Senior Associate, Strategic Communications – Germany Desk Lead

Role Overview

• Developing and implementing the desk strategy, translating network-level direction into clear objectives and tactics, ensuring coherence across work-streams, and identifying long-term gaps to fill through strategic delivery and short-term hooks for comms opportunities;
• Alongside the team, closely following the political and media debates in Germany to identify where strategic communications can be usefully deployed along core and cross-cutting topics relating to climate and energy policy, and align delivery accordingly;
• Operationalising communication strategies with a wide range of communications material and actions (this could include press pitches, media briefings, identification of spokespeople and multipliers, alliance building and skills sharing) and delivering newsworthy interventions in line with the underlying objectives;
• Co-creating and implementing campaigns around key political moments across platforms and coordinating with in-house insights and digital specialists, managing multiplier relations and curating editorial content;
• Crafting audience-specific messaging and materials, ensuring consistency across all communication channels and platforms;
• Engaging in proactive crisis communications planning, preparing strategies and responses for potential issues or setbacks that may impact climate initiatives, while working closely with internal and external stakeholders to manage risks;
• Monitoring impact and outcomes, keeping track of media mentions and contributing to drawing conclusions and recommendations to constantly improve interventions;
• Providing expert guidance to other teams and external partners on communication strategies, trends and tactics, and engaging generously with key stakeholders to achieve impactful outcomes;
• Identifying, training and elevating voices and spokespeople who can talk convincingly and authentically about climate and transition related issues;
• Line managing the Germany desk team members, setting clear objectives, providing regular feedback and supporting professional development, fostering a high-performing, collaborative, and accountable team culture;
• Managing the desk budget, aligning resource allocation with strategic priorities, regularly tracking spend, anticipating needs, and making informed spending decisions, ensuring efficient use of resources across projects and infrastructure.

Requirements

• Extensive professional experience in communications, public affairs or journalism, ideally with a track record of impactful communication interventions in Germany. Previous experience in the fields of climate, energy or the civil society spectrum is an asset;
• An enthusiasm to embrace complex topics, identify gaps in existing structures and approaches, and strategically plan and deliver timely interventions;
• A strong understanding of the processes and dynamics of national policy-making and Germany’s wider influence in the EU, as well as an excellent grasp of power dynamics between political parties;
• High familiarity with the German media landscape including traditional media, online platforms and the digital creator scene
• existing contacts highly desirable;
• A solid perception of how disinformation and platform dynamics shape public perception of key political issues;
• A passion for strategic story placement with a hands-on attitude in developing content;
• An outgoing demeanor to leverage an active network of influential sector experts and voices from think tanks, civil society, academia and business and the ability to build new meaningful connections and widen the network;
• Native-level fluency in written and spoken German is a must, fluency in English, our working language, is expected;
• The disposition to work generously with colleagues in a high-trust global community of peers;
• The versatile and adaptable skills necessary to flourish in a fast-paced and wide-ranging work environment and work across time zones using tools such as Zoom, Slack and tools in the Google Suite.
• Capability to perform effectively under pressure and meet deadlines, demonstrating resilience, efficient decision-making and timely execution;
• A commitment to an inclusive and empowering approach to facing climate change.

Benefits

• Be part of a remote-first, international network of professionals working on climate, energy and nature and work with a bunch of dynamic, culturally diverse individuals who combine their passion to make a difference with a rigorous and results-oriented approach to work.
• 6 offline days (with no calls or meetings) per year to focus on your work
• Reduced working time on Fridays during the Dry Season (summer)
• Access to our employee assistance program to support your mental health and personal development
• Supplementary paid business closure for end-of-year holidays
• Maternity leave matched to 20 weeks for countries where regulation allows less than that
• Enjoy regular opportunities to connect and collaborate with colleagues around the world
• A full-time position with an employment or consultant contract, subject to location, for 12 months, with possible renewal after one year.