VACANCY – Secretary of the Intergroup on LGBTI Rights: apply until 15 May 2023

Brussels, May 03 2023

A. THE LGBTI INTERGROUP

Founded in 1997, the European Parliament’s Intergroup on LGBTI Rights aims to advance the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people throughout the work of the European Parliament and the European Union. The LGBTI Intergroup seeks to mainstream an intersectional perspective in its work, and therefore looks at discrimination against LGBTI people together with other types of discrimination such as based on race, ethnicity, religion and faith, disability, age and gender.

In the 9th legislature, the LGBTI Intergroup remains the largest of the European Parliament’s 28 Intergroups with 157 Members, who are all democratically elected Members of the European Parliament.

B. JOB DESCRIPTION

Directly under the authority of the Intergroup Bureau, the Secretary will be responsible for running the everyday work of the Intergroup. Their main responsibilities will be to:

• Suggest, advise and coordinate the actions taken by the Intergroup, as approved and discussed in the Bureau; the Secretary is responsible for the workflow of information within the Bureau and from the Secretariat to all the remaining Intergroup Members.
• Closely follow political developments in the field of human rights, equality and non-discrimination in the European Parliament, other EU institutions, and Member States;
• Based on this monitoring, suggest actions to the Bureau and/or Members of the Intergroup, and help them take informed political decisions;
• Implement the Bureau’s Decisions;
• Report on the Intergroup’s work regularly;
• Develop and maintain relationships with LGBTI and human rights civil society organisations.

In practical terms, the position will frequently feature the following tasks:

• Advance views via amendments, resolutions, reports, and parliamentary questions in partnership with other assistants, political advisers and other senior staff, MEPs and civil society;
• Write press releases, letters or newspaper columns;
• Write briefings, summaries and parliamentary questions;
• Send voting alerts and advice to Intergroup members;
• Organise political events in the European Parliament;
• Regularly liaise with other institutions, EU agencies, civil society and non-governmental organisations, the press, and the general public;
• Fully maintain the Intergroup’s online presence (website and social media);
• Follow debates in relevant committees and the monthly plenary;

C. PROFESSIONAL PROFILE

Successful candidates would be able to demonstrate:

• Ability to analyse issues related to LGBTI human rights and non-discrimination from an intersectional perspective, especially at the European level;
• A proactive, self-driven and independent approach to work;
• Capacity to react quickly to current developments and to propose action-oriented solutions; independence and impartiality will be key, especially in order to coordinate across different political sensitivities; capacity to work diplomatically with Members from across political families in order to build cross-party support.
• Eagerness and ability to learn quickly and adapt to new challenges;
• An essential ability to network professionally, identify political supporters, and represent the Intergroup before senior political figures and fellow staff;
• Proven organisational skills and capacity to solve sensitive situations;
• Proven ability to research and present information concisely;
• Excellent oral and written skills in English, and knowledge of French or other languages would be an asset;
• A good knowledge and skill of and in IT, especially in order to manage the Intergroup’s website (WordPress), as well as the ability to manage the Intergroups Social Media accounts (Facebook and Twitter)

The following are not considered a requirement, yet will be valued as an asset:

• Experience in and with the European Parliament;
• Existing knowledge and experience of working at the European level on issues related to human rights, non-discrimination and LGBTI rights in Europe, as well as a sharp political understanding of current developments;
• Knowledge of international or regional human rights instruments and institutions, as well as case-law from the CJEU and the ECtHR
• Experience from LGBTI activism

D. EMPLOYMENT DETAILS

Employment should begin as soon as possible.

The contract will initially last six months at salary grade 7 initially, renewable until the end of the legislature. The position is full time.

The Coordinator will be employed as an Accredited Parliamentary Assistant, and benefit from all sickness, holiday, accident and unemployment benefits afforded to EU civil servants, including financial relocation assistance to Brussels if necessary.

Applicants who are not EU citizens must be in possession of a valid permit to stay and to work in the European Union.

E. APPLICATION PROCESS

Candidates must send the documents below in PDF format to kim.vansparrentak@europarl.europa.eu with marc.angel@europarl.europa.eu in CC:

• A curriculum vitae in English, of strictly two pages maximum;
• A cover letter in English, of strictly one page maximum, detailing why you are the best candidate for the job and your motivation;

Please format your documents with “LGBTI Intergroup Secretary – LAST NAME – CV/Cover letter” and use “LGBTI Intergroup Secretary 2023” in the subject line. Please send your application before May 15 COB. Interviews will be held between the week of the 22nd of May.