- Zero Waste Europe
- Brussels, Belgium (Remote)
- Full-time
Communications Officer
- Zero Waste Europe
Brussels, Belgium
Full-time
Published:
Application Deadline: June 22, 2025
- Zero Waste Europe
Brussels, Belgium
Full-time
Published:
Application Deadline: June 22, 2025
ABOUT US:
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. We advocate for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet.
The ZWE network now includes 37 members and alliances across 29 European countries and works with topics across the whole chain. From the strategic use of resources and product design to reusability to end-of-pipe waste management solutions, from the phase-out of plastics to municipal zero waste strategies, our scope has significantly expanded but our mission and vision remain the same – a zero waste, fairer, inclusive, circular Europe for all (and planet, too, while we’re at it).
We are a successful and fast-growing independent NGO where personal development, fairness and inclusiveness are high on the agenda. We are the proud founders of the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA), through which we offer Zero Waste certifications to cities, municipalities, and small businesses; we are founding member of various movements and coalitions that are hosted under our entity (such as Break Free From Plastic), and are the European chapter of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA),
OUR ZWE VALUES:
ABOUT YOU:
If you balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution and want to use your communications skills to advance the zero waste movement in Europe, we want to hear from you!
ABOUT THE ROLE:
We are looking for a Communications Officer to join the ZWE team. They will report to ZWE’s Head of Communications and be placed within the ZWE Communications team (which currently hosts two other Communications Officers).
This position combines skills in general communications with press and media work. This is a great opportunity to contribute to our mission of creating a zero waste, healthy, and fair world for all by elevating our hope-based, solution-oriented messages and approach, showcasing the people behind/impacted by the work whenever possible.
Core responsibilities of the Communications Officer
SKILLS AND COMPETENCES:
Required
Preferred
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
We are committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, gender, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job.
We also realise that not all individuals have the same opportunities to engage in paid work or studies and are open to receiving applications from those who may not fulfil all the required skills but have the interest, passion, (cap)abilities and drive to fulfil the role. In this respect, we encourage people from a diverse intersection of backgrounds to apply.
LOCATION, COMPENSATION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
This is a full-time position based out of our Brussels office, under a hybrid working setup with a split 50/50 working from home (in Belgium) vs from the office. Candidates must already have a valid working permit for Belgium - please note that ZWE is not able to provide working permit sponsorships. We offer a competitive NGO salary (€3427-3625 range gross) plus benefits, including:
Lunch vouchers (€8/day); 13th month (year-end bonus);
We take pride in our ability to support one another's work in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, and look forward to introducing the successful candidate to our welcoming and highly motivated team and network members.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please send your CV and motivation letter in English with two references (all merged into a single PDF document) through the appropriate form on the ZWE website (“Work With Us” page). Only applications sent via this form will be considered. We can only guarantee that short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Our 2-round interview process will include:
The position remains open until filled. We encourage potential candidates to submit their applications when ready, and not to wait until the final deadline.
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards a better use of resources and the elimination of waste in our society. We advocate for sustainable systems; for the redesign of our relationship with resources; and for a global shift towards environmental justice, accelerating a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet.
The ZWE network now includes 37 members and alliances across 29 European countries and works with topics across the whole chain. From the strategic use of resources and product design to reusability to end-of-pipe waste management solutions, from the phase-out of plastics to municipal zero waste strategies, our scope has significantly expanded but our mission and vision remain the same – a zero waste, fairer, inclusive, circular Europe for all (and planet, too, while we’re at it).
We are a successful and fast-growing independent NGO where personal development, fairness and inclusiveness are high on the agenda. We are the proud founders of the Mission Zero Academy (MiZA), through which we offer Zero Waste certifications to cities, municipalities, and small businesses; we are founding member of various movements and coalitions that are hosted under our entity (such as Break Free From Plastic), and are the European chapter of the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA),
OUR ZWE VALUES:
- We are purpose-driven, always putting forward a solution-oriented approach;
- We are game-changing – we challenge the status quo, explore emerging topics and create a safe space to succeed (and to recover from setbacks);
- We are adaptable, constantly striving towards learning and improving; open to change and taking agency;
- We believe acting with integrity is crucial to achieve impact and change, both inside and outside our network;
- We care deeply about our communities, the environment, and systemic changes that benefit society as a whole – while also looking after ourselves and our own well-being as a team and as individuals.
ABOUT YOU:
- You are a communications professional with proven media relations skills who is passionate about environmental sustainability. With excellent writing abilities, you can make complex topics accessible across multiple channels and implement communications pushes from strategy to execution;
- You thrive in multicultural settings and embrace our hope-based, solution-oriented approach to storytelling;
- Proactive and detail-oriented, you're comfortable managing social media channels, using various communications tools, and adapting the content to different audiences;
- You're a collaborative team player who values humour while maintaining a high standard of work. You approach challenges with a problem-solving attitude and can prioritise effectively while contributing to our positive team culture. You are caring and helpful towards your team members and can jump in to help your colleagues if/when workload needs to be redistributed;
- You are impact-oriented, unafraid to propose new ideas and try new approaches. You treat evaluation/feedback as an essential part of growing (both for the organisation and yourself). When blocked, you ask for help; when stuck in your growth, you seek/ask for more responsibilities or challenges.
If you balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution and want to use your communications skills to advance the zero waste movement in Europe, we want to hear from you!
