EU Advocacy Assistant (internship)

The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is an independent humanitarian organisation providing assistance, protection, and long-term solutions to displaced persons worldwide. NRC is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, and has operations in over 30 countries, as well as representation offices in Brussels, Geneva, London, Berlin, and Washington.

NRC’s representation in Brussels was established in 2005 in order to strengthen the existing relationship between NRC, the European Union as well as the Member States. NRC Europe’s main role is to support NRC’s country programmes in their collaboration with the EU institutions and Member States by improving communication with EU donors, and by influencing EU policies through the provision of evidence-based policy analysis on issues affecting refugees and displaced persons as well as humanitarian space.

Generic responsibilities

The purpose of the EU Advocacy Assistant is to support the EU Advocacy and Policy Advisers by conducting research into relevant EU foreign, humanitarian and development policies, monitoring relevant media and policy outlets, analysing opportunities for policy change in the EU, and assisting with advocacy and communication tasks.

Specific responsibilities

• Support the advisers by monitoring and preparing notes, briefings, and updates on EU institutions and Member States’ humanitarian and development policies and activities.
• Conduct background research on relevant EU and Member States’ policies and activities, and analyse official EU documents;
• Attend relevant meetings organised by the EU, Member States, and NGOs, represent NRC position in accordance to agreed messaging and write meeting notes and reports and; Attend NRC’s internal advocacy coordination calls and meeting with field operations to keep abreast of context and operational developments.
• Support the organisation of events and meetings, including contacting EU and Member States’ officials;
• Assist in preparing (in person or online) meetings and briefings in Brussels for field-based colleagues, including organising programmes, conducting research on EU policies towards those countries, and drafting briefing notes.
• Assist in the distribution of reports, updates, and briefs from the field to EU interlocutors.
• Manage and update NRC Europe’s contact database.
• Monitor EU/MS official agenda’s and priorities, including through periodic media monitoring.

Professional competencies:

Generic professional competencies:

• University degree or equivalent experience in a relevant field such as international relations, international law, European affairs, humanitarian assistance, international development, political science or advocacy.
• Fluency in English, and knowledge of other EU languages (French in particular) is an asset
• Fully computer literate

Context/Specific skills, knowledge and experience:

• Good knowledge and interest in EU institutions and EU policy
• Demonstrable interest in humanitarian and displacement issues
• Eligible to work in Belgium
• Previous humanitarian or advocacy experience is desirable
• Previous experience overseas in humanitarian or development settings is desirable

Behavioural competencies:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills in EN
• Organizational skills including the ability to multitask, prioritize and work efficiently with limited supervision
• Comfortable in a multicultural professional and/or NGO environment
• Commitment to humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality, and independence

Miscellaneous info

• Contract: Belgian “Social immersion professional contract” (Bruxelles formation). Paid internship, meal vouchers and transport allowance included.
• Contract period: January 2023 – June 2023 (6 months renewable upon the approval of Bruxelles Formation)
• Deadline for applications: 11 December 2022
• NRC may be required to verify the identity of its partners and to check that its partners have not been involved in illegal activities.
• NRC reserves the right to use electronic screening tools for this purpose.