Policy Trainee (CULT Committee) for the Volt delegation in the European parliament

Volt Europa is looking for a trainee to support our MEP Nela Riehl in her work on the European Parliament's culture and education (CULT) Committee. In her role as Chair, Nela has an important formal and institutional role, in which you will support her. In particular, you will co-develop a creative long-term strategy for the engagement with diverse stakeholders from different sectors, bridging the gap between cultural actors, civil society and policy-makers. In addition, you will support Nela in her role as Vice-Chair of the Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup, as well as in her role as Co-Chair of the newly established Skills and Education Intergroup, collaborating closely with educators, anti-discrimination groups and colleagues working in this field.

In this position, the trainee will be responsible for a variety of tasks in the areas of drafting, research and stakeholder engagement, as well as communication and event organisation. While a large proportion of this work will be desk work, this position will allow you to develop a professional network of political and social actors in the field. Most importantly, this is an opportunity to gain first-hand experience about the role of an MEP and the workings of the EU institutions in a fast-paced, fun, and multi-cultural environment.

Our main goal is for your work to have meaningful impact while contributing to your own career parth. In this way, we want to make sure you feel value, agency and autonomy in your work while being part of a team that supports and guides you. The role would run from March 2025 until July 2025 (and potentially beyond). We are (somewhat) flexible on the start and end dates.

We want to underline that, above all, please apply even if you are wondering if you fit the profile. We value equity of opportunity and do not expect a trainee to arrive with 10 years of working experience.

Responsibilities:

  • Research and produce briefing notes, reports, articles, speeches, speaking points and explanations of votes for use by Nela and/or the wider Volt EP delegation;

  • Attend and prepare meeting notes on Parliamentary Integroups and Committee meetings;

  • Develop a proposal for an engagement strategy for Nela as CULT Chair, including researching and producing an overview of relevant stakeholders in different sectors, creating a timeline and organising relevant meetings;

  • Engage with stakeholders to ensure civil society perspectives are taking into account in our policy work;

  • Support communication colleagues with information on policy issues under your responsibility;

  • Help organise events and related outreach activities on relevant topics.

We ask for:

  • Highly developed interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, demonstrating accuracy and attention to detail;

  • A proactive approach, with the ability to work effectively ina team environment;

  • Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines simultaneously;

  • English language competence at CEFR level C1 or above, as the Volt Europa delegation's working language is English;

  • Knowledge of and passion for European politics, policy issues, and current events, and a commitment to progressive values and principles;

  • First experiences in civil society engagement or cultural and/or media organisations would be an asset.

What we offer:

  • First-hand experience in the office of a Parliamentary Committee Chair and Volt Europa MEP;

  • The opportunity to develop your expertise on culture-, education- and anti-discrimination related topics within and outside of the EU legislative process;

  • A purpose-driven work environment, underpinned by our shared commitment to the Eropean project;

  • A fun, young, and international team;

  • A competitive salary.

How to apply?

We are excited to read your application! If you are interested, complete this application form before 26.01.2025 23:59.

Interviews and the final decision will be made no later than the end of mid-February 2025, with a start date foreseen for early March 2025.

Unsuccessful candidates will be duly notified.

Questions regarding the vacancy and application procedure can be addressed to Charlotte Bechert via [email protected].