Detail of the vacancy notice

  • Directorate: ​​ Direction Communication
  • Management: yes
  • Unit/Service: ​​ D.1. Service de presse et relations avec les médias
  • Grade: AD9-AD14
  • Type of post: Official – Head of Unit or equivalent - Publication under Article 29(1)(a) and (b) of the Staff Regulations
  • Location: Brussels
  • Deadline: 1/06/2026 at noon (Brussels time)

Your job and responsibilities

Are you an experienced EU communicator with an interest in politicians and media? Are you interested in increasing the visibility and impact of the European Committee of the Regions (CoR) and its members? 

Potentially one of the most interesting head of unit jobs in EU communication, this role involves working directly with politicians and political groups as well as with colleagues from across the institution, from personnel to policy experts. 

Working under both the political authority of the rapporteur for the communication strategy and the day-to-day editorial coordination decided at senior management level, you will be responsible for the CoR’s visibility in the media.

This ranges from covering high-profile statements by senior politicians in the Brussels bubble media to helping CoR members reach out to Europeans in their cities and regions, rural and peripheral areas.

In the new geopolitical circumstances, the CoR as a political assembly aims to make the EU stronger from the inside, through cohesion, resilience and proximity to people. At the same time, the CoR as an institution relies on effective media outreach, staying lean, cost-effective and ahead of the curve. 

You will lead a unit of 16 staff members including press officers, audiovisual specialists and photographers and your mission will be to: 

  • generate positive media visibility appropriate to a political assembly of over 300 members representing more than a million elected local and regional leaders; 
  • develop audiovisual and photographic products based on key performance indicators of media mentions, social media engagement and web page views;
  • consolidate a 'demand-driven' approach to maximising visibility, whereby the output is tailored to key issues in the media and the EU political agenda (rather than based solely on CoR activities);
  • develop a culture of regular dialogue between the CoR press officers and Brussels-based journalists, with the objective of establishing and maintaining relationships with them;
  • contribute to the CoR Directorate for Communication’s contacts with other institutions’ communicators, particularly on issues identified as relevant for EU communication;
  • contribute to measuring and monitoring media communication (including using key performance indicators) and tailoring media contacts and partnerships to evolving trends;
  • demonstrate the highest quality of personnel management, with a clear focus on staff well-being; 
  • pursue rigorous financial management based on cost-effectiveness, including acting as authorising officer by sub-delegation on commitments and payments.

Who are we? What are the challenges for us ahead?

The ‘Press office and relations with media’ unit works at the centre of the Directorate for Communication and consists of a press sector (10 people), the audiovisual team (four people) and several support staff. 

As head of unit, you are expected to lead by example, with a focus on delivering communication on the CoR’s political messages. The president, 1st vice-president, chairs of commissions and working groups, and rapporteurs are key political messengers who represent the views of EU local and regional authorities in Brussels. CoR members are also messengers for the EU in their constituencies, elected closest to citizens and the most trusted level of government. This role is built around matching the CoR’s messengers and messages with the demands of the media and the EU political agenda. 

The unit has a reinforced and high-performing press sector and a strong audiovisual team, along with joint studio facilities (shared with the neighbouring European Economic and Social Committee). Intrapreneurship is one of the assessment criteria for all managers at the CoR and you will be encouraged to innovate as part of turning the CoR from the House of EU Regions into the home of Europe’s future.

Are you the talent we are looking for?

General abilities and capacities required

  • Think with a critical spirit, analyse and solve problems pragmatically.
  • Assess critically credibility and reliability of sources, data and information and use relevant digital tools to carry out the duties.
  • Organise own work, demonstrate responsibility, identify priorities, take appropriate decisions and deliver results. 
  • Adapt to an evolving working environment, demonstrate commitment and adopt a constructive attitude at all times. Remain effective and flexible even during periods of heavy activity.
  • Take initiative to achieve individual and shared objectives, demonstrate ownership and work autonomously.
  • Learn and professionally develop to continuously enhance job performance and knowledge of the organisation and working environment.
  • Work together with others in a constructive way by contributing to diverse and inclusive working environment. Demonstrate respect and courtesy at all times.
  • Convey information and relevant opinions clearly and concisely both orally and in writing, facilitate interaction and engage effectively with others. Treat confidential or sensitive information accordingly.

Job-specific requirements

  • You have at least three years’ professional experience in coordination of teams in an international context.
  • You have a proven track record in EU communication and want to help promote the work of the CoR and its members. 
  • You demonstrate sound knowledge of the EU agenda and its diverse communication environment, and you are able to balance the priorities of a political assembly with the need to ensure appropriate visibility for the CoR’s legislative work in its advisory capacity.
  • You have relevant experience and a solid understanding of how journalists operate, including how to build and maintain effective relationships with them. 
  • You demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of the specific nature of political leadership at local and regional level.
  • You demonstrate a sound knowledge and understanding of the CoR’s added value in the EU inter-institutional setting, proving your skills in developing narratives that make CoR’s political messages attractive to journalists and relevant to an ever-changing EU political agenda.
  • You demonstrate an ability to adapt the CoR’s political messages to ensure that they are both attractive and relevant to local media across the EU.
  • You have a thorough knowledge of one of the official languages of the European Union (EU) and a satisfactory knowledge of another of the EU official languages. For functional reasons, a high level of English is required and a good level of French is desirable.
  • You have a good command of IT applications and tools, such as Outlook, Excel, Word and SharePoint, including AI tools in a secure environment.
  • You have experience in coordinating and executing complicated tasks, including with outside contractors. 
  • You have experience working with budgets and contracts, and with external stakeholders and technical experts, including on issues such as artificial intelligence and protection of personal data. 

Assets

  • Knowledge of internal systems such as ABAC and ARES would be an asset.
  • Experience working with subnational media would be an asset. 
At Impactpool we do our best to provide you the most accurate info, but closing dates may be wrong on our site. Please check on the recruiting organization's page for the exact info. Candidates are responsible for complying with deadlines and are encouraged to submit applications well ahead.
Before applying, please make sure that you have read the requirements for the position and that you qualify. Applications from non-qualifying applicants will most likely be discarded by the recruiting manager.