Political Assistant to the Co-President of Volt Europa


About Volt

Only a Europe that acts together can solve our shared challenges. National parties are reaching their limits. Volt was created to counteract populist promises and give a home to all Europeans. As the first pan-European party, we strive to empower people to change politics and unlock Europe’s true potential. Active in more than 30 countries, we encourage citizens to rethink and reshape politics in their cities, in their countries and across borders in Europe.

The internship

You will be working as a political and communications assistant for Mels Klabbers, co-president of Volt Europa. You will get the opportunity to work closely together with him on a daily basis, and you will learn about a wide range of political topics, while also being responsible for his media presence. As Mels’ political assistant, you will support him in day-to-day planning, writing speeches, preparing for interviews, reaching out to relevant stakeholders and creating engaging political communication for social media on behalf of both him and Volt Europa. The internship is set to take place from mid-February up until July with the opportunity of an extension post-July. 

You will also be given the freedom to engage with other projects you are interested in. 

Key responsibilities

  • Assist in day-to-day planning and organisational tasks

  • Assist in the management of Mels’ social media accounts

  • Work out strategy with Mels in terms of political decisions

  • Write speeches and prepare Mels for interviews

  • Conduct research independently and create political briefs on (European) politics

  • Assist the Volt Europa Communications team in producing social media content

Other tasks

  • Attend and take notes in meetings with Volt Europa’s leadership and elected officials 

  • Assist in the development of Mels’ communication strategy

  • Create various forms of social media content for Mels’ and Volt Europa's social media accounts

What we look for in you

  • Sensitivity and openness towards other cultures

  • 1+ year(s) of experience in politics/strategy/communications/administration or a related field

  • Ability to write clear and easy-to-understand texts in English

  • Ability to work with tools like Canva or Capcut 

  • Pursuing or recently graduated with a degree in Politics/International Relations/Journalism/Communication Studies or a related field

  • Demonstrable knowledge of the EU and its institutions

  • Demonstrable knowledge of the political landscape of the EU

  • Strong organisational skills and ability to work independently

What we can offer you

  • A diverse working environment with a range of different cultures and languages

  • A unique insight into the European political culture within a rapidly growing organisation

  • The experience of working for a pan-European political party during local and national elections

  • The opportunity to work closely with elected officials at local, national, and European levels.

  • At Volt, we believe that every employee should have the opportunity to make their mark. You will have the opportunity to influence an innovative, youthful political movement.

Practical Details

  • Start date: mid February 

  • An internship allowance of €550 gross p/m for a full-time contract for 6 months.

  • 2 days of time off / month

  • Volt is primarily a volunteer organisation, which means we do not have fixed working hours. We aim for trainees to work 38 hours per week, so working in the evening gives the opportunity to take the morning off, but being flexible is important. 

  • Location: no specific location is required, but as you need to work closely with Mels, we are ideally looking for interns living in the Netherlands.

  • If you feel like you meet our criteria, please send a motivation letter and your CV to [email protected]. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis so early applications are highly encouraged.
    Due to the high volume of applications received and the limited HR resources available we are only able to contact shortlisted candidates – thank you for your understanding.

Please note that our payroll system is currently only set up in the Netherlands, Italy, France and Luxembourg, meaning we can only provide a salary to trainees who live there. For others we will need to discuss a different arrangement (based on a parttime contract).