Senior Assistant, Communications (Bilingual)

Background About SEforALL

Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) is an international organization working with leaders in government, the private sector and civil society to drive further, faster action toward achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7), which calls for universal access to sustainable energy by 2030, and the Paris Agreement, which calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to limit climate warming to below 2° Celsius. Achieving these goals will require a radical rethink of the way we produce, distribute and consume energy. SEforALL is at the heart of this foundational shift to ensure no one is left behind. Drawing on data and evidence, we identify a critical path to success in achieving SDG7.

Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon launched the Sustainable Energy for All initiative in 2011. Now an independent organization, we maintain close links with the UN, including through a relationship agreement, partnerships with UN agencies and with SEforALL's CEO acting as the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Sustainable Energy for All and Co-Chair of UN-Energy. These roles include advising the UN Secretary General and his staff on issues relating to sustainable energy and the implementation of SDG7 and supporting the coordination of sustainable energy issues in the United Nations system.  

The ambitions of SDG7 are extraordinary. Aiming to achieve them in the context of the Paris Agreement on climate change involves transformation at a scale never undertaken before. Swift action must be taken by leaders in governments, private sector companies, institutions, financiers, development banks, unions, communities, entrepreneurs and civil society. As we enter the final decade to achieve SDG7, SEforALL has strategically chosen to strengthen global agenda-setting while expanding its activities to an engagement model that prioritizes data-driven decision-making, partnerships with high-impact countries and implementation on the ground. The new SEforALL three-year business plan outlines “results offers” that scope out our planned interventions and demonstrate to our funding partners the impact of their support.

Objective of Assignment

The main objectives of the Communications team are:

• To strategically focus on driving awareness, inspiration and action by decision-makers on SDG7 and the Paris Agreement by sharing successes, best practices, tools and resources on energy access and clean energy transitions.
• To position SEforALL as the primary global platform on SDG7 and expanding our use of creative and innovative communications platforms and channels to effectivel communicate our on-the-ground impact.
• To support SEforALL to successfully articulate its ambitions and impact with a compelling and unified narrative and messaging.

Purpose/Objective of the Role

The main objectives of the role include:

• Support the Communications Team and other departments to produce French language communications material
• Support the Communications Team and other departments to build relationships with in-country partners and counterparts through periodic translation and interpretation
• Contribute to the organization's social media content development and messaging
• Proactively research and connect with Francophone social media influencers within the renewable energy sector
• Support SEforALL's media outreach to Francophone journalists

Duties and Tasks for the Role

The main duties and tasks of the role include, but are not limited to:

• Draft and finalize communications material including: press releases, event/video scripts, social media posts and collateral, briefing notes, event brochures, concept notes and other material
• Draft French language social media collateral including social media cards, posts and video scripts
• Provide interpretation during meetings, media interviews and translation of documents
• Translate pitch decks for donors and sponsors
• Provide support to the Events Specialist on SEforALL Marquee events plus webinars
• Assist in coordinating activities of communications consultants and agencies working in-country on initiatives such as video production and advocacy campaigns
• Provide administrative support in project management of events and other communications activities to ensure projects stay on time and on budget
• Maintain contact database
• Other tasks and duties as may be required

Specific Competencies for the Role

• Completed relevant university degree or comparable skills.
• Experience in writing press releases, articles, stories, briefing notes and impactful social media posts
• Proven ability to translate and interpret from French to English and English to French
• Experience working or living within a developing country setting an asset
• Knowledge of and interest in communications pertaining to sustainable development, energy, energy transitions and energy access an advantage
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office, Social Media Channels and Social Media monitoring tools (Buffer etc).
• Experience using Adobe Suite or other Graphic design tools an asset
• Strong organizational skills, ability to meet tight deadlines and to manage multiple tasks effectively and efficiently
• Ability to take initiative and be innovative
• Strategic thinking and planning skills as well as diplomacy, tact, and courtesy in dealing with the stakeholders and with High-level representatives
• Strong interpersonal skills and cultural awareness. Comfortable working in a multicultural, international working environment.

General Competencies for the Role

• Innovation and Adaptability: Has advanced skills in innovation and is adaptable to changes.
• Resilience and Emotional Intelligence: Has advanced knowledge in the concepts of resilience and emotional intelligence. Is able to remain calm in challenging situations, to cope with setbacks, and is responsive to the emotions of others.
• Analytical and Strategic Thinking: Has an intermediate level of analytical and strategic thinking skills. Gathers and analyses diverse information, identifies critical relationships and patterns among data and contributes workable solutions to the team.
• Collaboration and Partnership: Demonstrates intermediate initiative and required abilities in collaboration and partnership in own areas of responsibility. Develops and maintains partnerships and collaborates with others in the team to build strong professional relationships. 
• Lead and Empower: Demonstrates initiative and role model behaviour in leading and empowering others. Takes responsibility for own work activities and personal actions and carries out the commitments agreed upon
• Political and diplomatic understanding: Has an advanced level of political and diplomatic understanding.
• Communicating information: Has proficient skills in communicating information and uses the skills effectively in own scope of work and sometimes in others’ work
• Research and Analytics: Has advanced skills in research and analytics.
• Project Management: Has advanced skills in project management. Plans and organises their own work in support of achieving the team’s objectives.
• Client Orientation / Striving for Excellence: Has advanced skills in client orientation and achieving excellency in work delivery

Our Values

Please refer to our core values as defined here: https://www.seforall.org/who-we-are/staff/our-values.

Salary information

SEforALL has adopted its own salary scales corresponding to the SEforALL grading system. The minimum yearly salary for this position is EUR 36,944. The actual salary offer will be determined within the scale depending on the successful candidate’s qualification and experience, and applying the principle of internal equity. In addition to the base salary, SEforALL staff receive a benefits package that includes contribution to pension, contribution to health insurance & homeworking allowance. 

Additional Considerations

• SEforALL offers exciting high-impact assignments, a collegial and creative work environment, and the opportunity for committed professionals to thrive and grow within flat hierarchies and in the pursuit of an inspiring mission.
• SEforALL provides competitive compensation packages at its locations in Vienna, Washington DC and New York City, and flexibility and result orientated modern workplace arrangements.
• Qualified female candidates and candidates from developing countries are strongly encouraged to apply.
• Applications received after the closing date will not be considered.
• SEforALL reserves the right to appoint a candidate at a level below the advertised level of the post.

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Your data will not be passed on to third parties outside SEforALL. We will only use your data to the extent necessary for the purposes of selecting personnel in accordance with the applicable data protection regulations.

 We will only disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by a court´s or administrative authority´s decision. In such a case, we will inform you as soon as possible of such an order so that you can take legal action against it if necessary. Please email to careers@seforall.org if you require updates to your information in accordance with Art. 5 lit. d of the GDPR