The European Youth Forum is seeking a Communications Officer to join its Communications and Outreach Department in Brussels, Belgium. The full-time role offers an opportunity for an experienced and creative communications professional to contribute to advocacy and public engagement on issues affecting young people across Europe.
The successful candidate will join a four-person Communications team and work closely with colleagues across the Secretariat and the European Youth Forum Board. The position will focus particularly on creative content writing, website management and media relations, while also contributing to campaigns, social media, events and broader communications strategies.
About the European Youth Forum
The European Youth Forum is the largest platform representing youth organisations in Europe. It brings together more than 100 youth organisations, collectively representing millions of young people across the continent.
The organisation advocates for young people’s rights, interests and needs and promotes the role of youth organisations in participation, democracy and community building. Its work aims to ensure that young people have meaningful opportunities to influence decisions affecting their lives and societies.
The Communications Officer will help translate this policy and advocacy work into compelling communications that can reach policymakers, journalists, youth organisations, activists and wider audiences.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will develop and edit communications across multiple formats, including website articles, press releases, social media content, videos, visual materials and campaign resources.
A major responsibility will be maintaining and strengthening the European Youth Forum’s tone of voice. The Officer will ensure that communications are clear, creative, consistent and accessible while adapting messages for different audiences and platforms.
The position will also involve translating complex European policy developments into engaging stories that highlight their relevance to young people.
Website Management
The Communications Officer will take a leading role in managing the European Youth Forum’s website. Responsibilities will include keeping content current, ensuring that information accurately reflects the organisation’s work and policy positions, and identifying ways to improve the presentation and accessibility of online content.
The Officer will coordinate with external web agencies when technical assistance or development is required. Experience with content management systems is therefore important, while knowledge of Craft CMS would be particularly advantageous.
Media Relations and Campaigning
The role will contribute to strengthening the European Youth Forum’s relationships with journalists, particularly within EU-focused and independent media.
The Communications Officer will monitor media opportunities, coordinate incoming media requests and connect journalists with appropriate youth representatives and spokespeople.
The position will also support communications campaigns, creative projects, events, meetings and public-facing actions. Candidates with experience or a strong interest in creative campaigning, activism and communications stunts will have an advantage.
The Officer will monitor emerging communications trends, experiment with new formats and assess the reach and impact of communications outputs to improve future campaigns.
Qualifications and Experience
Candidates should have an excellent command of written and spoken English, equivalent to native-level proficiency.
At least one year of relevant experience in content writing, communications, media relations or a related area is required. This experience may have been gained through employment, internships, volunteering or similar professional engagement.
Experience in the NGO, civil society, youth or related sectors is also required.
Applicants should demonstrate experience producing high-quality written content for external audiences and using content management systems. Experience with Craft CMS is particularly welcome.
Knowledge of social media platforms and creative tools such as Canva, CapCut or Adobe Creative Cloud will be an asset.
An interest in youth rights, democracy, inclusion and community building is important, while experience with creative campaigns or activism would strengthen an application.
Core Competencies
The ideal candidate will be a strong and creative writer who can adapt tone, messaging and style to different audiences and communication formats.
The successful applicant should also be curious, resourceful and willing to learn. Strong storytelling ability and an understanding of how to identify compelling communications angles will be important.
The role requires excellent organisation and time management, as the Officer will need to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines. The candidate should be proactive, solution-oriented and capable of working effectively when priorities change.
Strong teamwork skills are essential, as the Communications Officer will collaborate with colleagues from different functions and backgrounds. The ability to work comfortably in a multicultural and international environment is also important.
Salary and Benefits
The position is offered as a one-year full-time fixed-term contract, working 35 hours per week, with the possibility of extension.
The preferred starting date is as soon as possible, ideally at the beginning of November 2026.
The gross monthly salary is €2,809, in accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement applied by the European Youth Forum.
Additional benefits include:
• A relocation package, subject to budget availability.
• DKV hospitalisation and A-Z insurance coverage.
• Eco-cheques on a pro-rata basis.
• Five additional extra-legal holiday days on a pro-rata basis.
• An annual STIB public transport subscription.
The position is based in Brussels and may require travel, flexible working hours and occasional evening or weekend work. Overtime can be compensated through time off in lieu, with evening and weekend overtime also compensated.
Application Process
The application process is designed to assess candidates’ actual communications abilities rather than relying solely on traditional application documents.
Applicants must submit a CV, answer the questions included in the application form and provide links or examples of three pieces of written content they have produced.
Candidates must also prepare a short blog article for the European Youth Forum website about their application, submitted as a PDF, as well as a short media quote on behalf of the President of the European Youth Forum. Applicants may choose any topic currently relevant to the organisation’s work.
The application deadline is 15 September 2026 at 23:59 CET. Interviews are expected to take place on 28, 29 and 30 September 2026.
Applicants must already be authorised to work in Belgium, as the European Youth Forum is unable to sponsor a work visa or work permit for this position.
Why Consider the Role?
The Communications Officer position provides an opportunity to work at the centre of European youth advocacy and contribute to communications on issues including democracy, youth rights, inclusion, climate and civic participation.
For communications professionals passionate about youth advocacy and public-interest communications, the role offers the opportunity to combine creative storytelling with policy communications, media engagement and campaigning in an international environment.
