-related criteria, and the appointment will be on the basis of applicants’ merits and abilities.

Application guidelines

Interested candidates are invited to send a letter of motivation + CV via email by the closing date to: [email protected].
Please quote “Communications Officer (Engagement) Vacancy” in the title of your email.
Deadline for applications: 18 February 2024
Starting date: Q2 2024