ABOUT THE ROLE:
We are looking for a Communications Officer to join the ZWE team. They will report to ZWE’s Head of Communications and be placed within the ZWE Communications team (which currently hosts two other Communications Officers).
This position combines skills in general communications with press and media work. This is a great opportunity to contribute to our mission of creating a zero waste, healthy, and fair world for all by elevating our hope-based, solution-oriented messages and approach, showcasing the people behind/impacted by the work whenever possible.
Core responsibilities of the Communications Officer
- Build overall communications strategies: help set up structures and proactively contribute to effective communication and outreach for both in-house and project-specific communication activities;
- Leading on the publication and distribution of communications materials for assigned ZWE working topics - either in-house (reports, social media activities, newsletters, website content, event communications, ...) or by leading the liaison activities with suppliers (designers, videographers, photographers, proofreaders, translators, …);
- Media outreach and press activities - working with the wider ZWE Team on assigned work topics to identify and develop good publishable angles for our Press Releases and other media work, in line with audiences’/media’s needs. Liaising with ZWE team members to field and answer media requests on those topics, and follow up with media contacts for collateral materials;
- Co-managing ZWE’s digital channels (website, social media, newsletters), handling event communication activities (both online and in-person), and contributing to our community-building efforts - always taking into account our storytelling, hope-based, community engagement and solution-oriented approach;
- Working with the ZWE Communications Team to identify and provide communication-centric training/capacity-building moments for the wider ZWE team and our members' network;
- Support Zero Waste Europe’s spin-off, Mission Zero Academy, by drafting and sending press releases regarding the Zero Waste Cities Certification and the Zero Waste Business Certification.
SKILLS AND COMPETENCES:
Required
- 3+ years of experience in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations, or a similar field;
- Solid/proven experience (at least 1-2 years) with media work, including:
- Experience in writing media materials (press releases and statements, op-ed editing, liaising for quotes, construction of media messages, etc.);
- Experience in media outreach strategies;
- 1:1 contact and relationship-building with journalists.
- Solid/proven experience in handling general communication activities (including publication processes);
- Proficient in the English language. Other languages are a plus;
- Comfortable with democratising technical topics (i.e. making materials/messages understandable to different audiences without falling into jargon);
- Excellent communication and writing skills (editing and copywriting included);
- Comfortable with communications execution activities;
- Familiar with communications plans and strategies;
- Good communications-related IT skills (Slack, Canva, Trello/Zoho/CRM databases, Google Suite, WordPress website back office, Meltwater, Sprout Social, Adobe Suite …);
- Basic social media and community-building experience (ZWE’s preferred social media channels: LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram).
Preferred
- A university degree in a relevant field (including - but not exclusive to - communications, journalism, marketing, environmental studies, sociology, European studies, international relations, …) or proven experience;
- Knowledge of, or interest in, environmental issues (in the field of resource and waste management, climate, or environmental justice);
- Previous experience in member-centric or client-facing workplaces;
- (Audio)Visual skills (video and/or audio editing, comfortable leading the development of audiovisual materials and liaising with necessary suppliers and other team members, etc.);
- Familiarity with pitching/storytelling/narrative-building is a plus;
- Appetite for political debate, system change, and grassroots movements is a plus;
- Previous experience with communications and press work beyond the “Brussels bubble” (including engaging with journalists and media outlets outside of Brussels) is a plus.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:
We are committed to the principle of Equal Employment Opportunity for all employees, regardless of sex, gender, marital status, nationality, religion, age, sexual orientation and any other characteristics unrelated to the performance of the job.
We also realise that not all individuals have the same opportunities to engage in paid work or studies and are open to receiving applications from those who may not fulfil all the required skills but have the interest, passion, (cap)abilities and drive to fulfil the role. In this respect, we encourage people from a diverse intersection of backgrounds to apply.
LOCATION, COMPENSATION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT:
This is a full-time position based out of our Brussels office, under a hybrid working setup with a split 50/50 working from home (in Belgium) vs from the office. Candidates must already have a valid working permit for Belgium - please note that ZWE is not able to provide working permit sponsorships. We offer a competitive NGO salary (€3427-3625 range gross) plus benefits, including:
Lunch vouchers (€8/day); 13th month (year-end bonus);
- Double holiday pay (Belgian standard);
- 20 vacation days plus 6 extra-legal holidays + 4 days between Christmas and New Year;
- Hospitalisation, ambulatory and Dental Insurance (DKV);
- Travel insurance; home working and other allowances (€150.00-170.00 net/month);
- Reimbursement of public transport costs for local commuting (€52.00 net/month); and full reimbursement of train transportation commuting costs within Belgium;
- Flexible working hours/times.
We take pride in our ability to support one another's work in an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect, and look forward to introducing the successful candidate to our welcoming and highly motivated team and network members.
- Deadline to apply: 22 June 2025, at 23:59 CEST;
- Ideal starting date: no later than September-October 2025.
HOW TO APPLY:
Please send your CV and motivation letter in English with two references (all merged into a single PDF document) through the appropriate form on the ZWE website (“Work With Us” page). Only applications sent via this form will be considered. We can only guarantee that short-listed candidates will be contacted.
Our 2-round interview process will include:
- A first round of online screening interviews taking place until 30 June 2025;
- A 1h assignment for selected candidates after round 1, taking place during a selected time by the candidate before the second and final round of interviews;
- A second and final interview round will occur on 8 July 2025 (either online or in-person for candidates already in Belgium).
The position remains open until filled. We encourage potential candidates to submit their applications when ready, and not to wait until the final deadline.
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