We are looking for a Communications Officer that will support the newly established UNIC European University Alliance, including its newly awarded Horizon-funded research programme: UNIC4ER. 

UNIC, the European University of Post-Industrial Cities, is a transnational alliance of eight universities: the Koç University (Turkey), the Ruhr University Bochum (Germany), the University College Cork (Ireland), the University of Deusto (Spain), the University of Liège (Belgium), the University of Oulu (Finland) and the University of Zagreb (Croatia) – soon to be expanded with two new partners, the University of Lodz (Poland) and the University of Malmö (Sweden).

UNIC was formed as response to the European Commission’s call to create bottom-up networks of universities throughout Europe (“European Universities”). Through the transnational alliances built under the European University Initiative the European Commission aims to enhance the quality and international competitiveness of European higher education, while promoting European values and identity.  

Our ambition is to develop innovative and sustainable means of university collaboration that boost student and staff mobility while fostering social inclusion and further social impact. We are working hard to build a truly European UNIC University, including an inter-university campus, a superdiversity academy and an array of joint education opportunities.  

UNIC4ER is the research programme of the UNIC European University. It complements the education-related activities of UNIC and supports UNIC’s focus on inclusion and impact through the development of a joint research structure around the concept of engaged research1. It actively facilitates the use of community-based research methodologies (such as citizen science, action research, participatory research, co-creation approaches, etc.) to ensure that cities, citizens and civil society actors are involved in the research development and implementation processes, thus maximizing the potential impact of research. The programme offers support structures for our UNIC researchers, such as fundings opportunities, trainings and knowledge sharing (both across and beyond our alliance). It also actively builds relationships with our city partners (e.g., Gemeente Rotterdam, industry partners and civil society actors). 

The Communication & Dissemination team is responsible for the development, successful implementation and evaluation of communications-related activities and events that contribute to the delivery of UNIC’s strategic goals and targets. Specifically, the Communications Officer will be responsible for coordinating UNIC’s communications activities. This includes proposing, creating, editing and publishing digital content and ensuring that the Alliance’s website, social media, and newsletters are maintained to a high standard. The Communications Officer will be part of an international team as well as a local team based in Rotterdam.

What will you do?

1. Draft and edit impactful education and research communication materials

• Write and design engaging website features, media materials and social media posts based on project deliverables, education activities, and research findings.
• Work closely with academic personnel to translate scientific content into engaging content for non-scientific audiences.
• Adapt communication materials to different channels (e.g., the UNIC website, the EUR website, social media, UNIC and EUR newsletters) while applying consistent messaging.

2. Proofread and edit communication materials

• Proofread and edit a variety of communication materials in line with the UNIC style guide and branding guidelines and according to rules of the European Commission.
• Quality-control proofreading of communication materials.
• Develop writing and editing guidelines for different communication formats and channels.
• Ensure that content is translated from English to Dutch for local Erasmus University Rotterdam channels.

3. Project communication

• Serve as dedicated communication focal point for the UNIC’s educational and research programmes
• Coordinate the UNIC communications teams across partner institutions, ensuring that they are consulted and included in all communication and outreach activities, including the identification of communications opportunities.
• Develop communications strategies, campaigns and communications products which contribute to the achievement of overall project goals and communications-related milestones.
• Together with the other members of the communications team, provide visibility for project and programmes to external audiences through dedicated multi-channel campaigns and effective involvement of partners.
• Update the online UNIC4ER Pulse Dashboard with inputs from partners.

4. Liaise with Erasmus University Rotterdam colleagues

• Represent UNIC at relevant marketing and communications meetings.
• Work closely with communication professionals from various central and faculty departments.

5. Event Management

• Plan and realize the UNIC annual conference.
• Plan and realize the UNIC booth at EurekaWeek (the EUR annual student orientation week).
• Plan and realize UNIC booth at European Commission events (2-3 per year.)

6. Other duties as required by the UNIC Communications Management.

• A bachelor’s degree in a relevant field, such as communications, marketing, international relations etc.
• Planning and organizing skills and experience with online tools.
• Project management skills.
• Adobe CC, Canva, CMS skills.
• A strong track record in editing short- and long-form academic output.
• Intrinsic motivation to innovate and interest in developing online event concepts.
• Flexibility: events may be held during weekends or in the evenings. Possibility to travel internationally 1-2 per year.
• Fluent in English; Dutch optional but preferred.

Fixed-term contract: 1 year.

What do we offer?

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

The salary is dependent on your experience and knowledge and ranges from a minimum of
€ 2.960,-  to a maximum of € 4.670,- gross per month based on a full-time contract of 38 hours, in accordance with scale 10 of the CAO-NU.

In addition, we offer an 8% holiday allowance, an end-of-year payment of 8.3%, and a very generous paid leave scheme. Furthermore, EUR is affiliated with ABP for the pension provision, and we offer partially paid parental leave, fully paid extended birth leave for partners, a personal career budget, work-life balance coaches, discounted collective health insurance, and more. As an employee, you can also use EUR facilities such as the University library and receive a discount on subscriptions for the Erasmus sports center.

Erasmus University Rotterdam offers a Dual Career Programme (DCP) to assist the life partners of new academic staff (on payroll) in finding employment in The Netherlands. The programme is offered in close cooperation with the nearby universities of Delft and Leiden.

Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfill their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl.

The General Management Directorate (ABD)

The General Management Directorate (Algemene Bestuursdienst, ABD) is the central staff organisation responsible for the organisation and support of EUR’s policy and administra-tion at the institutional level. ABD supports the Executive Board in fulfilling its responsi-bilities with regard to the quality, accessibility and financing of EUR’s education and re-search programmes. ABD handles the joint design of integrated policy, ensures the timely submission of policy within decision-making procedures and the implementation of the adopted policy measures and constantly monitors and evaluates developments in the inter-est of further improvement. ABD comprises the departments of Academic Affairs (AZ) in-cluding D&I Office, Corporate Planning & Control (CPC), Administrative Affairs (BZ), Legal Affairs (JZ) and the Chief Information Office (CIO). The independent university pub-lication Erasmus Magazine also falls under ABD in organisational terms. The management directorate is headed by the Director of the General Management Directorate, who also serves as Secretary of the Executive Board.